The 60 Saddest Songs of All Time, from Heartbreak to Loss

What is the #1 saddest song?

"Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton, written after the death of his four-year-old son, is the song most often called the saddest ever written. "Hurt" in Johnny Cash's version, recorded near the end of his life, and "Someone Like You" by Adele are close behind. For a modern pick, "The Night We Met" by Lord Huron has become the song people put on when they want to cry.

The 12 saddest songs of all time

1. "Tears in Heaven", Eric Clapton: written after the death of his son.
2. "Hurt", Johnny Cash: a man looking back on his whole life.
3. "Someone Like You", Adele: accepting that it is over.
4. "The Night We Met", Lord Huron: wishing you could go back.
5. "Skinny Love", Bon Iver: a fragile, aching breakup.
6. "Everybody Hurts", R.E.M.: comfort for anyone in pain.
7. "Nothing Compares 2 U", Sinéad O'Connor: the Prince song she made her own.
8. "Hallelujah", Jeff Buckley: the version that made it a modern standard.
9. "Yesterday", The Beatles: the original sad pop song.
10. "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", Gordon Lightfoot: the true story of a shipwreck.
11. "Mad World", Gary Jules: the slow cover from Donnie Darko.
12. "Fix You", Coldplay: about wanting to help someone in pain.

Sad love songs and breakup songs

13. "Someone You Loved", Lewis Capaldi: the empty space someone leaves.
14. "drivers license", Olivia Rodrigo: heartbreak at 17.
15. "All Too Well", Taylor Swift: the breakup song her fans call her best.
16. "Let Her Go", Passenger: realizing too late.
17. "Say Something", A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera: the moment before giving up.
18. "Stay with Me", Sam Smith: loneliness after a one-night stand.
19. "when the party's over", Billie Eilish: quiet and devastating.
20. "I Can't Make You Love Me", Bonnie Raitt: the saddest ballad in country-soul.
21. "Back to Black", Amy Winehouse: losing someone to someone else.
22. "The Scientist", Coldplay: wishing you could start again.
23. "Jar of Hearts", Christina Perri: refusing to go back.
24. "Lose You to Love Me", Selena Gomez: letting go to heal.

Sad songs about death and loss

25. "Supermarket Flowers", Ed Sheeran: the small moments after a loss.
26. "See You Again", Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth: a goodbye to a friend.
27. "Dance with My Father", Luther Vandross: wishing for one more dance.
28. "I Will Follow You into the Dark", Death Cab for Cutie: love beyond the end.
29. "Who You'd Be Today", Kenny Chesney: imagining a life cut short.
30. "One More Light", Linkin Park: about how much one life matters.
31. "Wake Me Up When September Ends", Green Day: grief that returns every year.

For more, see our list of songs about grief.

Sad country songs

32. "He Stopped Loving Her Today", George Jones: often called the greatest country song ever.
33. "Whiskey Lullaby", Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss: a heartbreaking duet.
34. "Concrete Angel", Martina McBride: a devastating story song.
35. "Travelin' Soldier", The Chicks: a young love and a war.
36. "Don't Take the Girl", Tim McGraw: a whole life in three verses.
37. "Go Rest High on That Mountain", Vince Gill: the country goodbye.
38. "Holes in the Floor of Heaven", Steve Wariner: the idea that they are still watching.

Sad rock songs

39. "Black", Pearl Jam: a raw song about lost love.
40. "Wish You Were Here", Pink Floyd: about missing someone.
41. "Behind Blue Eyes", The Who: the loneliness of being misunderstood.
42. "How to Save a Life", The Fray: about trying to reach someone.
43. "Landslide", Fleetwood Mac: about time and change.
44. "The Sound of Silence", Simon & Garfunkel: loneliness in a crowd.

The saddest songs of the 2020s

45. "Heather", Conan Gray: loving someone who loves someone else.
46. "traitor", Olivia Rodrigo: betrayal after a breakup.
47. "Easy on Me", Adele: written about her divorce.
48. "Before You Go", Lewis Capaldi: about a loss he could not prevent.
49. "Glimpse of Us", Joji: still thinking about someone else.
50. "Happier Than Ever", Billie Eilish: from a whisper to a scream.
51. "lovely", Billie Eilish and Khalid: feeling trapped.

Sad hip-hop and R&B songs

52. "I'll Be Missing You", Puff Daddy and Faith Evans: a tribute to The Notorious B.I.G.
53. "Tha Crossroads", Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: for friends and family who went before.
54. "Mockingbird", Eminem: a father's song to his daughters.
55. "Lucid Dreams", Juice WRLD: a haunted breakup song.

Classic sad songs

56. "Eleanor Rigby", The Beatles: a song about lonely people.
57. "Vincent", Don McLean: a tribute to Vincent van Gogh.
58. "Alone Again (Naturally)", Gilbert O'Sullivan: a deceptively gentle, devastating song.
59. "Fire and Rain", James Taylor: about loss and getting through it.
60. "Cat's in the Cradle", Harry Chapin: about time lost between a father and son.

Why do we listen to sad music?

Researchers have found that many people feel comforted, not worse, after listening to sad music: it can help name a feeling, release tears and remind us we are not alone. A good cry to the right song can feel like a reset.

Sad songs to cry to when someone dies

When you are grieving, choose songs that hold the feeling without overwhelming you: "Supermarket Flowers", "Tears in Heaven" and "I Will Follow You into the Dark" are the ones people return to. For a service, see our funeral songs.

Sad songs for a breakup

For the first days after a breakup, let yourself feel it with "Someone Like You", "drivers license" and "The Night We Met". When you are ready to get back up, switch to our songs about moving on.

Sad songs for the holidays

The holidays can make loss and loneliness feel louder. Our list of sad Christmas songs has the bittersweet side of the season.

When sad songs are not enough

If sadness feels heavy for weeks, reach out to someone you trust or a professional. In the US, you can call or text 988 at any hour. For hopeful music, see our songs about hope.

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