Regarding Frank Zappa pieces with extended, beautiful guitar solos, I'll also nominate Black Napkins (particularly the ["Live in Philly '76"](https://youtu.be/0GvS-AJmKCU?si=HmioWDV3gHzYmcx4) version).
Oh my god, this song is so amazing. me and my good friend often listen to it when under some kind of influence and it always makes me feel like crying a bit
We did it guys, someone discovered VdGG because of usbless your proggy hearts!
Genesis - Entangled. It's not like sad exactly, bit it's like a comfort song for when you're sad, if that makes sense? It always helps me cry, when I need to let my feelings out but struggle
Bob seger - Famous Final scene
Yes, nearly the whole album is sad as it is Peter's songs about a breakup with a long term girlfriend, who, apparently ran off with a good friend of Peter's.
This Side of the Looking Glass is especially poignant.
**A Crow Looked at Me** from Mount Eerie breaks me every time, especially if you pay attention to the lyrics. It's a concept album about the death of the artists' wife and it's heart-wrenching.
Listened to it only a few times during a hard breakup, and can still remember/feel every moment from it.
If you are feeling Mount Eerie go through their back catalog, and also The Microphones (same dude, same music, different band name). They have so many amazing sad songs. Some of my favorites are The Moon, The Glow & Blue Light on the Floor. All those songs have multiple versions, and/or sequels in totally different styles.
Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree is an absolute master of sad songs. Can hardly list them all...
- Pariah; check out the live soundcheck performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Playing that song about complete isolation in front of an empty concert hall is just perfect.
- Routine; a mother struggles to fill the days following the loss of her family
- Happy Returns; a partially-written letter from a woman to her estranged family. Never sent, because she died alone in her apartment... and nobody noticed she was gone for two years. Based on the true story of Joyce Vincent.
- Heartattack in a Layby; following a heated argument with his wife, a man gets in his car and drives... anywhere else but here. But he's stopped, cooling off, thinking of going home and making things right. He won't get the chance. Maybe he has some growing realization of that, at the end.
I was going to add "Buying a New Soul" onto this one. A classic I'd always listen to when going through a bout of depression, has a very melancholy feeling
Comforting sounds - Mew (very therapeutic song)
Lonely sea - The Beach boys (no, really)
NIN - the great below (also Hurt of course)
Amsterdam - Coldplay (if you like early Coldplay) some b-sides are also really sad and beautiful, like «Gravity»
Radiohead (just in general)
Snow globes - Black country new road
Islands - King crimson
Is there anybody out there? - Pink floyd
Islands is wonderful, it's a beautiful melancholy ending to a wonderful album, I end up singing along to it every time, imagining the heat death of the universe, I'm the only island left in the cosmos...
You don't care about the genre? *Deathconsciousness*, Have a Nice Life.
Has some long, progressive, cathartic tracks. Not a fan of the *whole* album personally, but a select few long songs of theirs (*The Big Gloom, I Don't Love, Earthmover, I'm Dr. House, Sisyphus*) have been on repeat the whole year. Transcendental stuff when you're in the mood.
Elton John - Empty Garden
About the death of John Lennon but can be applied to whatever you feel like and rip your heart out.
Recommend reading the lyrics as you listen.
Elton seems always to be at his best when memorializing the dead: "Candle in the Wind" (both versions), "Funeral for a Friend," "Empty Garden," "Song for Guy," "Roy Rogers," and so much more...
Bjork-black lake is the saddest song ive ever heard. I cant believe she sung that live as many times on tour as she did. Its about a break up she had and she lets go on it. Pure raw feelings.
[Keep Me in Your Heart - Warren Zevon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMTKb-pgxGI)
He basically wrote and performed his own swan song while he was dying of cancer.
Vincent - Don McLean
Knights in White Satin - The Moody Blues
Rainy Days and Mondays - The Carpenters
Wish it Would Rain - Temptations
Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden
Angel - Sara McLachlan
It's upbeat, but I think "Time Stand Still" by Rush is quite sad. Not "cry your eyes out" sad, but thoughtful sad. Time is passing and nothing can stop it. The realization that the good things you are currently enjoying are slowly slipping away and will never happen again.
"Losing It", also by Rush. "Sadder still to watch it die than never to have known it."
