Top Ten Most Depressing Alternative Rock Songs
In his most recent newsletter, radio consultant Sean Ross asked for nominations for the most depressing hit song of all time.
It began with a discussion with a program director about a song that tested well, but happened to be incredibly depressing. In Thursday’s ROR, we’ll revisit some of radio’s biggest downers. And we’ll look at whether radio can still find love with a hopeless lyric in the tempo-loving PPM era. And we’re taking your nominations for most depressing hit song now.
This got me thinking: What are the most depressing alt-rock songs of all time? Specifically, what songs from the alt-rock canon can (1) kill any good buzz; and (2) provide the perfect soundtrack to your sad, depressed state? Let me begin with this top ten most depressing alternative rock songs:
1. The Smiths, “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want”
If someone has been able to express self-pity and whininess better than this song, I haven’t heard it. How many kids have sobbed along with this song in their bedroom?
2. Joy Division, “Atmosphere”
A personal favourite. Best heard in the dark with a glass of alcohol and with the knives safely locked away.
3. Nine Inch Nails, “Something I Can Never Have”
Equal parts anger and heartbreak. I can’t hear this song without thinking about all the kids who must have cut themselves while mouthing the words.
4. Johnny Cash, “Hurt”
Speaking of cutting, have you seen the video? Impossibly, the Man in Black makes this NIN song even bleaker.
5. The Cure, “One Hundred Years”
Pornography is the Cure’s darkest record. What more can you say with an album that opens with the line “It doesn’t matter if we all die?”
6. Gary Jules, “Mad World”
The Tears for Fears original was dreary enough, but slowing it down into something nearly suicidal was sheer genius.
7. Radiohead, “How to Disappear Completely”
There are many sad and lonely Radiohead tracks to choose from, but this one will kill any postivie thoughts you might still harbour.
8. Lou Reed and John Cale, “Open House”
Their 1990 album Songs for Drella was one long elegy/eulogy for Andy Warhol, their former patron. The whole record is a downer but this particular track somehow resonates with me.
9. Jeff Buckley, “Hallelujah”
It’s sad because he’s dead. Did you know that before he drowned in the Mississippi River, he was singing Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Live” as he waded in?
10. Depeche Mode, “Somebody”
Lonely, sad and slightly whiney. Now let’s analyze why my wife and I chose this as one of the first dance songs as our wedding.
What else have you got?
I think that the Cowboy Junkies and 'Cause Cheap is How I Feel has to rank high (low?) in the list.
How about Alive by Pearl Jam?
Nah.Just breathe by pearl jam
Great list, picked off a lot of the ones I would have had.
Nirvana – Something in the Way also comes to mind.
Fantastic list; I'd throw Alice in Chains' "Down In A Hole" on the list just because (as you said about Buckley) it's sad because he's dead.
Beth Orton's "Galaxy of Emptiness". The Verve's "The Drugs Don't Work" (or, if you're willing to dig into the album, "Another Velvet Morning" is even worse). Counting Crows' "Long December". Elvis Costello's "Veronica" always gets me down. Bonnie "Prince" Billy's "Raining in Darling". "#1 Crush" by Garbage. "Synchronicity II" by the Police. And I can't believe nobody's mentioned "Everybody Hurts" yet.
Mind you, you could pretty much fill this list up with nothing but the Smiths.
The Johnny Cash version of "Hurt" is incredible. For a bit of a folk-y Canadiana option: The Weakerthans "Plea from a cat named Virtue" swiftly followed by "Virtue the cat explains her departure".
If your going to pick a pearl jam track would "black" not rank higher?
As far as Cash goes… there are parts of american iv that are heart breaking the way he sings
Down in a Hole by Alice in Chains or Mayonaise by Smashing Pumpkins. Also older RHCP – Soul to squeeze or I Could Have Lied. When you're feeling depressed, these tracks go right along.
I think Death's Door by Depeche Mode is pretty dark:
Record Body Count– The Rheostatics
Or how about these two opening back to back songs on Alice in Chain's "Jar of Flies": Rotten Apple and Nutshell. Real gems but real downers, and neither were singles (I think).
Radiohead's No Surprises is brilliantly depressing. Another very strange and quite prescient piece is GYBE!'s Deadman's Blues. Released in 1999, it's altogether creepy and very much a downer. Not sure if I'd classify it as rock, but I have no idea how to classify GYB!E anyway.
wow, what does it say about me that 8 of the 10 of these have been on rotation in my ipod/record player for the past 20-odd years?! but i don't find them depressing, so perhaps that's why. to me, the most depressing song in the world is disintegration, by the cure ('it's easier for me to get closer to heaven than ever feel whole again'). coldplay's amsterdam is a close second. and i echo the verve's the drugs don't work. and–oh! wonderwall. but, admittedly, no one i know else finds that depressing. but really, it's all subjective, innit?
