Songs about depression can help you feel like you’re not alone as you battle the toxic thoughts in your head. The depression songs on this list can sometimes be filled with tons of misery and other times re-spark the hope within you to keep moving forward. If you’re looking for depressing songs to cry to you’ve come to the right place. So, let’s dive into our favorite depressing lyrics.
31 Songs About Depression You Can Cry To
1. Hurt – Johnny Cash
Arguably, one of the most moving covers of a song of all time, Johnny Cash’s Hurt reflects on depression on a deep level. The starting lyrics, “I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel, I focus on the pain, the only thing that’s real” accurately describes what depression feels like. It also highlights what our mind focuses on: pain. The song may also be relatable for those suffering from grief depression. The lyrics talk about how he loses everyone in the end. This can be a relatable song about depression for those who have lost loved ones to illness or suddenly. But the depression lyrics could also reflect on a breakup. Ultimately, the listener can decide on how they interpret these emotional lyrics. Alternatively, you can listen to the Nine Inch Nails version of this song, which is the original production and a bit spookier to listen to.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI
2. Unsteady – X Ambassadors
Songs about depression are often about a big life change. Unsteady is a song about a parent’s rocky relationship and its impact on the family. We often think of home being a safe haven, but for some people that’s just not a reality. Sometimes, the reason why we’re so depressed is because our home environment isn’t stable, causing us to feel unsteady. There’s a desperation of wanting your parents to work it out in this song with lyrics, “If you love me, don’t let go.” But sometimes, it’s the separation which will ultimately bring peace and happiness into our lives again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0lw3qylVfY
3. Summertime Sadness - Lana Del Rey
Summertime Sadness is one of the Lana Del Rey's most famous songs. This dark song captures what it feeling depressed feels like. It's also a sharp reminder that depression isn't a seasonal thing. You can actually experience depression year round, including the summer months. The upbeat music will have you singing, "I got that summertime, summertime sadness" but try not to make that your mantra. As what you repeat will become your reality. But if you're just having a bad day or going through a challenge, sad songs like this one won't drastically impact mental illness nor will it spiral you deeper into a depression. It's definitely not a haunting song, but it's still relatable if you have clinical depression.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdrL3QxjyVw
4. Never Let Me Go – Florence and the Machine
Depression songs like Never Let Me Go can be quite powerful. The emotions throughout the song take you on a rollercoaster of negative emotions. The lyrics, “And it’s over, And I’m going under, But I’m not giving up, I’m just giving in” is about accepting the ending of a heartbreaking relationship. Even though you’ve finally given yourself permission to accept that a relationship has ended doesn’t make it emotionally easy. This power ballad may get you to shed a few hard tears if you’ve recently been through the end of a relationship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMBTvuUlm98
5. Breathe Me – Sia
Breathe Me is a song about coping with depression. Often, when we’re struggling through life, all we really want is a friend. There’s an almost desperation of wanting anyone in the world to be by our side as we struggle with horrible emotions and wandering toxic thoughts. The lyrics “I think I might break, lost myself again, and I feel unsafe” can also describe the emotional state of trauma. Sometimes a traumatic event can lead to depression as you become stuck in your story. While listening to Sia’s words, you might find a bit of comfort knowing that you aren’t alone in your journey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwB56IYDfWs
6. Bouvelard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
All the songs in this list are about feeling sad or depressed. But this song is also about loneliness and walking a "lonely road." Often, when we're going through a difficult period, your "shadow is the only thing that walks beside [you]." When listening to this song, try to think of ways you can connect with other people to feel less alone. When you retreat inward and push others away, it discourages you from reaching a solution with suicidal thoughts, mental illness, or overall feeling depressed. In very dark moments, you can find comfort with other people who uplift you and will support you in your life's journey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soa3gO7tL-c
7. How to Save A Life – The Fray
Not all songs about depression talk about the perspective of the friend of the person battling their demons. The powerful song is about trying to be there for your friend who’s feeling suicidal. Most of us aren’t trained therapists who know how to treat people who are dealing with depression or suicidal thoughts. This depression song talks about the challenge of breaking through with a person who’s suffering. The lyrics, “And pray to God he hears you” shares a desperation of trying to get through to someone whose thoughts are spiralling downward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjVQ36NhbMk
8. Dark Thoughts - Skyler Grey
