Some of you may remember the very popular top 10 depressing rock songs. This is our sequel! In the words of our submitter: Burn the incense, slip out the razor and get ready to cry your favorite shade of mascara–here are the real odes to frustration, depression, and subliminal agony.
A brilliant song. A beautiful voice. A genius set of lyrics. The most tender subject matter. Unless you commit suicide before it’s even over, this ultimate song of breakdown is the definite breakup song. And it’s pretty too.
For those still with us after depressing song number 10, this song is one of the most beautifully sad songs of all time on the subject of being filled with apathy towards the world around you.
Ian Curtis and his suicidal tendencies never had as much effect on any song as it did in this ode: “Here are the young men, a weight on their shoulders/here are the young men, well where have they been? We knocked on the doors of hell’s darkest chambers/Pushed to the limit we dragged ourselves in.”
You want alienation, mutilation, deprecation and annihilation? Look no further than Richey James Edward’s stream of consciousness tale about voyeurs and exhibitionists who “conceive a god on video” and “everyone I love or hated always seems to leave.” For further heartache, listen to the entire album, The Holy Bible.
The surreal, fantastic tale of a woman submerged in society’s darkness and her eventual, deliberate drowning to escape. Interpol’s dark atmosphere and esoteric lyrics have cemented their place as the new kings of goth pop. This song is part of the reason why.
“I am just a restless liar/I am just an imbecile/I will only complicate you/Trust in me and fall as well.” Guitars wail through this song. Maynard Keenan’s voice whispers of sullen depravity and then shouting in a merciful plea. This is all the metal paranoia one could ever possibly endure. And it is awesome.
The Cure have to be one this list. But of all their self-deprecating songs, this is the one that makes you sick to your stomach with anxiety about the future. “Over and over we die, one after the other.” And that’s not even the half of it. Any song that begins “It doesn’t matter if we all die!” isn’t going to be an inspirational hymn of any sorts. Listen without sharp objects in hand’s reach.
Teen love eventually equals teen angst, and no one ever got this more than Morrissey. The feeling of being buried in the rejection of a lover you never had is a tale wonderfully told all through its six minutes of sorrow. “Love is natural and real…but not for such as you and I, my lover.” Morrissey’s voice was never so pure and so submissive.
Lou Reed was never a subtle person, but on no song did he so emulate the pathetic beauty of Baudelaire than on this spiral into sweet addiction. Personal note: the first time I heard this song, I literally felt sickened. Oh, the power of confessional writing.
Trent Reznor, who has possibly the most bitter and horrendously fragile heart in rock, composed this farewell to the aspects of Love during the Fragile sessions, and was so personal and remorseful it wasn’t even released until a few years later on an Internet-only compilation. The music is faux-blissfully enchanting and allows itself to take you distantly to hell and back. The lyrics speak for themselves: “Please/take this/and run far away/far as you can see/I am tainted/and happiness and peace of mind/were never meant for me…in my nothing/you meant everything/everything to me.”
Contributor: F. McClure
Creep by Radiohead dont get much sadder. Also check out the cover version by Korn on MTV unplugged it will almost make you cry
OMG! These songs make me wanna slit my wrists!!!!1one
Joy Division is probably my favorite band of all time, glad to see them here. I know this is a list about rock songs, but Never Be Friends by the Game is pretty damn moving.
nimitz (58)What ??? Are you kidding me ? Richard Wright?? WTF Happened. I hadn’t heard at all
Don’t forget that “Anthem of Angst” from the baby boomer era
Janis Ian’s–At Seventeen
also how about adam’s song by blink 182?
one of pink’s floyd member’s died D:.
Nice list.
Although for a few songs I would have to comment:
Comfortably Numb: I never thought of it as a sad song. Just a really good tune to relax to.
I know it’s over: Sometimes it makes me a bit happier that I’m not the only one. lol
Heroin: Never was a sad song to me. But an extremely motivational one. It gave me the feeling that whatever stresses you were going through at the moment wouldn’t matter in the end. Hell, the drum beat made me wreck my house.
My sad songs:
Disorder by Joy Division
Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division – I actually cried listening to this one.
Asleep by The Smiths – The first time you listen to it – it hits you. but to me it sadly lost effect over time.
Neither list mentioned:
Tears In Heaven; Eric Clapton
One More Suicide: Marcy Playground
The Needle & The Damage Done: Neil Young
“cos ev’ry Junkie’s like a setting sun…..”
Mother and Child Reunion: Paul Simon
maybe another list to come?
where are all the placebo songs?? they have got to be one of the most beautiful depressing bands i’ve heard.
also, Adam’s Song – Blink 182. very very sad and depressing.