Brand New – Jesus Christ
Jimmy Eat World – My Sundown
Matthew Good Band – Running For Home (actually lots of Matt Good stuff)
Our Lady Peace – 4AM
The Postal Service – This Place Is a Prison
The Gaslight Anthem – The '59 Sound (especially the acoustic version – there's a few versions up on YouTube, this one's my favorite
I dunno, if we're going with a depressing Pearl Jam song I'd throw up Indifference as opposed to Black or Alive.
Radiohead – Exit Music and I agree that if you're putting up a Pearl Jam song it should be Indifference. I also find Wicked Game by Chris Isaak depressing.
Foo Fighters "Friend of a Friend"
“Perfect Day” – Lou Reed
and
"Goodbye Cruel World" – Pink Floyd
I think the list has moved away from alt-rock, so can I throw Fleetwood Mac's Landslide into the mix?
Not bad, but none of those tracks are a patch on Frank Sinatra's "suicide" sets, namely "In The Wee Small Hours", "Where Are You", "Only The Lonely" (Sinatra's personal favourite recording) and "No One Cares". I can tell you, NOBODY can listen to those albums back to back.
Here is my alternative list of the Ten Depressing Tracks Of All Time :-
Swans – Failure
Kevin Coyne – Lunatic
Mark Lanegan – One Hundred Days
Iggy Pop – Mass Production ( The last track Ian Curtis heard before his suicide.)
Billie Holiday – God Bless The Child
Roy Orbison – Pretty Paper
Nick Drake – Fruit Tree
O.V Wright – I Could Write A Book
Neil Young – Borrowed Tune
"Falls Apart" Rapture
"Snuff" Slipknot
"Hate Me" Blue October
sorrow-the national
Names by Cat Power
4&20 by CSN (the most depressing song ever)
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A song that i believe that is really dark is ‘The Light Behind Your Eyes’ by My Chemical Romance. Its a sad song that sounds like a suicide note and the story behind it makes it darker.
i knew i would see my chemical romance somewhere here
Well me personally love to listen to depressing songs, it seems to me as if it helps me “get it out of my system” faster, you know? As for my Top Depressing/Sad Songs, I’ll list them here (not in order, hard to rate them). Keep in mind that a lot are from the same artist, I don’t really have that wide of musical interest. Here we go:
Like a Stone by Audioslave
Give Me a Sign by Breaking Benjamin
Without You by Breaking Benjamin
Dear Agony by Breaking Benjamin
Where’d You Go (feat. Holly Brook & Jonah Matranga) by Fort Minor
Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day
Crawling by Linkin Park
Pushing Me Away by Linkin Park
Castle Of Glass by Linkin Park
Roads Untraveled by Linkin Park
Powerless by Linkin Park
My December by Linkin Park
Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park
Numb by Linkin Park
Leave Out All the Rest – Linkin Park
Shadow of the Day by Linkin Park
Valentines Day by Linkin Park (oh the feels with this one v.v)
In Pieces by Linkin Park
The Little Things Give You Away by Linkin Park
Iridescent by Linkin Park
The Messenger by Linkin Park (this song has got me through so much…)
Fade To Black by Metallica
Something In The Way by Nirvana
Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Hero of War by Rise Against
The Approaching Curve by Rise Against
Roadside by Rise Against
Dead Memories by Slipknot
Snuff by Slipknot (wow…this song is just…wow…)
Vermillion (or Vermillion, Pt. 2) by Slipknot
Lonely Day by System of a Down
Lost in Hollywood by System of a Down
Roulette by System of a Down
Streamline by System of a Down
Last to Know by Three Days Grace
Over and Over by Three Days Grace
Gone Forever by Three Days Grace
I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace
When I’m Gone ; Here Without You ; Your Arms Feel Like Home by 3 Doors Down – great songs to listen to when there’s something up with your love life or you miss a special someone.
Anyway, that’s pretty much it. Some of you might not find that they’re sad or depressing, but I mostly chose them because they speak to me on a deep level, and some of the songs (especially the Slipknot ones .___.) have so much emotion in them, all you have to do is pay close attention to the Lyrics. Anyway, hope you guys like the list, and if you agree with some of the songs let me know ^_^
You seemed to have missed Don’t Look Back In Anger By Oasis.
And Bleeding Me by Metallica.
And Cemetery Gates by Pantera.
And It’s Been Awhile by Staind.
And Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
And Welcome Home by Coheed and Cambria.
(List could continue, but I’m feelin lazy)
There are hundreds of songs I could refer to but I just can’t believe how no one mentioned Stranglers’ Midnight Summer Dream (the most nostalgic synth I’ve ever heard) or something like NIN, A warm place, such a beautiful track, I would like that played at my funeral.
