People who come to therapy after experiencing a difficult breakup often mention that they have been turning to music as a source of emotional release. They sometimes ponder questions like: “Why am I ...

Brandy Clark's Your Life is a Record is a heartbreak project through and through. With the exception of a couple more lighthearted moments, the project examines every stage of a breakup, from the ...

This article is authored by Tara Venkatesan, honorary fellow, School of Advanced Studies, University of London.

Psychologists and philosophers have long puzzled over why people enjoy songs about sad topics. Even more paradoxically, some of the saddest songs are set to upbeat tunes—The Beatles’ “Hello, Goodbye,” ...

The kind of music you listen to can vary from day to day but there is one thing that is certain: Sometimes, a good "sad girl" tune really can make you feel seen. Part of the joy of finding the right ...

What’s the saddest song in the world? No clear winner is emerging in the numerous and passionate responses I’ve received since I issued the call for nominations the other day: “Terry Jacks’ `Seasons ...

When everything is going wrong, there’s nothing like listening to a few melancholy bars of your favorite sad song. Buy why do we find pleasure in sad music? If the goal is to stay upbeat, why would we ...