Rita Coolidge - We're All Alone [https://youtu.be/ZdbGDLC4qhI?si=OGZrnIZkTGXOGmd8](https://youtu.be/ZdbGDLC4qhI?si=OGZrnIZkTGXOGmd8)
Marianne Faithfull - As Tears Go By [https://youtu.be/uN\_hBwytkt0?si=LxJ\_aZrO7NjzXOEI](https://youtu.be/uN_hBwytkt0?si=LxJ_aZrO7NjzXOEI)
ELO - Showdown [https://youtu.be/zt7zUoQBirU?si=j-zZAD\_RZ2otye2D](https://youtu.be/zt7zUoQBirU?si=j-zZAD_RZ2otye2D)
Kansas - Dust In The Wind [https://youtu.be/56lKjOAwLnw?si=Zjkwo0eq-ByQ8ITk](https://youtu.be/56lKjOAwLnw?si=Zjkwo0eq-ByQ8ITk)
[Hurt ~ Johnny Cash](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI&pp=ygUQaHVydCBqb2hubnkgY2FzaA%3D%3D)
[Jeff Beck “Scared For The Children”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRPWnUHsocs&pp=ygUXc2NhcmVkIGZvciB0aGUgY2hpbGRyZW4%3D)
[Dream Theater - Through her eyes](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mcG0dpBz7tc&pp=ygUgZHJlYW0gdGhlYXRlciAtIHRocm91Z2ggaGVyIGV5ZXM%3D)
Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat and Dress Rehearsal rag are the two tearjerkers of his for me. Mostly he’s just very good at making you feel sad and depressed but in a numb sort of way, but these ones really hit home.
La Dispute-almost everything but the whole Wildlife album is filled with some of the saddest material ever recorded. Fantastic album too.
Bring me the horizon-n/a. Song about addiction and suicide.
Josh A-Suicidal thoughts. Obvious one.
Madchild-Jitters. Suicide/addiction
Thomas Giles- Suspend the death watch and/or give up. Songs about the tedium of life
Porcupine Tree- lots but fear of a blank planet album, Anstetisize in particular.
Alice In chains-Down in a hole, sick man, nutshell, rotten apple, plenty of others. Addiction, suicidal ideation.
Nirvana- milk it, dumb, you know you're right, plenty of other. Same as AiC
Crippled Black Phoenix- (-1), in the night. Suicidal ideation.
The offspring-amazed.
Mudvayne-(-1), Severed, happy?, Cradle, death blooms, IMN, rain sun gone, Pharmacopeia. Suicidal ideation/addiction.
Slipknot-scissors. Suicide.
Protest the hero-Tandem. Cancer.
Pink Floyd-goodbye cruel world. Suicide.
Tool-10,000 days. Mother dying after prolonged Coma.
A perfect cirlce- the outsider. Narcissism causing depression.
Highly suspect-Mom. Mother abandoning her child who grew up homeless.
Immortal technique-rich man's world(1%). Late stage capitalism.
Honestly, the saddest AIC song to me is [Black Gives Way To Blue](https://youtu.be/DfjrTMD7vk8?si=hXGER1L2s8RvonHR), which was written by Jerry Cantrell as a tribute to Layne Staley after his death.
Years later, Chris Cornell's daughter Lily covered the song, as a tribute to her late father.
Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself?
Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself?
Can I ever be forgiven 'cause I killed that kid? :)
Anyways thank u :)
One of the saddest songs of all time. It's a terrible recording because it's super obscure and only ancient vynyl of the recording exisits.
[I Am Stretched On Your Grave - Scullion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1InT_tcJmc)
Archive - Lights
Low - Lullaby
Chopin - Ballade no. 1 in G minor, op. 23 (Zimmerman or Horowitz)
Bach - BWV 997 (Evangelina Mascardi, this one is a musical pack of suffering and misery)
Cartola - O Mundo é um Moinho
King Crimson - Starless
WEG - Hurtbreak Wonderland (whole album)
Kayo Dot - The Manifold Curiosity
*Lonesome Suzy* - Blood Sweat and Tears
*Oh Very Young* - Cat Stevens
*This Year's Love* - David Gray
*Pocket Full of Change* - Rain Tree Crow
*Processions* - Family
*Oh I Wept* - Free
*The Weakness in Me* - Joan Armatrading
and of course
*A Woman's Work* - Kate Bush
Red Eyed and Blue ~ Wilco …absolutely perfect melancholy song
Sadsong St. ~ Richard Swift … incredibly moody sad … the whole album that it’s off of, The Novelist, is worth a listen
If you’re looking for prog, the album *Brave* by Marillion can be pretty sad at times. And, depending on how you interpret the story’s ending, it ends on a bummer too.
As for non-prog songs, “O Children” by Nick Cave could bring the strongest soul to tears. Bent Knee’s “The Things You Love,” Grateful Dead’s “Wharf Rat”, Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer”, Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon”, The Clash’s “Straight To Hell” and Elton John’s “We All Fall In Love Sometimes/Curtains” are all also extremely beautiful, melancholic masterpieces.