Dark Thoughts by Skyler Grey can be interpreted positively. Unlike most sad songs, you actually get a solution in the lyrics if you listen closely. "These dark thoughts, gonna put 'em in a box" reminds you that sometimes it's best to stop resurfacing negative thoughts and actually put them away. You can replace negative thoughts with positive ones. You don't need to look at and overanalyze every bad thought you have. Sometimes, it's best to notice them and watch them float away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOFFXY6IkF4
9. Lose You To Love Me – Selena Gomez
Sometimes we experience depression during a breakup. Fortunately, Selena Gomez sings about the hurt she feels after a breakup in a positive way. The lyrics, “You replaced us, like it was easy, made me think I deserved it, in the thick of healing.” The emotions behind being replaced by someone else and then being treated like that’s how you deserve to be treated can be overwhelming. But Gomez repeatedly sings in the chorus, “I needed to lose you to love me.” Thus, turning a song about depression into one about taking the hurt, sadness, and pain you feel and looking at it through a hopeful lens. Sometimes things fall apart so you can rebuild yourself to the point where you love yourself again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlJDTxahav0
10. Skyscraper – Demi Lovato
It’s possible that Selena Gomez took some notes from Demi Lovato as this song about depression is all about rising up like a skyscraper even if you “take everything I have” and “break everything I am.” The first line of the song is “skies are crying” and we all know how it sometimes feels like the universe is just as miserable as we are when we’re depressed. It always seems to be raining when we’re having a horrible day. These powerful depression lyrics will strengthen your hope as you build yourself back up. You’re a skyscraper, don’t forget it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_8ydghbGSg
11. Mad World – Gary Jules, Michael Andrews
Mad World is one of the most depressing songs you can listen to. It’s ultimately about how lifeless we become working the 9 to 5. We race to work but we never really make progress. We have these little moments as children celebrating our birthdays. However, aside from those happy childhood memories, it seems like we’re all going nowhere. People run in circles and miss out on the experience and wonder of life. It also talks about how the education system fails us. We’re taught from a young age to be workers, instead of humans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4
12. Adam's Song - Blink 182
Adam's Song by Blink 182 is about suicidal thoughts. If you're feeling suicidal, call a suicide hotline, tell a friend or family member, and seek professional medical help. The lyrics talk through the emotions of feeling suicidal and all the things that'll be lost when life ends. It's important to remember that mental health can be improved with time, patience, and effort. So don't make any drastic decisions based on how the lyrics of a song feel relatable. Adam's Song is just a song. You can cry to it, shout to it, go for a run while listening to it. Sometimes, all the lyrics do is remind you why you should hang on just a bit longer, let the story continue to unfold. Rock bottom means you get to build a deeper foundation so you can grow bigger than ever before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MRdtXWcgIw
13. The Night We Met – Lord Huron
Lord Huron’s The Night We Met is a song about depression that focuses on the element of reliving the past. Often, when we’re battling depression, we think back to happier memories. The lyrics “take me back to the night we met” focuses on the moment where you were happiest before you lost the love of your life. The line, “I had all and then most of you, some and now none of you” talks about how the slipping away of a relationship is done slowly. But there’s this desperation to go back to the beginning when things were at its best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGF7PswOENQ
14. Fix You – Coldplay
It’s physically impossible to not cry to Coldplay’s Fix You when you’re going through depression. The line “tears stream down your face when you lose something you cannot replace” following the guitar solo can lead to a huge release of emotions. This song about depression tends to be positive as it’s about someone trying to fix you – or your hurt really.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4V3Mo61fJM
15. All We Are – One Republic
One Republic’s song about depression contains stunning lyrics like “We won’t break, we won’t die, it’s just a moment of change.” These words could uplift you when you’re battling your demons. Focus on the fact that life might be changing and the suffering is temporary. The song is about a couple who don’t fit into each other’s lives. “I walked a minute in your shoes, they never would’ve fit.” This depression song has a level of honesty that sometimes you need to hear to finally heal from your pain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmO1SBaWjWI
16. Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
Little Talk is a song about anxiety but people who suffer from depression could probably still relate to it. The lyrics, "Some days I don't know if I am wrong or right, your mind is playing tricks on you my dear" can be relatable during depression. We tend to catastrophize and spiral when depressed. It's important to know when our minds aren't working straight. The conversation in the song is what makes this one of the best songs about depression because it's like having a conversation with our thoughts. It's a good song for understanding how the thought process works and how to replace negative thinking with positive thinking after a painful breakup, a bad day, or a traumatic event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghb6eDopW8I
