Why do people with depression listen to sad music?

Sad Music for Sad People

Listening to sad music while depressed may be beneficial

Ever listened to sad music when you’ve been feeling down? Sure, who hasn't? As long as there’s been music there’s likely been music that is ‘sad’—that is, low-tempo, melancholic, or perhaps lyrically somber.

One quick look at the charts will tell you people crave this stuff--it's everywhere. There are even hugely successful artists outright known for their depressing music, such as Radiohead, The Smiths, and many more. But the question isn't why we listen to it at all, it's why we listen to it when we're sad. If anything, shouldn’t that worsen your mood?

Since I was young I’ve been drawn to and fascinated by downbeat, bluesy, and outright depressing music. I’ve often wondered why exactly that is. After all, if I needed cheering up I might stick on an uplifting movie or TV show, eat comfort food, or exercise. So why don't I just listen to happy music?

Well, it turns out scientists have been wondering the very same thing. And unsurprisingly, it all has to do with our brains.

The Study

Researchers at the University of South Florida asked 76 female undergrads, half diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), to listen to both ‘happy’ and ‘sad’ music clips.

They found that the participants with depression preferred listening to the latter. Not only this but they felt happier and more relaxed while doing so. This flies in the face of the long-held notion that depressed people are looking to perpetuate their mood through their actions.

Listening to music is often a very personal experience (headphones on, world off ) so it isn’t surprising that people can form deep, ritualistic connections with their favourite songs and artists. Thus, when feeling down, it can be therapeutic to listen to something that matches your mood and reminds you that you’re not alone in these feelings. Sad music can provide a catharsis all its own.

Personally, I have a lot of go-to music for this sort of thing (some of my favourites are posted below). What are yours? Drop them in the comments below, we’d love to hear them. And maybe you'll brighten someone else's day.

If you liked this, check out our piece on Kanye West, one of music's most outspoken proponents of mental health awareness.