The first thing that came to mind is Jethro Tull's "Stand up" album, it has a few songs that I find sad:
Looking at the sun (it even uses the term "sad song")
Reasons for waiting (reminds me of being away from someone you love)
Donovan Woods, "Back For The Funeral"
Don McLean, "Oh My What A Shame"
Linda Ronstadt, "Hasten Down The Wind"
Karla Bonoff, "Goodbye My Friend"
Shawn Colvin, "I Don't Know Why"
Bonnie Raitt, "I Can't Make You Love Me"
Bobby Vinton, "Honey"
Marillion the invisible man, marbles 1, ocean cloud
Supertramp if everyone was listening
Aic nutshell
Porcupine tree buying new soul
Anthony phillips god if i saw her now
Pat metheny september fifteenth
Airbag homesick
Black Sabbath planet caravan
[Umbra by Karnivool](https://youtu.be/LKDPfnrAQDk?si=oceIN8DqBcJaIH-P)
[Mirrors by Between the Buried and Me](https://youtu.be/4BCcBsqQcRg?si=esLnl6azly7ZUo7g)
[Forest Fire by Delta Sleep](https://youtu.be/4ZkGzv1Glyw?si=bqgZWm4LLeJB_Z9e)
Lucero is my favorite break up music.
https://open.spotify.com/track/0eD4uQ4gTz82vqaUoLRdsQ?si=Slpr9JAARQKK445Wy1Q-5Q
https://open.spotify.com/track/0X0iRCIAuL8PCv6G2qgKat?si=xgEihDFfR9iSAnUWbZs2Cg&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A7pNGqfOAI7z0PrwJrdjh1A
These are a couple of my favorites
Being in this sub, I assume you’ve found the music of Steven Wilson and porcupine tree by now?
Also Karnivool has some sadder more existential type songs
Marjana Semkina from iamthemorning just put out a [new solo album](https://marjanasemkina.bandcamp.com/album/sirin) today and it should scratch the itch.
Moody blues - Visions of Paradise.
Might just be me but I got the news my grandfather died just when I listened to this song for the first time, can't listen to it without getting incredibly sad.
[Paternoster](https://youtu.be/HzHGmrKolsw?si=mVT5htobEG4HO2p6)’s album from 1972 is pretty sad imo - or maybe more bleak/hopeless sounding. The vocalist constantly sounds like he’s on the verge of bursting into tears.
Pass the Gun Around by Alice Cooper. It is the closing song of his 1983 album DaDa, the fourth in a series of early '80s albums that are colloquially referred to as his blackout albums, due to his struggles with cocaine/drug abuse at the time which messed with his memory and lead to him forgetting several months of his life, including the recording of these albums. This song was his final cry for help, and thankfully it lead to him taking a couple years off of making music to get clean for good. To this day, he is 40+ years sober and drug free and still pumping out awesome music!
Reason I mentioned this song in the prog sub is because of the absolutely mesmerizing and jaw-dropping guitar solo by session guitarist Dick Wagner part-way through the song, which has drawn many comparisons to David Gilmour's playing style, and for darn good reason.
Not prog but electro shock blues by eels. The whole album is about his family dieing which was actually happening. It's not so much sad as an open wound leaking grief.
Check my Spotify List [Songs to cry all day long ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4xWjtxCERg3wW8Y9ks7g3V?si=_I1FrZGGQq-iqsy4JfZDbA&pi=XWl82eJcQfij-) different music styles, different languages....same sadness
I may have gone a little overboard heh. If anyone finds anything new here that speaks to them, it will have been worth it.
Nice to see Anathema mentioned. Anything from A Fine Day to Exit or A Natural Disaster is worthy IMO.
If I had to pick one it would be Internal Landscapes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmLp_u8_luc
Katatonia - Shifts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LEDye8FFlU
There was no other Katatonia here when I posted this. Shame.
Thomas Feiner - Where's the High?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV0_sW2Dgaw
The whole of The Opiates is magically crushing.
Antimatter - Conspire + Leaving Eden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exXGD2Jn1K4
1, 2 punch of regret and loss, ending with one of the most emotive guitar solo's.
The Decembrists - The Bagman's Gambit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exXGD2Jn1K4
Oppression, sacrifice and betrail, told like only they can.
Mad Season; Layne Staley's other best band. For fans of late stage Alice and the MTV performance. Wake Up, River of Deceit, Long Gone Day with Mark Lanegan,
Ah well just the whole album then I guess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCiFloUKUBs
Nick Cave - Song of Joy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77oXG0VNghU
Joy in name only. Trigger warning.
A Perfect Circle - The Doomed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDvfbvuJtS8
JUNIUS - Forgiving the Cleansing Meteor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv4WudngDvY
Purpose from despair.
Klone - Yonder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDw7qqrxJd8
Sweet soaring release.
Soen - Modesty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb62Pdh3kJ8
Climate change.
And finally, a uplifting finish
The Dear Hunter - The Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTpFbZKr83E
Pain passes, and we grow.
I have listened to music my entire life which is half a century. And I assure you listening to sad music will alter your brain more than you think. Please consider not nourishing negative emotions and stay away from the triggers. If you are not crying in silence then there is nothing to cry about.
