Whether you suffer from seasonal depression or the year-round variety (whoop whoop, where my people at?!), sometimes the best thing to do is close your eyes, breathe, and lean into the sad b*tch energy. After all, it’s important to feel your feelings — and forcing yourself to “cheer up” or “snap out of it” can often be counterproductive. Personally, music is my life blood. And when things get heavy and depression and anxiety start whispering lies in my ear, listening to a good melancholy song is all I can do.
So with a little help from my friends and POPSUGAR colleagues, I’ve put together an extensive (though highly curated) list of the best songs to be sad to. It should last you well through the dark, gray Winter months, and hopefully help you work through your feelings during any especially tough times. Yes, at some point you will need to pick your head up, put your shoulders back, go out into the world, and fake it ’til you make it — but there’s nothing wrong with throwing yourself a little pity party and processing your emotions at your own pace (and to a killer soundtrack that spans genres and generations).
Scroll through for a sampling of the sad songs featured, then check out our full Spotify playlist at the end.