70 Sad Songs to Listen to When You Need a Good Cry

There's nothing like a sad, slow song to aid in a post-breakup cry or be the soundtrack to a bad day. It's a well-known fact that music is made to bring out emotions in all of us, but what may come as a surprise is that sad music can have the opposite effect from what you would expect: it can actually make you feel happy.

According to Andrew Rossetti, PhD, a board-certified music therapist and supervisor of the music therapy program in radiation oncology at The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, it's proven science that music can be a mood regulator. "Music is something that affects the human organism in a systems way, which means that pretty much the entire organism is affected, either directly or indirectly, by listening to music or by performing music," he explained, per Women's Health Magazine. "Our emotional brain is activated, our limbic system [the part of the brain involved in behavioral and emotional responses] is activated, motion is activated along with cognitive and associative processes."

Music is the sonic gift that allows us to reflect and even feel a sense of consolation during bad times, whether it sounds somber or upbeat. Luckily for us, there are some really amazing sad songs out there — because what are life and love without a bit of heartache?

Ahead, see the saddest songs out there that you can add to your playlist.

— Additional reporting by Katelyn Evans, Njera Perkins, and Eden Arielle Gordon

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Sad Songs: "Special" by SZA

"Special" appears on SZA's second studio album, "SOS," which made history as the first female R&B album to spend four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It's about the pain of comparing yourself to others and feeling like you're unworthy of love after a bad relationship.

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Sad Songs: "Funeral" by Phoebe Bridgers

"Funeral" is a track on Phoebe Bridgers's debut album "Stranger in the Alps." It's an exquisitely sad track about depression and dealing with the death of someone close in age to you.

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Sad Songs: "Isn't It a Pity" by George Harrison

"Isn't It a Pity" is a song off George Harrison's masterful album "All Things Must Pass." It expresses sorrow about all the pain and suffering in the world and the way people continue to hurt each other.

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Sad Songs: "Breaking Point" by Leon Thomas

"Breaking Point" is a breakup anthem by famed singer/songwriter/producer Leon Thomas.

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Sad Songs: "To Be Loved" by Adele

No one does a sad song quite like Adele, and this is no exception. "To Be Loved" appears on Adele's "30" album.

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Sad Songs: "Mother I Sober" by Kendrick Lamar feat. Beth Gibbons of Portishead

"Mother I Sober" appears on Kendrick Lamar's "Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers" album. The thought-provoking song dives into childhood trauma, guilt, shame, and Lamar's own personal journey towards overcoming all of it.

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Sad Songs: "Please Do Not Lean" by Daniel Caesar feat. BadBadNotGood

"Please Do Not Lean" is a single that was released by Daniel Caesar in 2022. It's about feeling unworthy of a lover based on one's own struggle.

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Sad Songs: "Exile" by Taylor Swift feat. Bon Iver

Taylor's Swift "Exile" appears on her Grammy-winning 2020 "Folklore" album. With its themes of alienation and loss and its devastating chorus, it's the perfect song to cry to.

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Sad Songs: "You Don't Know Me" by Summer Walker

"You Don't Know Me" is a song off Summer Walker's 2021 "Still Over It" album. This track describes the pain of feeling like your partner doesn't fully see you.

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Sad Songs: "Lost One" by Jazmine Sullivan

"Lost One," which expresses regret after being too careless with someone's heart, was the first single released from Jazmine Sullivan's Grammy-winning "Heaux Tales" album.

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Sad Songs: "Lonely" by Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco

"Lonely" appears on Justin Bieber's 2021 "Justice" album that dives into his feelings of isolation and struggles with fame.

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Sad Songs: "Know That You Are Loved" by Cleo Sol

"Know That You Are Loved" appears on Cleo Sol's 2021 "Mother" album. This track is a love song for someone who doesn't love themselves.

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Sad Songs: "I'm Not OK" by H.E.R.

"I'm Not OK" by H.E.R. is featured on her 2018 "I Used to Know Her: Part 2" EP. True to the title, it discusses someone who is full of anxiety about their struggling relationship.

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Sad Songs: "Runnin' Away" by Blood Orange

"Runnin' Away" by Blood Orange is a somber song off the "Queen & Slim" movie soundtrack.

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Sad Songs: "Beetlejuice" by Mariah the Scientist

"Beetlejuice" is a breakout song featured on Mariah the Scientist's 2019 debut album, "Master," and it's about being stuck in a toxic relationship and making excuses for bad behavior even though you know you should leave.

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Sad Songs: "Goodbyes" by Jorja Smith

"Goodbyes" is a melancholy track about endings that appears on Jorja Smith's 2018 "Lost & Found" album.

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Sad Songs: "Stone Cold" by Demi Lovato

"Stone Cold" appears on Demi Lovato's 2015 album, "Confident," and it details the pain of seeing an ex happy with someone else.

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Sad Songs: "Godspeed" by Frank Ocean

"Godspeed" appears on Frank Ocean's 2016 "Blonde" album. It's about letting go of someone you love and wishing them the best on their journey, and it will crack your heart wide open.

