Unlike upbeat pop songs, sad songs like “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, “Fix You” by Coldplay and most of Bon Iver’s discography trigger various cathartic feelings, showcasing the vulnerability evoked by music. Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” for the “Titanic” soundtrack is a prime example of this, with it being attached to the heartbreak expressed by the characters in the movie.
There is a large amount of research showing why we turn to sad songs even if we are perfectly content in the moment.
The psychology of ingesting sad media doesn’t only apply to music, but it also applies to books, movies or any other form of entertainment. Research from Eva Maria (Emy) Koopman, a graduate student in the Department of Media and Communication at Erasmus University Rotterdam, proved that sad media can consume “eudaimonic” motives, which means “meaning-making.”
Koopman found that sad scenes in books stood out more to readers; however, these tragic pieces of literature sometimes contain hopeful messages that make consumers reflect on their lives.
As humans, we can sometimes go down a slippery slope of being comforted by sadness. Banyan Treatment Center explains that a fear of change, avoidance and the routine of these feelings can make people more comfortable with being sad.
But even further than that, that sadness can also bring a sense of satisfaction. It’s not just a mental placebo effect, but hormones like prolactin and oxytocin are released when we can empathize. Whether it’s nostalgia or grief, warmth or gloom, music can evoke a sense of vulnerability in listeners.
There are also physical symptoms of sadness. Crying, feelings of chills, sometimes defined as “weeping” or “a lump in your throat,” are all physical responses that correlate with these feelings and music being researched.
The Kennedy Center has studies on how different scales, keys, tempos, tones and range can affect how sad a song seems to us, such as Mozart’s “Lacrimosa.” The song, considered “sorrowful,” is slow and seems to creep along in scale, invoking emotional responses from listeners. The song is categorized as “adiago," which is defined by Merriam-Webster as “at a slow tempo.”
The song itself almost feels like a warning. The Kennedy Center mentions that while creating this song, Mozart was sick and dealing with his impending premature death, having died at age 35. Perhaps, because we know this history with the song now, it may seem more ominous and tragic.
The next time you reach for your favorite sad playlist, really think about the feeling you're searching for. The research behind sad music has proven that there is a lot of insight that goes into curating the perfect emotional playlist.
