Sad Music Listening is Best for a Bad Mood

New resarch shows that a pump-up playlist isn't necessarily the solution for a bad day. 

 

 

Don’t turn to upbeat songs next time you’re feeling down—instead, tune into ballads that match your melancholy mood. 

The biggest reward turned out to be that sad songs allow you to feel sadness without any of its “real-life implications.” In other words, you can safely explore what it’s like to be a little blue without experiencing the intense grief of mourning a loved one, for example.

“Emotion regulation” was another important reward. Many respondents said that when they were in a bad mood, experiencing sadness through music made them feel better afterwards and provided an emotional boost. That may be because the songs help them to express and release their emotions, Taruffi noted. 

"Sad music promotes and creates a space for reflection and reappraisal of personal experiences, thoughts and feelings," she added.  

The reward of “imagination” allowed listeners to feel as though they could express themselves as richly as the mournful music. 

The “empathy” reward made the listener feel good by allowing him to share the sadness of another human being through the song.  

The researchers then found that the most important reward of sad music was the ability to experience sadness without any “real-life” implications—when the song is over, you haven’t had any actual loss or distress. Participants also experienced strong feelings of empathy after listening to sad music, and could sympathize and relate with the singer.