Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of depression, grief, loss, eating disorders, and substance abuse.
There is current evidence leading psychologists to believe that music is a productive coping mechanism for mood regulation. While some may find songs about undying love and righteous success to be uplifting and motivational, I have found that these tunes can often suppress my negative feelings at hand.
As an alternative, I have personally found that listening to gut-wrenching, emotionally-driven songs has been more beneficial. As a gift from me to you, I present to you my top seven songs for when I’m feeling down in the dumps and wish to drown in my sorrows.
- “At your worst” by madison beer
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If you’ve experienced depression, the copious feelings of guilt that can follow treating your loved ones poorly may be all too familiar to you.
In this song from Madison Beer’s album, Silence Between Songs, she perfectly captures the feelings of remorse that follow a negatively charged interaction with friends, family, and significant others.
One line in the song states speaks to the guilt the loved ones of a mentally ill person may experience when they feel helpless against their loved one’s mental illness(es).
In the last chorus of the song, this lyric changes into an “I” statement, which I interpret as her own guilty conscience.
- “club heaven” by nessa Barrett
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“Club Heaven” is a song dedicated to Nessa Barrett’s late friend, Cooper Noriega, in which she shares her concerns about the afterlife and the unsettling possibility of not seeing Cooper again. In the bridge, Nessa expresses her fear that she may never reconnect with Cooper.
Listeners be warned, this one will have you in immediate tears. And if you’re as fortunate as I was to see this song performed live in concert, good luck. The passion behind her performance had me in shambles.
- “making the bed” by olivia rodrigo
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Similarly to Madison Beer’s “At Your Worst,” Olivia Rodrigo references the guilty conscience that comes with isolating herself, unintentionally setting herself up for failure, and feeling lost. In one of her lyrics in the chorus, Rodrigo references the term “fair-weather friends,” which means “fake friends” or people who are only there for you when it’s convenient for them. In my experience with fair-weather friends, they’ve only been interested in a plan that involves personal gain.
The part that gets me is when Rodrigo calls out herself and anyone who relates to this song by claiming she’s played the victim well, but it’s ultimately her own fault, and refers to the saying “you’ve made your bed, now lie in it.”
Way to call us out, girl.
- “this is me trying” by taylor swift
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Republic Records To me, this song is about doing everything in your power to make the right choices and be your best self, but repeatedly falling short. While Taylor Swift has so many sad girl anthems, I feel that when writing this song, Swift had a direct line of communication with my subconscious.
- “why johnny?” by megan moroney
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This one goes out to the emo cowgirls!!!
An ode to Johnny Cash. In this song from Megan Moroney’s debut album, Lucky, she asks June Carter Cash why she stayed in a relationship with Johnny Cash despite his struggles with prescription drug abuse and alcoholism, and emerging cheating allegations.
While I’m fortunate enough to have a loving and loyal partner, I have been a witness to several close-to-home relationships in which these same themes of toxicity have shone true. And from my testimony, this song captures the essence of this dysfunctional relationship perfectly.
- “TV” by billie eilish
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Billie Eilish is known for her effortless ability to have a crowd of otherwise jolly people sobbing instantaneously. The lyricism and delivery of this song in particular are heartbreaking. She perfectly paints the image of a person trapped in what sounds to be a toxic romantic relationship. Additionally, in one line, Eilish references current political issues and calls out the flaws of humanity in caring more about the personal lives of celebrities than the fate of U.S. women.
- “the story” by conan gray
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This tune explores the inhumanity of humanity. Conan Gray references the unfortunate effects of bullying, homophobia, and insinuated child abuse or neglect by sharing the life stories of people from his childhood.
It is unclear whether these stories are real or simply examples of societal flaws. Regardless of the truth behind these stories, the lesson I’ve derived from the song stays true: treat others the way you want to be treated. Though it’s a childhood statement forced onto us by our parents, it’s one we should thank them for and abide by nonetheless.
I encourage you to listen to all these tunes with an open mind, a careful heart, and a box of tissues.
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