I think…
Adams Song by Blink 182
Black Dress by Kisschasy
Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division
Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton
Mad World by Gary Jules
The Nobodies by Marilyn Manson
Daddy by Korn
No, It Isnt by +44
What??? No Nick Cave?
listen to the second half of big stars third/sister lovers, you’ll be filling the bath and getting out the razor blades before the final song
I miss “Lost control”, from Anathema´s “Alternative 4″ album. There´s nothing more depressive.
Bands I forgot to mention: The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Glove, Radiohead, REM…and “Dirt” by the Stooges was a close No.11.
Maybe I’ll get to them in another list if this one doesn’t cause a mass suicide.
Would a Worst Emo Songs or Best Emo Songs list be funnier?
Nick Drake?
What a fantastic list F Mac. I love nearly all these songs (never knew I was so morbid!) and there is something about a sad song. There are so many more… so dont worry if people are throwing around their own choices, because these are yours and you took the time to make it. I know how long a list can take to make so be happy (not depressed) that we can all enjoy it.
I loved the first list of depressing songs, but not this second list. With the exception of Pink Floyd, all these songs are more boring than depressing. However, it is early in the morning and I’ve only been drinking coffee. I’ll listen againg tonight after a few drinks.
Wow, I love this list, and the majority of the bands on it! holy bible and downward spiral are defs my top depressing albums, though if Something i can never have by NIN ever comes on at a party everyone tends to shut up and sink into catatonic depair…
I’d probably have a tune by Elliot Smith on my list, maybe needle in the hay, it rarely fails to bring on a bout of good ol introspective morbidity!
I never thought of Heroin as a sad song. Actually the first time I heard it, it was in a music history class and the rest of the class responded they thought it was the worst piece of ***** they ever heard while I was the only one who was excited and really liked it.
Ok, these aren’t ‘rock’ songs, but when I think of depressing tunes that I like I think of:
“He’ll have to go” by Jim Reeves
and
“Where have all the flowers gone” by the Kingston Trio
What about “I Want To Be Alone (Dialogue)” by Jackson C. Frank?
60. Cedestra, hey there. I think of “Me and a Gun” as more of a tragic song, more than a sad one (although the two are not mutually exclusive). Also a minor correction. It’s not about Tori thinking about killing herself after being raped. The “gun” part was a metaphore for a knife (she was raped at knife point). I guess “Me and a Knife” didn’t sound as effective. But I agree it is a very powerful song. Sorry it took so long to get back to you…cheers!
Any list of depressive rock songs that doesn’t include Anathema can’t be taken seriously.
Half the songs people are suggesting don’t even fall under the category of “rock”… Good list, I liked the first one, too. But I definitely agree that “Tears In Heaven” should’ve been on.
And the people who call My Chemical Romance whiny emo music… Have obviously never actually listened to a My Chemical Romance song in their lives. They MAKE FUN of whiny emo kids, actually, and I’ve never heard a single song of theirs that has the message of, “my life sucks, I’m gonna kill myself.” In fact, they have a very anti-suicide message, as their songs about death are about illness or the people left behind. The only SELF-destructive songs they have are about drugs–just like all your “cool” bands.
i agree with “EP_GUN” -
Mudvayne’s – A World So Cold, should be on the list somewhere.
or my personal pick for number one which would have to be “whats in a Dream” by the River City Rebels
Perfect number one choice! And All that Could Have Been is a fantastically depressing song. Great list!
the whole of Lou Reed’s ‘Berlin’ is bloody bathtub-depressing. listen to it on a bright happy spring morning, not a grey fall night. seriously character-building.
Gotta say, I always thought “Love will tear us apart” by Joy Division was more depressing than “Decades”… Don’t get me wrong Joy Division were fantastic and Ian Curtis had a great voice, but there was something about the moaning / slurring in that song… O_o
Every single song written by emo bands would qualify.
Emo isn’t depressing. Just nausceating. And metal songs from Mudvayne and such are more depressingly awful than tragic. If you guys weren’t even remotely oblivious to what makes a song truthfully sad you wouldn’t be whining about the list. You’d be making your own.
I’ve seen NIN twice (three times this November!) and yeah, he has some of the most gut wrenching lyrics, but that’s what we love about him, right?
Lucinda Williams – Sweet Old World
Nothing like a beatiful song about a friend wondering why another commited suicide.
“Didn’t you think anyone loved you?”
YYEESSSSS!!!! This is a list that has actually mentioned Tool! Nicely done. I love Tool, and also Jeff Buckley (great music)
Tools videos you should check out if you want weird!