17. Someone You Loved – Lewis Capaldi
This depression song starts off with “I’m going under and this time I fear there’s no one to save me” which describes how depression feels quite accurately. There’s often a sense of hopelessness in depression. The line “I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain” talks about how sometimes we use people as a crutch instead of facing our pain directly. And while that may be comforting temporarily, ultimately we have no choice but to face our demons on our own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zABLecsR5UE
18. Chandelier – Sia
Sia truly captures a depressive state in her depressing song Chandelier. The line “I push it down” highlights how we often try to repress our negative emotions and thoughts and yet they always come bubbling back up. The line “But I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes, keep my glass full until morning light” often describes that people experiencing difficult emotions like depression often self medicate with alcohol to numb the pain they’re experiencing. But it doesn’t treat the issue and often prevents recovery from it. But you can still belt out Sia’s words when you’re feeling down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vjPBrBU-TM
19. Just A Dream – Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood’s Just A Dream is a song about depression that focuses on the sadness of losing a loved one in the military service. This song can be difficult to listen to for military spouses who lose their partners before their time. It vividly describes the emotional state of panic and a blur of the funeral as your brain just can’t process everything that’s happening so fast. There’s a lot of heart and sadness felt in this song, especially for those who are grieving a loss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLntFKtR66g
20. Let It All Go – Birdy
Birdy and Rhode’s Let It All Go is a depressing song about a breakup. The song can feel relatable even if you aren’t going through a breakup right now too though. The line “I’ve been sleepless at night, cause I don’t know how I feel, I’ve been waiting on you, just to say something real” can describe the emotional state of feeling like our whole world has lost meaning. Often, when we experience depression, we can’t sleep, we lose meaning, and we feel a bit numb. This song touches on the fact that sometimes we break hard, but we’re strong enough to let it all go. And by that we mean the pain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u0DGIh3wLA
21. Arcade - Duncan Laurence
A simple song about a troubled relationship is Arcade. Remaining depressed shouldn't be your end goal. When your mind plays tricks on you don't start thinking about all your insecurities. The song is about knowing no matter what you do, you lose. That's how you know you're with the wrong person. You can keep trying to hold everything together but it's not enough. Don't carry on when you know how it'll end. If you have mental anguish, trouble sleeping, a deep depression, or self harm ideation it's time to get out of the relationship. Millions of people are happy in their relationships, you can find someone compatible with you. It takes time to find and even more time to build, but a deep foundation can allow you to build a long-lasting and loving relationship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51u5fnyrGj4
22. Already Gone – Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson’s Already Gone is a depressing song about a breakup which can be interpreted in other ways too. The line “we were never meant to say goodbye” talks about how hard it is to lose someone in our life and how sometimes our mind can’t let go of them. The line “you couldn’t have loved me better” reflects on how they see so much value from the love shown throughout the relationship. And even though this relationship ends, it ends on a positive note.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0T3WAbU6tg
23. Whataya Want From Me – P!nk
P!nk is a powerhouse when it comes to writing songs about depression. With blunt lyrics she sings, “Just don’t give up, I’m working it out, please don’t give in, I won’t let you down, it messed me up, need a second to breathe, just keep coming around” talks about how important we need a good support system when facing depression. Sometimes you just need to let your partner know that you’re trying your best and working through some stuff but you still need them to stay by your side as you sort through your mental health challenges.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmib5vj-YkA
24. Numb – Linkin Park
Numb is probably the most descriptive song about depression. The line “I’m tired of being what you want me to be” talks about how hard it is to live up to other people’s expectations of us. We often feel depressed when we lose control of our own lives. If a parent, spouse, or friend is expecting us to be someone we’re not that can add a huge burden on our lives as we aren’t being true to who we are and what we want out of life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXYiU_JCYtU
25. Welcome to the Black Parade – My Chemical Romance
