When we are sad and depressed we all have this tendency to listen to songs that will make us feel even worse while eating our gelatos in our bedrooms. Sure, this is part of the process, but it doesn’t always have to be like this. I’m not saying that you should sing happy songs while feeling broken inside (because that’s even more painful – been there, done that), but there are better options to “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” by Oasis or “Too Much Love Will You” by Queen (beautiful songs, don’t get me wrong, but very very very sad ones). Instead, what I’m proposing you is a list of songs with painful lyrics accompanied by a powerful beat that will make you want to dance your sadness away. Let’s go!
5. Stitches by Shawn Mendes
I’m pretty sure that we all know this one. It might not make you want to dance (and this is why it’s our number 5), but it will make you sing, and this will prevent you from crying (hopefully). In this song, Shawn Mendes conveys his difficulties in moving on from a girl who broke his heart. The track plays around the metaphor of a broken heart as a broken fabric that needs to be sewn back together. “You watch me bleed until I can't breathe, shaking / Falling onto my knees / And now that I'm without your kisses / I'll be needing stitches” is the chorus of the song, and even though the lyrics might seem sad and tragic, the rhythm is contagious and the claps in the background will put you right back on your feet.
4. Green Light by Lorde
“Green Light” is about Lorde’s first major heartbreak and it was the first single off Melodrama, her beautiful second album. The song was co-written and co-produced with Jack Antonoff, who also collaborated with Taylor Swift in songs like “Out of The Woods” and “Lover” – the man knows how to produce a track, if you know what I mean. The song opens with Lorde’s powerful (and a bit broken) voice singing “I do my makeup in somebody else’s car / We order different drinks at the same bars”, all warning signs of a soon to be over relationship. The initial sadness turns into an unmanageable anger and desire to “scream the truth”. Soon after, Lorde puts her former lover on blast for being “a damn liar” (and a pumpkin eater, ouch) and that’s it. The beat slowly changes, the atmosphere becomes more vivid, and the rhythm switches to a fresh beat to hysterically dance to.
3. Dancing on My Own by Robyn
If “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston had an antithetical anthem, that would be “Dancing on My Own” by Robyn – or maybe not fully. Let me correct myself. The lyrics might be on the opposite sides, but I’m pretty sure you’ll feel like dancing just as much. From the critically acclaimed Body Talk, “Dancing on My Own” is a dance-pop song about seeing your ex-boyfriend dancing with another girl. “Somebody said you got a new friend / Does she love you better than I can?” is just the first of a series of heartbreaking remarks nuanced by an electropop rhythm. Instead of breaking down and cry, Robyn decides to dance on her own in a crowd full of people who don’t seem to care about her. One last remark: listen to the version by Robyn, I repeat: by Robyn. You don’t want to listen to Calum Scott’s version, do you?
2. Strangers by Sigrid
Sigrid is not well known in the music industry. Still, you may have heard songs like “Sucker Punch” or seen her on Bastille’s playlist “fucking amazing tunes” on Spotify (which I really suggest checking out). Sigrid is the queen of heartbreaking songs (like “Dynamite”) but with “Strangers” she has demonstrated being able to go far beyond. The song is about two lovers who are “Falling head over heels / For something that ain’t real”, lying to themselves about a relationship that doesn’t feel right anymore. Sigrid herself has revealed in an interview that she is a fan of sad songs that make you want to dance, so you can be sure that by the chorus you will be screaming and shouting more than Britney Spears and Will I Am.
1. Diamonds by Sam Smith
Ironically, the number 1 sad banger is a song by Sam Smith – you might think I’m crazy, but I’m perfectly fine, I swear. Sam Smith is well known for songs like “Too Good at Goodbyes” and “I’m Not the Only One”, but don’t forget he also wrote the more vivid “Like I Can”. With “Diamonds”, Sam Smith is moving in a new direction, turning a potential sad ballad into an uplifting anthem. This song is directed to a former lover who seemed to care more about Smith’s fame and clout rather than their relationship. “All the special things I bought / They mean nothing to me anymore / But to you, they were everything we were” is the first verse, and it is as sad as it sounds. Don’t be fooled by the slow start though. Right before the chorus, the bass line comes in, turning this song into a dancefloor banger that will persuade you to pull yourself back together.
So what do you think about these sad bangers? Any suggestions? Let me know!
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