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Sad Songs: "Cranes in the Sky" by Solange

"Cranes in the Sky" appears on Solange's 2016 album, "A Seat at the Table." It paints a portrait of post-breakup feelings of lostness and confusion.

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Sad Songs: "Feeling Whitney" by Post Malone

"Feeling Whitney" appears on Post Malone's 2016 "Stoney" album, and it's about Post Malone getting down deep into his feelings and reflecting on the loneliness of fame.

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Sad Songs: "The Heart Wants What It Wants" by Selena Gomez

"The Heart Wants What It Wants" appears on Selena Gomez's 2014 "For You" album, and it explores the sadness of being attracted to the wrong person.

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Sad Songs: "Don't Let Me Down" by Amel Larrieux

"Don't Let Me Down" is a 2009 single that was released by Amel Larrieux, and it explores the pain of trying to be vulnerable after being hurt.

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Sad Songs: "Stay" by Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko

"Stay" is a ballad that appears on Rihanna's 2012 "Unapologetic" album, and it's about the sorrow of being in a troubled relationship that feels like it's on shaky ground.

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Sad Songs: "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" by Kendrick Lamar

"Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" by Lamar is a track from his 2012 debut album, "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City." This devastating track is about the hurt of losing friends.

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Sad Songs: "Marvins Room" by Drake

Drake's hit breakup anthem "Marvins Room" appears on his 2011 "Take Care" album.

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Sad Songs: "Someone Like You" by Adele

"Someone Like You" appears on Adele's Grammy-winning "21" album, and it's one of the most tear-jerking breakup songs out there.

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Sad Songs: "Supermarket Flowers" by Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran's "Supermarket Flowers," which is about his late grandmother, appears on his 2017 album, "÷," aka "Divide."

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Sad Songs: "Perfect" by Selena Gomez

"Perfect" by Gomez appears on her 2015 "Revival" album. It's about comparing yourself to someone's other lover and staying in a relationship even though you know your partner is cheating on you — cue the waterworks.

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Sad Songs: "Unhinged" by Nick Jonas

"Unhinged" appears on Nick Jonas's 2016 album, "Last Year Was Complicated." It's about struggling with indecisiveness and dealing with a complicated relationship.

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Sad Songs: "Chainsaw" by Nick Jonas

Jonas's "Chainsaw" also appears on his "Last Year Was Complicated" album. It's about remembering a place you used to share with someone and wanting to destroy it.

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Sad Songs: "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith

"Stay With Me" is Sam Smith's debut single off their "In the Lonely Hour" album. The track, which is about wanting someone to stay even though you know they don't really love you, won record of the year and song of the year at the 2015 Grammy Awards and is certified diamond.

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Sad Songs: "Sober" by Demi Lovato

"Sober" by Lovato is about struggling with addiction, and it appears on the "Fresh Hits Jesień 2018" compilation album.

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Sad Songs: "Last Kiss" by Taylor Swift

"Last Kiss" is a bittersweet breakup track that appears on Swift's 2010 Grammy-nominated "Speak Now" album.

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Sad Songs: "All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift

Swift's "All Too Well" originally appeared on her 2012 Grammy-nominated "Red" album, and she released a ten minute version on "Red (Taylor's Version)" in 2021. This utterly devastating breakup track is packed with heart-piercing lines like "Time won't fly, it's like I'm paralyzed by it / I'd like to be my old self again / But I'm still trying to find it."

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Sad Songs: "Skinny Love" by Birdy

Birdy's "Skinny Love" is a cover of Bon Iver's 2007 version of the song. Its enigmatic lyrics seem to be about a relationship that's on its last legs.

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Sad Songs: "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M.

"Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. appears on the rock band's 1992 "Automatic For the People" album. It's meant to discourage suicide by helping listeners feel less alone.

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Sad Songs: "Good Woman" by Cat Power

"Good Woman" appears on Cat Power's 2003 "You Are Free" album. It's about the agony of leaving someone because it's the right thing to do, even though it hurts.

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Sad Songs: "Samson" by Regina Spektor

"Samson" appears on Regina Spektor's 2002 "Songs" album. A riff on the Biblical story of Samson and Delilah, it's about a doomed relationship.

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Sad Songs: " by Sia

Sia's "Breathe Me" appears on her 2004 "Colour the Small One" album. It's about self-destructiveness, loneliness, and wanting desperately for someone to come and save you.

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Sad Songs: "You Were Mine" by The Chicks

"You Were Mine" by The Chicks, which is all about heartbreak and betrayal, appears on the group's 1998 "Wide Open Spaces" album.

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Sad Songs: "Hey Mama" by Kanye West

"Hey Mama," an ode to Kanye West's late mother, Donda, appears on his Grammy-winning "Late Registration" album.

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Sad Songs: "Twilight" by Elliott Smith

"Twilight" appears on Elliott Smith's 2004 album, "From a Basement on the Hill." Like many of Smith's songs, it explores depression, addiction, and love that has no chance of working.

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Sad Songs: "The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel

"The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel appears on the duo's 1964 "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M." It describes the alienation that characterizes so much of contemporary life in a beautifully heart-shattering way.