One of the most positive songs about depression is Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. The line “Will you defeat them? Your demons, and all the non believers the plans that they have made” asks you an encouraging question trying to support you by putting in your head that you can defeat your demons and nonbelievers. But the best part of the depression song is “Do or die, you’ll never make me, because the world will never take heart.” And that’s exactly the kind of attitude you’ll need to beat depression once and for all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRKJiM9Njr8
26. Way Less Sad - AJR
This upbeat song is about being sad but overcoming the depression a little bit. You're way less sad but still with a tinge of sad. It's a song for being okay. You might not be happy yet but you're nowhere near as sad as you were before. This song saved on your phone can help you heal. It's about setting a low enough bar that you can climb over it. And increase the bar as you become happier. You don't have to work miracles and be LA sunny every day. It's about inching towards being a little less sad. Rather than being trapped in a dark night, it's almost a sunrise in your life. You're on the healing side of the jouney rather than the full-on grieving chapter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlVhUbGa2pg
27. Let You Down – NF
NF’s Let You Down talks about the challenge of dealing with depression. The lyrics “All these voices in my head get loud, I wish that I could shut them out, I’m sorry that I let you down” talks about how people often struggle with the negative thoughts that cycle through their minds that lead them to experience depression in the first place. The hardest part of depression is the thoughts we have that always make us feel worse, but don’t worry, you haven’t let anyone down and you will get through this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbHbTBP_u7U
28. Move Along – The All American Rejects
Move Along is a song about depression’s darkest side: suicide. The song was written to help people who are feeling suicidal. This was a song that I had on repeat the day my cousin died and it helped me cope with his loss. Even though he die of suicide. The line “When all you’ve got to keep is strong, move along, move along, like I know you do” inspires you to keep going forward even when hardships and unpleasant moments take place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XleOkGsYgO8
29. By The Grace of God – Katy Perry
Songs about depression don’t always highlight suicidal feelings the way Katy Perry does in By The Grace Of God. The lyrics are about how she was struggling with burnout and depression and ultimately needed a long vacation. Often, like Perry, we cry on the bathroom floor as we struggle with our demons. In this song she sings about how believing in a higher power helped her pick herself back up and slowly rebuild herself by putting one foot in front of another. The lyrics, “Looked in the mirror, and decided to stay, wasn’t going to let love take me out that way” can help people regain hope when feeling hopeless in their situation. Sometimes, all you need to do is give yourself a pep talk to talk you out of doing the unthinkable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfIZ7WXvDxo
30. Never, Ever - All Saints
If you have broken dreams of a failed relationship, Never, Ever by All Saints can be one of the best songs about depression. The lead singer tells the story about she wants to improve and learn from what went wrong in the relationship. And that's a healthy way to approach depression, failure, and sadness overall. However, you won't have closure in all of your relationships. Sometimes, you have to find your own peace of mind on your own without the help of your ex. No one can take you out of the black hole, except you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPXqkjpXZ_k
31. Champagne Problems – Taylor Swift
Champagne problems talks about the challenge of a failed engagement. The song tells the story of a couple who weren’t on the same page. One person was ready to propose while the other person wanted to leave the relationship. Sometimes, we plan ahead for our future imagining us with a specific person and it all falls apart. We become embarrassed and saddened by this loss. But the hope of the song is that this person who gets rejected eventually does find love again but with someone new.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMpqCRF7TKg
32. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
Boulevard of Broken Dreams is a beautiful song sung by Billie Joe Armstrong. You can practice self care while listening to this song which has tinges of hope embedded. You might walk alone right now but eventually someone out there will find you. Walking alone means you're still out there visible in the world seen by others. It's not about hiding or making yourself invisible. It's about putting yourself out there until someone finds you. And that's a great way to approach life when feeling alone in the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soa3gO7tL-c
Conclusion
Now that you’ve gotten some of the tears out of your system, it’s time to move to the next stage, rebuilding yourself back up. Rock bottom just means it's building time. Like being a kid at Legoland, you can build yourself back up in any way you wish. Build a deep and wide enough foundation so you can grow as big as you dream. You can and will overcome your depression with time. In the meantime, here are some positive songs to listen to. You can also follow along to a guided meditation for depression to help you learn to better manage your wandering thoughts. Feel free to read some depression quotes to feel better. Check out our latest article on meditation music.