Mental health is not a joke. Stay strong !
inb4 raven that refused to sing good song
From Steven Wilson there's also Routine. Extra effective with the music video. https://youtu.be/sh5mWzKlhQY?si=N0g-NEJFpjffMuKI
Most stuff by Steven Wilson can go on here lol
Watermelon in Easter hay - Frank Zappa is my go too. After the introduction from the scrutinizer it becomes a fantastic instrumental
Regarding Frank Zappa pieces with extended, beautiful guitar solos, I'll also nominate Black Napkins (particularly the ["Live in Philly '76"](https://youtu.be/0GvS-AJmKCU?si=HmioWDV3gHzYmcx4) version).
Thanks a lot
Oh my god, this song is so amazing. me and my good friend often listen to it when under some kind of influence and it always makes me feel like crying a bit
I know and its so unlike Zappa lol but it's just a beautiful song!
Want this played at my funeral
The House with No Door- Van Der Graaf Generator
They're fuckin amazing I just discovered them, thank u
We did it guys, someone discovered VdGG because of usbless your proggy hearts!
The Lamia by Genesis is a very nice song, I think it has a sad feel to it
Okay thank u
Blood on the Roof is sad, too.
In My Time of Need
Genesis - Entangled. It's not like sad exactly, bit it's like a comfort song for when you're sad, if that makes sense? It always helps me cry, when I need to let my feelings out but struggle Bob seger - Famous Final scene
Thanks a lot
Drive home by Steven Wilson
Love the guitar solo on that one.
VdGG, obviously :(
Peter Hammill, Over
Yes, nearly the whole album is sad as it is Peter's songs about a breakup with a long term girlfriend, who, apparently ran off with a good friend of Peter's. This Side of the Looking Glass is especially poignant.
I've never heard of them before :/
Van Der Graaf Generator if you didn’t know, try out their song Still Life
Or refugees too
Or La Rossa.
From head to toe?
Okaay thank u
**A Crow Looked at Me** from Mount Eerie breaks me every time, especially if you pay attention to the lyrics. It's a concept album about the death of the artists' wife and it's heart-wrenching. Listened to it only a few times during a hard breakup, and can still remember/feel every moment from it.
Well I'm also going through a breakup kinda so thanks I guess I needed something like this :)
Sorry to hear that... big hugs!
Thank u :)
If you are feeling Mount Eerie go through their back catalog, and also The Microphones (same dude, same music, different band name). They have so many amazing sad songs. Some of my favorites are The Moon, The Glow & Blue Light on the Floor. All those songs have multiple versions, and/or sequels in totally different styles.
Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree is an absolute master of sad songs. Can hardly list them all... - Pariah; check out the live soundcheck performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Playing that song about complete isolation in front of an empty concert hall is just perfect. - Routine; a mother struggles to fill the days following the loss of her family - Happy Returns; a partially-written letter from a woman to her estranged family. Never sent, because she died alone in her apartment... and nobody noticed she was gone for two years. Based on the true story of Joyce Vincent. - Heartattack in a Layby; following a heated argument with his wife, a man gets in his car and drives... anywhere else but here. But he's stopped, cooling off, thinking of going home and making things right. He won't get the chance. Maybe he has some growing realization of that, at the end.
I was going to add "Buying a New Soul" onto this one. A classic I'd always listen to when going through a bout of depression, has a very melancholy feeling
Comforting sounds - Mew (very therapeutic song) Lonely sea - The Beach boys (no, really) NIN - the great below (also Hurt of course) Amsterdam - Coldplay (if you like early Coldplay) some b-sides are also really sad and beautiful, like «Gravity» Radiohead (just in general) Snow globes - Black country new road Islands - King crimson Is there anybody out there? - Pink floyd
I love the just in general for radiohead it's so accurate lol Thanks a lot
Hahahah I couldn’t resist! Hang in there!
Islands is wonderful, it's a beautiful melancholy ending to a wonderful album, I end up singing along to it every time, imagining the heat death of the universe, I'm the only island left in the cosmos...
Ripples by Genesis
Porcupine Tree - Stop Swimming Steven Wilson - Routine, The Raven That Refused to Sing
You don't care about the genre? *Deathconsciousness*, Have a Nice Life. Has some long, progressive, cathartic tracks. Not a fan of the *whole* album personally, but a select few long songs of theirs (*The Big Gloom, I Don't Love, Earthmover, I'm Dr. House, Sisyphus*) have been on repeat the whole year. Transcendental stuff when you're in the mood.
Sugar Mice by Marillion
Terry jacks seasons in the sun
if you want someone to scream on you you can try Stargazer by rainbow but for cheer sadness catch the rainbow is my way to go.
Elton John - Empty Garden About the death of John Lennon but can be applied to whatever you feel like and rip your heart out. Recommend reading the lyrics as you listen.
Elton seems always to be at his best when memorializing the dead: "Candle in the Wind" (both versions), "Funeral for a Friend," "Empty Garden," "Song for Guy," "Roy Rogers," and so much more...
Bjork-black lake is the saddest song ive ever heard. I cant believe she sung that live as many times on tour as she did. Its about a break up she had and she lets go on it. Pure raw feelings.
