Amy Winehouse performs during the 46664 concert in celebration of Nelson Mandela's life at Hyde Park on June 27, 2008 in London. Sadness takes on different forms, from regret to depression to loss; ...

Music can heal you in many ways, but nothing comes close to the salve of sad songs when you’re at your lowest. Imagine Emma, who comes home after a long and stressful day at work, dealing with tight ...

Adele’s new album, “30”, is finally available. Last month, hundreds of millions of us streamed its first single, “Easy On Me.” This song evokes feelings not easily put into words. But we can probably ...

I have a playlist called “I Heart Melancholy,” and I love listening to it so much it hurts. In a good way. And I know you know what I’m talking about, don’t you? Melancholy gets a bad rap. In music, ...

Music is a part of every culture around the world. In fact, the ability to appreciate music is built into our brains, suggesting music has an evolutionary function. Many music studies look at the long ...

Raise your hand if you often find yourself in need of a good cry. Okay, all of us? Now raise it even higher if you like to lean into those feelings by throwing on a masterfully crafted playlist full ...

What is it about listening to those moody, melancholy ballads when we’re feeling down? Sad songs evoke strong emotions and help us feel better when we’re going through hard times, such as a break-up ...

Tune into these sad Christmas songs from some of your favorite artists, from Taylor Swift and Coldplay to Elvis Presley and more While the holidays can be a holly jolly time, they can also bring up ...

You would think happy people would prefer to listen to happy music. Lyrics that speak to their positive mood, bringing them cheer and joy. Yet, sad music tends to have a longer-lasting appeal for many ...

Sadness is generally seen as a negative emotion, but we tend to find it pleasurable in an aesthetic context. What is the nature of pleasure that people experience from listening to sad music?

For as long as I can remember, I have always preferred sad music. As a child, I used to force my mom to listen to me belting along to karaoke tracks of “My Heart Will Go On” and “I Will Always Love ...