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Sad Songs: "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" by Iron & Wine

"Flightless Bird, American Mouth" appears on Iron & Wine's 2007 "The Shepherd's Dog" album. Its poetic lyrics could be interpreted in many different ways, but its sorrowful sound creates a world of melancholia all its own.

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Sad Songs: "This Year's Love" by David Gray

"This Year's Love" appears on David Gray's 1998 album, "White Ladder." It explores fears about falling in love again after being hurt in the past.

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Sad Songs: "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan

"I Will Remember You" appears on Sarah McLachlan's 1993 "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" album. The wistful tune is about never forgetting someone, no matter what happens.

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Sad Songs: "Lost" by Michael Bublé

"Lost" is a breakup track that appears on Michael Bublé's 2007 "Call Me Irresponsible" album.

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Sad Songs: "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele

"Make You Feel My Love" by Adele appears on her 2008 album, "19." It's a cover of a Bob Dylan song that's all about being desperate for someone to love you.

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Sad Songs: "Fix You" by Coldplay

"Fix You" appears on Coldplay's 2005 "X&Y" album. It's about wanting desperately to heal someone you love who's hurting, and all the pain and sorrow that can come from that.

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Sad Songs: "Heart" by Stars

"Heart" by Stars, a song about leaving someone you still love, appears on the band's 2003 album of the same name.

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Sad Songs: "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys

"God Only Knows" appears on the The Beach Boys's 1966 "Pet Sounds" album. It's a track that can be interpreted in multiple ways, but there's something so deeply melancholy about Brian Wilson's harmonies and lyrics, which express a lot of anxiety and fear about a loved one leaving.

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Sad Songs: "Say Something" by A Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilera

"Say Something" appears on A Great Big World's 2014 album, "Is There Anybody Out There?" It's about realizing a relationship is ending, and it's sure to bring a tear to your eye.

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Sad Songs: "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab For Cutie

"I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab For Cutie appears on the band's 2005 "Plans" album. The tune explores themes of mortality and wanting your love for someone to outlast both your lifetimes.

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Sad Songs: "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd

"Wish You Were Here" is the title track off Pink Floyd's 1975 album. Like many Pink Floyd tracks, it's full of multiple layers of meaning, but at its heart is a sense of loneliness and loss that infuses the song with a sense of tragedy.

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Sad Songs: "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac

"Landslide" appears on Fleetwood Mac's self-titled 1975 album. It's about realizing you're changing and wondering if you can handle life's vicissitudes, and Stevie Nicks's vocals lend a sense of world-weariness to it that make it timeless.

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Sad Songs: "Guess I'm Doing Fine" by Beck

"Guess I'm Doing Fine" appears on Beck's 2002 "Sea Change" album. Like many of the songs on this list, it's about the pain of loss, though this one leans into the emotional numbness and disconnection that can come with that.

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Sad Songs: "Goodbye My Lover" by James Blunt

"Goodbye My Lover," another song about heartbreak, appears on James Blunt's 2004 album, "Back to Bedlam."

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Sad Songs: "Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisley feat. Alison Krauss

"Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisley appears on his 2003 "Mud on the Tires" album. It's a tragic song that follows a man drinking himself to death as he mourns the end of a relationship.

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Sad Songs: "Something in the Way" by Nirvana

Nirvana's "Something in the Way" appears on the band's 1991 album, "Nevermind." Its lyrics are somewhat ambiguous, but it's tied together by a brooding chord progression and Kurt Cobain's gloomy vocals, and the whole song creates an atmosphere of despair and desolation.

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Sad Songs: "River" by Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell's "River" appears on her 1971 "Blue" album. It's a delicate, beautiful song about wishing you could escape your feelings of sadness after loss.

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Sad Songs: "Creep" by Radiohead

"Creep" appears on Radiohead's 1992 album of the same name, and it explores the pain of feeling alienated and unable to connect to others.

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Sad Songs: "The Needle and the Damage Done" by Neil Young

"The Needle and the Damage Done" appears on Neil Young's 1972 "Harvest" album. It explores the affects of addiction and the loss it creates.

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Sad Songs: "Poison & Wine" by The Civil Wars

"Poison & Wine" by The Civil Wars appears on the duo's 2009 "Live at Eddie's Attic" album, and it's about the harm two people can do to each other while still giving each other sweetness.

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Sad Songs: "If You Say So" by Lea Michele

"If You Say So" by Lea Michele appears on her 2014 "Louder" album, and was written in the aftermath of Michele's then-boyfriend Cory Monteith's death.

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Sad Songs: "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood

"Temporary Home" appears on Carrie Underwood's 2009 "Play On" album. It's about mortality and how everything in life is temporary.

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Sad Songs: "Liability" by Lorde

"Liability" appears on Lorde's 2017 "Melodrama" album, and it's about feeling like you're too much for people.

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Sad Songs: "Dreaming With a Broken Heart" by John Mayer

John Mayer's "Dreaming With a Broken Heart," a track about trying to move on despite being heartbroken, appears on his 2006 "Continuum" album.

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Sad Songs: "Never on the Day You Leave" by John Mayer

"Never on the Day You Leave" by Mayer is another breakup track that appears on his 2017 album, "The Search For Everything."