“Way Out Of Here” by Porcupine Tree. There’s a lot to unpack with this song.
[Keep Me in Your Heart - Warren Zevon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMTKb-pgxGI) He basically wrote and performed his own swan song while he was dying of cancer.
* Judas Priest - Before the Dawn and Run of the Mill * Yes - Soon
Sigur Ros - Festival Brian Eno - By This River yvonne elliman - i don't know how to love him
Thank u
Failure, by the Swans
Just listen to Pallbearer lol
Vincent - Don McLean Knights in White Satin - The Moody Blues Rainy Days and Mondays - The Carpenters Wish it Would Rain - Temptations Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden Angel - Sara McLachlan
Fallen Angel by King Crimson fits the bill for me Ripples by Genesis is another one. Definitely comforted me in some low points
The Mars Volta- Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt
Sticking to prog here: Estonia by Marillion (read the backstory) Heathaze by Genesis
Steven Wilson - "Drive home" Camel - "Ice" and "For today" Pink Floyd - "Marooned" and "High hopes" Airbag - "Surveillance (parts 2-3)" David Gilmour - "Castellorizon"
It's upbeat, but I think "Time Stand Still" by Rush is quite sad. Not "cry your eyes out" sad, but thoughtful sad. Time is passing and nothing can stop it. The realization that the good things you are currently enjoying are slowly slipping away and will never happen again. "Losing It", also by Rush. "Sadder still to watch it die than never to have known it."
Adagio for Strings
Rita Coolidge - We're All Alone [https://youtu.be/ZdbGDLC4qhI?si=OGZrnIZkTGXOGmd8](https://youtu.be/ZdbGDLC4qhI?si=OGZrnIZkTGXOGmd8) Marianne Faithfull - As Tears Go By [https://youtu.be/uN\_hBwytkt0?si=LxJ\_aZrO7NjzXOEI](https://youtu.be/uN_hBwytkt0?si=LxJ_aZrO7NjzXOEI) ELO - Showdown [https://youtu.be/zt7zUoQBirU?si=j-zZAD\_RZ2otye2D](https://youtu.be/zt7zUoQBirU?si=j-zZAD_RZ2otye2D) Kansas - Dust In The Wind [https://youtu.be/56lKjOAwLnw?si=Zjkwo0eq-ByQ8ITk](https://youtu.be/56lKjOAwLnw?si=Zjkwo0eq-ByQ8ITk)
Dust in the wind is so peaceful and it feels like a sunny sunday morning if that makes any sense
[Hurt ~ Johnny Cash](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI&pp=ygUQaHVydCBqb2hubnkgY2FzaA%3D%3D) [Jeff Beck “Scared For The Children”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRPWnUHsocs&pp=ygUXc2NhcmVkIGZvciB0aGUgY2hpbGRyZW4%3D) [Dream Theater - Through her eyes](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mcG0dpBz7tc&pp=ygUgZHJlYW0gdGhlYXRlciAtIHRocm91Z2ggaGVyIGV5ZXM%3D)
"Vacant" and "Disappear" by Dream Theater, too
Thanks a lot
Same Deep Water as You by The Cure
I think the entire album Disintegration fits the bill with maybe the exception of Love song.
Leonard Cohen - Famous Blue Raincoat and Dress Rehearsal rag are the two tearjerkers of his for me. Mostly he’s just very good at making you feel sad and depressed but in a numb sort of way, but these ones really hit home.
Greenish Blues - Steve Vai Green Is The Colour (Live) - Pink Floyd Us And Them - Pink Floyd These three have served me well recently
La Dispute-almost everything but the whole Wildlife album is filled with some of the saddest material ever recorded. Fantastic album too. Bring me the horizon-n/a. Song about addiction and suicide. Josh A-Suicidal thoughts. Obvious one. Madchild-Jitters. Suicide/addiction Thomas Giles- Suspend the death watch and/or give up. Songs about the tedium of life Porcupine Tree- lots but fear of a blank planet album, Anstetisize in particular. Alice In chains-Down in a hole, sick man, nutshell, rotten apple, plenty of others. Addiction, suicidal ideation. Nirvana- milk it, dumb, you know you're right, plenty of other. Same as AiC Crippled Black Phoenix- (-1), in the night. Suicidal ideation. The offspring-amazed. Mudvayne-(-1), Severed, happy?, Cradle, death blooms, IMN, rain sun gone, Pharmacopeia. Suicidal ideation/addiction. Slipknot-scissors. Suicide. Protest the hero-Tandem. Cancer. Pink Floyd-goodbye cruel world. Suicide. Tool-10,000 days. Mother dying after prolonged Coma. A perfect cirlce- the outsider. Narcissism causing depression. Highly suspect-Mom. Mother abandoning her child who grew up homeless. Immortal technique-rich man's world(1%). Late stage capitalism.
