Speaking from my own experience, a few years ago I was in a really depressed state and I saw some offhand quote on Instagram proposing the same idea - something like “of course you’re sad you’re listening to Melodrama by Lorde” - as an experiment, I started listening to “happier” music and I sort of attribute that switch to getting the motivation for getting out of the depression spiral. I still listen to sad songs & when I do, I make an effort to not empathize but rather to sympathize with the artist.
I’d hypothesize that sympathizing rather than empathizing with music might even make a person understand the music more, and get them out of their own feelings better.
Also just wanna say yay Robyn mention!! The dance x sad music combo really imitates life well imo - like yes there are sad moments but you’re still allowed (and welcome) to shake your ass and feel the beat!!! Both can exist at the same time!!! That’s life, baby!!!!!
Thanks so much for reading :) This is all so true. Letting the lyrics past through you rather than reflecting yourself back onto them can help you understand the text much more. In short, taking yourself out of it!
Robyn is our saint of hiding your vegetables, sheathing somber stories in dancefloor bops!!
wait this is so real because i'm still hiding from mitski's new album... i know it'll devastate me. I often describe myself as the saddest person in the world but the identity is married to everything, not just the music (though the music doesn't help)
wait so many of my friends who grew up on the mitski tumblr era haven’t listened to the new one for this exact reason. maybe there becomes a time where you are well equip at articulating your own grief that you don’t need a musician to process it for you
I also kind of felt like sad music helped to get those emotions out of you. A means to process those feelings as opposed to surprising them. Yes they can make you sad in the moment but getting that emotion out of you makes room for other thoughts and feelings to grow, which helps you move on as a human being
This was really interesting! I would say I'm a little suspicious of the first study though - isn't it also possible that a depressed person is simply more likely to listen to sad music? I'd also say it can sometimes be a little tricky to determine if a song is "sad". Lots of blues music originates from negative emotions, but takes a variety of outlooks on them.
Also really enjoyed the Picassos scattered through the piece!
I relate so hard. I cannot take in culture without an identity transmission. I've often asked myself all the same questions above - I think the answer is: you're an artist! Also, Jia Tolentino wrote beautifully about the Robyn Paramount show. Check it out if you haven't already <3
Speaking from my own experience, a few years ago I was in a really depressed state and I saw some offhand quote on Instagram proposing the same idea - something like “of course you’re sad you’re listening to Melodrama by Lorde” - as an experiment, I started listening to “happier” music and I sort of attribute that switch to getting the motivation for getting out of the depression spiral. I still listen to sad songs & when I do, I make an effort to not empathize but rather to sympathize with the artist.
I’d hypothesize that sympathizing rather than empathizing with music might even make a person understand the music more, and get them out of their own feelings better.
Also just wanna say yay Robyn mention!! The dance x sad music combo really imitates life well imo - like yes there are sad moments but you’re still allowed (and welcome) to shake your ass and feel the beat!!! Both can exist at the same time!!! That’s life, baby!!!!!
Thanks so much for reading :) This is all so true. Letting the lyrics past through you rather than reflecting yourself back onto them can help you understand the text much more. In short, taking yourself out of it!
Robyn is our saint of hiding your vegetables, sheathing somber stories in dancefloor bops!!
love love loved this
thank you! it’s been on my mind for a while so im glad i can return to my sad music and not feel bad about it :)
wait this is so real because i'm still hiding from mitski's new album... i know it'll devastate me. I often describe myself as the saddest person in the world but the identity is married to everything, not just the music (though the music doesn't help)
wait so many of my friends who grew up on the mitski tumblr era haven’t listened to the new one for this exact reason. maybe there becomes a time where you are well equip at articulating your own grief that you don’t need a musician to process it for you
looks like i'm the saddest girl in the world!
my friends who exclusively listen to sad music also have the best taste…. so there’s that!
also, experiencing "cellophane" live awakens something inside you... few can understand!
I also kind of felt like sad music helped to get those emotions out of you. A means to process those feelings as opposed to surprising them. Yes they can make you sad in the moment but getting that emotion out of you makes room for other thoughts and feelings to grow, which helps you move on as a human being
This was really interesting! I would say I'm a little suspicious of the first study though - isn't it also possible that a depressed person is simply more likely to listen to sad music? I'd also say it can sometimes be a little tricky to determine if a song is "sad". Lots of blues music originates from negative emotions, but takes a variety of outlooks on them.
Also really enjoyed the Picassos scattered through the piece!
For me, listening to music where the artist is anxious, uncertain or downcast can be cathartic. For how long, I don’t know.
You mentioned Damn. ‘Fear’ is a go-to track in that respect.
“crying on the dance floor” is an elite genre
I relate so hard. I cannot take in culture without an identity transmission. I've often asked myself all the same questions above - I think the answer is: you're an artist! Also, Jia Tolentino wrote beautifully about the Robyn Paramount show. Check it out if you haven't already <3