Porcupine Tree-Lazarus
Cranes-Loved
Funny but all the bands mentioned above are my happy music. Love Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins and especially the Verve. I find that all music released prior to my ex makes me happy no matter how depressing but my memory of all music post bf had to be put into quarantine. A whole part of my brain had to be cordoned off, My idea of depressing is
‘Love Hurts’ Nazareth. Anyone out there like me, or am I alone as usual?
Save me, Tonight the world ends, Seize the day, Dear god, Fiction, So far away, Avenged Sevenfold I will always one of “The Kids” foREVer R.I.P Reverend..
Buckcherry, Sorry
Crossfade, Cold
Thriving ivory, Angels on the moon
U2, One
Blue october, Its just me , Weight of all the world
Amy Lee, Hello , Angel of mine , Bring me to life , My Heart is Broken, Broken , Lithium , Last song I’m waisting on you , Good Enough , fallen , sallys song , My Last Breath , My Immortal.
The Eagles, Hotel California
Justin Nuzaki, Save Him
Deftones, Change (In the house of flies)
Creed, My own prison , My Sacrifice , Hold me now/ six feet from the edge , With arms wide open.
Black Sabbath, Changes , Mama I’m coming home… Ozzy, Dreamer
Awolnation, Sail
Cage , I Never Knew You , Ballad Of Worms A Fine Frenzy , Almost lover
Flyleaf , Sorrow , All Around Me , Fully Alive , There For You , Cassie ( Tribute to the shooting at Columbine shoot Rachel and Cassie R.I.P
Guns N Roses , November Rain
Hollywood Undead , My Black Dahlia , Pain ,
Limp Bizkit , Behind Blue Eyes
Queen , Bohemian Rhapsody
Tegan and Sara , Divided
Hoobastank , The Reason
i can go on an on but I’m done for now Enjoy
Snuff by Slipknot…nuff said
These are not sad enough. Try this to cut your throat http://www.9musics.com/9-sad-rock-songs/
I like to think of these songs as beautiful melancholy rather than depressing.
Doubts Even Here – New Order
Fade Into You – Mazzy Star
Never Known – Durutti Column (take your pick, Vini is manic depressive)
Black Boys On Mopeds – Sinead O’Connor
The saddest song is Skeletons, by Rickie Lee Jones.
Elliott Smith.
Alice in Chains – Nutshell
And yet I fight, and yet I fight this battle all alone. No one to cry to, no place to call home
No rain – Blind Melon and Something to Believe in – Poison
There is a ghost-Marianne Faithfull
Not really alternative but
Cancer by My Chemical Romance
i would say the ghost of you, the ligjht behind your eyes, demolition lovers by my chemical romance are all pretty depressing. (honestly, any song by mcr could make you cry)
I believe Pieces by Red is depressing, or any song by them to be honest.
Black – Pearl Jam
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You definitely forgot “what Sarah said” it’s about someone’s wife dying. You also forgot “a lack of colour.” That one is the most realistic song about depression I have ever heard.
Gotta hear this one. Who did it?
Dude, Foo Fighters’ “Let it Die” should have been on this list for sure…
None of these songs were sad for me. I don’t think that we can put a label over what makes people sad because everyone gets triggered emotionally by different songs. Some of mine are Bleeding out (Imagine Dragons), How Far We’ve Come (Matchbox 20, ESPECIALLY this song. I can’t hear it without breaking down), and Down (Jason Walker).
Release – pearl jam. Miss u & adams song – blink 182. Pyramid song & fake plastic trees – radiohead. Hummer & soma – smashing pumpkins. Everything’s not lost – Coldplay. Running to stand still – u2. Somewhere I belong – linkin park. Seasons – Chris cornell.
Is “Only Happy When It Rains” by Garbage too obvious?
I love Alice in Chains but listening to them now at 31, feels so different from when I was 15. It’s more depressing……
If you want wrist-cutting or just jump-off-a-bridge worthy songs, I recommend you listen to this little medley.
1. A Beautiful Lie – 30 Seconds to Mars
2. I Don’t Love You – My Chemical Romance
3. Ohio is for Lovers – Hawthorne Heights
4. The Reason – Hoobastank
5. Never Too Late – Three Days Grace
I think you get the point. 1, 4, and 5 always make me want to run into oncoming traffic because I depress myself even further by listening to these songs when I’m depressed. If none of these make you cry/question your existence. then you my friend, are winning. And I envy you.
maybe something from Milky Chance’s “sadnecessary” album
Any song off “The Black Parade” album by My Chemical Romance.
River of deceit– Mad Season (alice in Chains Layne Staley on lead vocals)
Say Hello 2 Heaven — temple of the Dog ( tribute to Andy wood from Chris Cornell and Pearl Jam)
tbh welcome to my life by simple plan though i don’t know if that counts as alternative rock?
“Unintended”-Muse
“Tired of you”-Foo Fighters
“Something in the way”-Nirvana
“Like a stone”-Audioslave
“Creep”-Radiohead
“I am the highway”-Audioslave
“The night we met”-Lord Huron