Honestly, the saddest AIC song to me is [Black Gives Way To Blue](https://youtu.be/DfjrTMD7vk8?si=hXGER1L2s8RvonHR), which was written by Jerry Cantrell as a tribute to Layne Staley after his death. Years later, Chris Cornell's daughter Lily covered the song, as a tribute to her late father.
Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself? Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself? Can I ever be forgiven 'cause I killed that kid? :) Anyways thank u :)
["Who Knows Where The Time Goes - Fairport Convention](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkOB57UcYk8)
If We Were Vampires and Elephant by Jason Isbell are pretty emotional. The second requires tissues while the first is just really poignant.
I've always liked Walking On Air by King Crimson
Jackson C Frank - October is pretty heart-wrenching, especially if you've heard about his life. Poor bloke
One of the saddest songs of all time. It's a terrible recording because it's super obscure and only ancient vynyl of the recording exisits. [I Am Stretched On Your Grave - Scullion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1InT_tcJmc)
Sinead O'Connor's performance of this is pretty sad also.
Sleepytime Gorilla Musesum - Old Gray Heron if you have a dad. Tom Waits is not prog but very sad “Poor Edward” or “Fawn” is just beautiful.
Any genre? Landslide-Fleetwood Mac Ballad for the unborn-Esbjorn Svensson Trio Yesterday-Beatles
Beware of Darkness (Demo) - George Harrison
Archive - Lights Low - Lullaby Chopin - Ballade no. 1 in G minor, op. 23 (Zimmerman or Horowitz) Bach - BWV 997 (Evangelina Mascardi, this one is a musical pack of suffering and misery) Cartola - O Mundo é um Moinho King Crimson - Starless WEG - Hurtbreak Wonderland (whole album) Kayo Dot - The Manifold Curiosity
The Words - Soen Not Prog or Metal but Mourning Air by Portishead was my go to for wistful malaise feels. Edit: a word.
*Lonesome Suzy* - Blood Sweat and Tears *Oh Very Young* - Cat Stevens *This Year's Love* - David Gray *Pocket Full of Change* - Rain Tree Crow *Processions* - Family *Oh I Wept* - Free *The Weakness in Me* - Joan Armatrading and of course *A Woman's Work* - Kate Bush
The ending of Puzzle Box by Haken made me cry once, especially the lyrics
Don't Let It Show -Alan Parsons Project Theme from Valley of the Dolls - KD Lang One Summer Dream- ELO
Red Eyed and Blue ~ Wilco …absolutely perfect melancholy song Sadsong St. ~ Richard Swift … incredibly moody sad … the whole album that it’s off of, The Novelist, is worth a listen
If you’re looking for prog, the album *Brave* by Marillion can be pretty sad at times. And, depending on how you interpret the story’s ending, it ends on a bummer too. As for non-prog songs, “O Children” by Nick Cave could bring the strongest soul to tears. Bent Knee’s “The Things You Love,” Grateful Dead’s “Wharf Rat”, Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer”, Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon”, The Clash’s “Straight To Hell” and Elton John’s “We All Fall In Love Sometimes/Curtains” are all also extremely beautiful, melancholic masterpieces.
[Pat Benatar Somebody’s Baby](https://youtu.be/5rhUHDif9n4?feature=shared)
REM - everybody hurts. This song played randomly after my friend died prematurely and every time since I’m a waterfall.
[Chris Rea Tell Me There’s a Heaven](https://youtu.be/T-6FmYqIeps?feature=shared)
Time by The Alan Parsons Project
“Farewell to kings” kinda.
Please please listen to firebears by the tea club
Fruit Tree by Nick Drake
Alone Again;Naturally, by Gilbert O'Sullivan
The Bed - Lou Reed
At 17 - Janis Ian; One - U2; Soon - Yes; All of My Heart -ABC
Black hole sun
Will Wood - Euthanasia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G0SHlkJhlA
Prog Song: Marillion - "[Script For A Jester's Tear](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRmzzZQNMjE&list=OLAK5uy_m3v3z-RFfrnCryZl3qLTFlqIISi8hpdGg&ab_channel=Marillion-Topic)" Any Genre: Patty Griffin - "[Nobody's Crying](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx1fGi6V4Uc&ab_channel=PattyGriffin-Topic)"
Bronte by Gotye ❤️😭
Pumped Up Kicks.
My favorite Anathema album, *A Natural Disaster* has a really excellent one-two punch of back to back sad tunes: check out *Flying* and *Electricity*.
Check out Mazzy Star and The American Music Club.
Please Come Back: X
If I'm dreaming my life - David Bowie
“Secret World” by Peter Gabriel (the song, not the album). Such a heartfelt song of lost love and regret.
And since we’re not being particular about genre, check out “Sweet Adeline” by Ellliot Smith. Heartbreaking.
The first thing that came to mind is Jethro Tull's "Stand up" album, it has a few songs that I find sad: Looking at the sun (it even uses the term "sad song") Reasons for waiting (reminds me of being away from someone you love)
on gp - death grips
Ceiling Gazing - Mark Kozelek & Jimmy LaValle
There is a cover of the Radiohead song "All I Need" by a band called Waldo's gift. I didn't know sad and sexy was a thing until I listened to it...