Nice list overall, Ive heard quite a few of these, hmm, what does that say about me…? :/
goodbye my lover- by james blunt lol
what about metallica fade to black
REM-”Everybody Hurts”
Half of Pink Floyd’s catalogue.
Suicidal Tendencies: “How will I laugh tomorrow, when I can’t even smile today?”
P.S. Avoid the IQ test link with the Einstein graphic and the text “the average IQ is 100.” I took this a while ago. Probably inaccurate and you’ll start to get around a hundred spam messages a day to your email. There are better more accurate tests on the web for the curious, and you won’t have to purge your spam box twice a day. be forewarned.
I heard “Daniel” by Elton John a few hours ago and it made me feel like throwing myself down the stairs….. O.K. not really, but it isn’t exactly a party tune.
Yeah, Goodbye My Lover by James Blunt makes me cry just about every time I hear it.
25. caboose – September 15th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Brilliant list, There’s not much I could change but may I suggest just one song: Something in the way – Nirvana.
AGREED!!!!
and also, you should put the entire album of the wall on this list, cuz its a major downer, (however still musically brilliant and conseptually perfect) but sad.
Matthew Good has a lot of sad songs. Go listen to his Underdogs album.
Pink Floyd: When the Tigers Broke Free
KenManiac (88) “Cancer in April” but I wouldn’t call anything by Lou Reed “rock” Maybe “blues”
blink 182 – Adam’s Song
asked for about 3 times on this list, about 7 times on the first depressing song list lol
while blinks one of my favorite bands, and while adams song is very depressing, the last chorus is so filled with hope it turns the song around so i dont know if it should be included on here lol
stay together for the kids by blink is sad though
Why are all of these songs so God Damn long….
And if you want to talk about depressing….take any track from Lennon’s ‘Primal Scream’ album.
Another list omitting CURRENT 93,
SUICIDE (Frankie Teardrop),
TISM (Life Kills, Kill Yourself Now And Avoid The Rush),
DEATH IN JUNE (All Pigs Must Die)
and
SWANS (Raping A Slave, Failure, Turn TO Stone)!!
I agree with One Hundred Years. Why do you think this was their opening song for Live 8?? Particularly with that said opening line! More disturbing. This song isn’t as disturbing as their “Easy Cure” song ‘See The Children’. Look that one up!
i just noticed this from playing guitar hero, what about “paint it black” by the stones. sounds like mick had a pretty bad thing happen.
having not read the whole series of comments , i must submit neil young’s “the needle and the damage done”..a song of anguish ,sorrow and a terminal hunger very rarely matched..also listen to the whole “tonight;s the night ” cd..the slow descent continued
I would rather drown in a bath full of stale ***** than listen to them again, truly awful rubbish….
I think “Candidate” would have been a better Joy Division choice.
Choosing 1 excerpt was difficult, as the entire song is so tragically sad. But here’s a snippet:
Corrupted from memory,
No longer the power,
It’s creeping up slowly,
The last fatal hour.
The orchestration is pretty dark too, it just creeps in and is filled with lows and undertones.
Clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3VEbfA07yQ
To Grubbanax:
I’d say a good 90% of Swans songs would qualify as depressing. At least, whenever Michael Gira sings. It sounds like he’s about to slip a rope around his neck at any given moment.
Grateful Dead’s Friend of the Devil is a poignantly sad song. I love the Counting Crow’s rendition more than The Dead’s to be honest: “got a wife in chino, babe, and one in Cherokee/The first one says she’s got my child but it don’t look like me.”
I “like” the Counting Crow’s rendition more than The Dead’s, to be honest.
As much as I love the song Decades, I’d say that Atmosphere or The Eternal is a little sadder.
A great list, but now I have the urge to throw myself under bus.
Eh, that requires actual effort. I’ll just climb back into bed and hide under the covers until the urge passes.
I love the fact that The Cure are on here, but I don’t think One Hundred Years is depressing, and by no means their most depressing song. I’d say it’s more menacing. Try Apart, or To Wish Impossible Things.
one song which should be on top of any depressing songs list has to be “gloomy sunday”.im not sure bout da total history of da song but im sure ppl after hearin it killed demselves and dis song was also banned.i was not originally recorded in english but der r many covers of this song.
lux aeterna ..the requiem for a dream soundtrack..
now thats depressing
wow, i’m seriously impressed by number one. one of my favorite tracks of all time!
Great that you put The Cure up (my favorite band)… that whole album *****ography is quite dark, here are some lyrics from another song on that same album called Siamise Twins
Leave me to die
You won’t remember my voice
I walked away and grew old
You never talk
We never smile
I scream
Your nothing
I don’t need you anymore
Your nothing