The Emotional Resonance of Sad Music

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This chapter explores why individuals with depression often gravitate towards sad music, framing it as a coping mechanism rather than a source of increased sadness. Through discussions of various studies and personal anecdotes, the speakers examine how sad songs can foster a sense of connection and emotional validation. The chapter also contrasts the emotional impact of sad versus happy music, highlighting the profound role that music plays in shaping our emotional experiences.

What are Mike and Angela’s favorite songs to cry to? Can upbeat music lift you out of a bad mood? And what is Angela going to sing the next time she does karaoke?

SOURCES:
- Matthew Desmond, professor of sociology at Princeton University.
- Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University.
- Joshua Knobe, professor of philosophy, psychology, and linguistics at Yale University.
- Simon McCarthy-Jones, professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin.
- Yael Millgram, senior lecturer of psychological sciences at Tel Aviv University.
- Stanley Milgram, 20th-century American social psychologist.
- Ruth Reichl, food writer.
- Laurie Santos, professor of psychology at Yale University.
- Barbara Tversky, professor emerita of psychology at Stanford University.

RESOURCES:
- "On the Value of Sad Music," by Mario Attie-Picker, Tara Venkatesan, George E. Newman, and Joshua Knobe (The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 2024).
- "The Reason People Listen to Sad Songs," by Oliver Whang (The New York Times, 2023).
- "Adele 30: The Psychology of Why Sad Songs Make Us Feel Good," by Simon McCarthy-Jones (The Conversation, 2021).
- "Why Do Depressed People Prefer Sad Music?" by Sunkyung Yoon, Edelyn Verona, Robert Schlauch, Sandra Schneider, and Jonathan Rottenberg (Emotion, 2020).
- Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, by Matthew Desmond (2016).
- "Sad as a Matter of Choice? Emotion-Regulation Goals in Depression," by Yael Millgram, Jutta Joormann, Jonathan D. Huppert, and Maya Tamir (Psychological Science, 2015).
- "Music and Emotion Through Time," by Michael Tilson Thomas (TED Talk, 2012).
- Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (2011).