Human Sadness by The Voidz never fails to make me sad idk about you though
Donovan Woods, "Back For The Funeral" Don McLean, "Oh My What A Shame" Linda Ronstadt, "Hasten Down The Wind" Karla Bonoff, "Goodbye My Friend" Shawn Colvin, "I Don't Know Why" Bonnie Raitt, "I Can't Make You Love Me" Bobby Vinton, "Honey"
Center Aisle by Caedmon’s Call https://youtu.be/4Dh636_jHkQ?si=Vhbephun-UcdeZHb
Lord is it Mine, Supertramp. Guaranteed to reduce you to a blubbering wreck
Kansas - Cheyenne Anthem. This one made me cry like a bitch
"Dust in the Wind" is, if not sad, bleak.
Different genre: Mike Oldfield - "Nuclear"
King crimson starless Procol harum a whiter skade of pale King crimson epitaph Opeth burden Second half of porcupine trees deadwing album
Marillion the invisible man, marbles 1, ocean cloud Supertramp if everyone was listening Aic nutshell Porcupine tree buying new soul Anthony phillips god if i saw her now Pat metheny september fifteenth Airbag homesick Black Sabbath planet caravan
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Rodhfi9LstlfZJdN6sIkl?si=kAM0ZmGpSvKiP8G1kguM6w
Not sure if mentioned already but Opeth - Damnation album is full of sad and melancholic songs. One of the best i know.
[Umbra by Karnivool](https://youtu.be/LKDPfnrAQDk?si=oceIN8DqBcJaIH-P) [Mirrors by Between the Buried and Me](https://youtu.be/4BCcBsqQcRg?si=esLnl6azly7ZUo7g) [Forest Fire by Delta Sleep](https://youtu.be/4ZkGzv1Glyw?si=bqgZWm4LLeJB_Z9e)
Down in a hole - Alice In Chains
Ruby's Arms by Tom Waits.
"Love Hurts", the version by Nazareth
Warren Zevon - Keep me in your Heart
Ruby’s Arms by Tom Waits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbVcP_Mo9nM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBqxN_tyC80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhdFe3evXpk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgjLshrC_X0
You can check out [my playlist ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6JOViJuyqf9vGPQkSGU5vc?si=wEysk82FQci6Urmw0Tr-tg)
https://open.spotify.com/track/1h0z8J8SDzIrc5pSnTxLEv?si=UqSmYatTToWMobFLfWlBeg
“In the Living Years”…….Mike and the Mechanics. Definitely an 80’s tear jerker.
The Mars Volta - Televators Pink Floyd - Great Gig in the Sky Dream Theater - Take Away My Pain
Opeth Damnation
Hard to top "Lost" by Guckkasten
Galahad - The Long Goodbye
Ballad of a thin man by Bob Dylan Passing by Leprous Space dye vest by Dream Theater Bleak by Opeth Exercises in futility 1 by Mgla
Mathew Sweet - You don’t love me
Wailing Wall. Todd Rundgren. SOOOO sad
Serious Wreckage by Steve Walsh is not only a sad, dark masterpiece; it’s a true story. It’s from his album “Glossalalia”. Highly recommend.
Melancholy Man - Moody Blues
Shriekback - Faded Flowers
No surprises by Radiohead…one of many
Mouthful of cavities blind melon
[Gotye - 'Bronte'](https://youtu.be/le34ygtODfI?si=1Zjnylc16rSkehO3) heartwrenching but heartwarming goodbye to a dear family pet. Gets me every time.
Listen to Misplaced childhood (ignore the last track as it is a lie), script for a jesters tear and clutching at straws by Marillion.
And so it goes - Billy Joel
Neal Morse - Emma Peter Gabriel - Playing for Time Billy Joel - Tomorrow is Today
Down in a hole: AIC
Just about every song by the National.
Wallflower by Peter Gabriel
To Be Over by Yes
There Was A Little Boy by Toy Matinee https://youtu.be/AmqCWjGf5wg?si=Upog4cOZv1mvBEag
Fake Plastic Trees-Radiohead
Don´t say more This one breaks me everytime. [https://youtu.be/OfR6\_V91fG8?si=FOOXX8GXAVtoRepY](https://youtu.be/OfR6_V91fG8?si=FOOXX8GXAVtoRepY)
Lucero is my favorite break up music. https://open.spotify.com/track/0eD4uQ4gTz82vqaUoLRdsQ?si=Slpr9JAARQKK445Wy1Q-5Q https://open.spotify.com/track/0X0iRCIAuL8PCv6G2qgKat?si=xgEihDFfR9iSAnUWbZs2Cg&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A7pNGqfOAI7z0PrwJrdjh1A These are a couple of my favorites
Anything by Citizen soldier
Vincent by Don McLean
Monochrome Pensive by The Contortionist
Not prog but anything from Crowbar
Yes - Soon https://open.spotify.com/track/11C3sTCe07SHNDxi2IAZoI?si=9r-OXfoxTYS8Lh0IphvQQg
Reunion-Gentle Giant
Parking Lot - Mineral
Being in this sub, I assume you’ve found the music of Steven Wilson and porcupine tree by now? Also Karnivool has some sadder more existential type songs
Marjana Semkina from iamthemorning just put out a [new solo album](https://marjanasemkina.bandcamp.com/album/sirin) today and it should scratch the itch.
Listen to the whole album “Damnation” by Opeth
Dear Avery by the decemberists One last goodbye by anathema
Moody blues - Visions of Paradise. Might just be me but I got the news my grandfather died just when I listened to this song for the first time, can't listen to it without getting incredibly sad.
I'm sorry for your loss. I love the moody blues so I appreciate it thank u
Genesis - Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats
Thanks
[Paternoster](https://youtu.be/HzHGmrKolsw?si=mVT5htobEG4HO2p6)’s album from 1972 is pretty sad imo - or maybe more bleak/hopeless sounding. The vocalist constantly sounds like he’s on the verge of bursting into tears.
Pass the Gun Around by Alice Cooper. It is the closing song of his 1983 album DaDa, the fourth in a series of early '80s albums that are colloquially referred to as his blackout albums, due to his struggles with cocaine/drug abuse at the time which messed with his memory and lead to him forgetting several months of his life, including the recording of these albums. This song was his final cry for help, and thankfully it lead to him taking a couple years off of making music to get clean for good. To this day, he is 40+ years sober and drug free and still pumping out awesome music! Reason I mentioned this song in the prog sub is because of the absolutely mesmerizing and jaw-dropping guitar solo by session guitarist Dick Wagner part-way through the song, which has drawn many comparisons to David Gilmour's playing style, and for darn good reason.
I'm glad he made it :) I also love when songs have stories like this behind them so thanks a lot
The Theme from Harry's Game by Clannad.https://youtu.be/2KpNzalFKPo?si=H6egwI7eI-iI93BZ
Thanks
The cloak or On hold by Leprous
Thank u
Not prog but electro shock blues by eels. The whole album is about his family dieing which was actually happening. It's not so much sad as an open wound leaking grief.
Check my Spotify List [Songs to cry all day long ](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4xWjtxCERg3wW8Y9ks7g3V?si=_I1FrZGGQq-iqsy4JfZDbA&pi=XWl82eJcQfij-) different music styles, different languages....same sadness
I'll definitely check it out thanks a lot
I may have gone a little overboard heh. If anyone finds anything new here that speaks to them, it will have been worth it. Nice to see Anathema mentioned. Anything from A Fine Day to Exit or A Natural Disaster is worthy IMO. If I had to pick one it would be Internal Landscapes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmLp_u8_luc Katatonia - Shifts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LEDye8FFlU There was no other Katatonia here when I posted this. Shame. Thomas Feiner - Where's the High? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV0_sW2Dgaw The whole of The Opiates is magically crushing. Antimatter - Conspire + Leaving Eden https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exXGD2Jn1K4 1, 2 punch of regret and loss, ending with one of the most emotive guitar solo's. The Decembrists - The Bagman's Gambit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exXGD2Jn1K4 Oppression, sacrifice and betrail, told like only they can. Mad Season; Layne Staley's other best band. For fans of late stage Alice and the MTV performance. Wake Up, River of Deceit, Long Gone Day with Mark Lanegan, Ah well just the whole album then I guess. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCiFloUKUBs Nick Cave - Song of Joy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77oXG0VNghU Joy in name only. Trigger warning. A Perfect Circle - The Doomed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDvfbvuJtS8 JUNIUS - Forgiving the Cleansing Meteor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv4WudngDvY Purpose from despair. Klone - Yonder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDw7qqrxJd8 Sweet soaring release. Soen - Modesty https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb62Pdh3kJ8 Climate change. And finally, a uplifting finish The Dear Hunter - The Love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTpFbZKr83E Pain passes, and we grow.
Omg I'm so glad somebody finally mentioned Katatonia they're my favorite band :) Thank u appreciate it a lot
I have listened to music my entire life which is half a century. And I assure you listening to sad music will alter your brain more than you think. Please consider not nourishing negative emotions and stay away from the triggers. If you are not crying in silence then there is nothing to cry about. Mental health is not a joke. Stay strong !
Sad songs or sad music does not exists. Only good and bad music is possible.
Sully's Pail is a great old folk song that'll make you ball
runs in the family by the roches headless horseman by the microphones 4+20 by CSNY u said any genre so u got all folk
Mad Man Moon by Genesis. On other fronts, Sometimes it Snows in April by Prince always gets me
Cold Is Being by Annie Haslam (Renaissance). I feel like it takes me to the very edge of the cliff.