Iconic dark and cool Western songs — with some lesser-known gems too!
As we entered the late 2010s, songs with downbeat or dark atmospheres began topping charts around the world.
In recent years, Billie Eilish, for example, has become known for excelling in that style.
This time, we’ve selected Western tracks that are not only dark but also especially cool and stylish in their mood.
We’ve picked from a wide range of genres, from major hits to more obscure works, so we think both casual listeners and enthusiasts will enjoy this selection.
Please sit back and enjoy.
- Badass Western music. Tough/edgy music. World classics and recommended popular songs.
- Really dark... Classic Western songs | So dark that it may trigger depression—proceed with caution!
- A dark psy classic | Enter the world of dark and eerie psychedelia...
- Stylish Western music: Chic hidden gems that only the in-the-know recognize make an appearance!
- Stylish Western music: that catchy song you hear on the street corner
- Classic Western songs perfect for a cloudy day
- Emotional Western songs used on TikTok | Introduced from various genres
- The Aesthetics of Darkness: An Introduction to Gothic Rock — Notable Bands
- Despairingly dark Western music. World-famous classics and popular songs.
- Classic Western songs you want to listen to late at night
- Emotional Western Music Special | Handpicked from All Generations
- Hit Western songs from the 2010s. Recommended classics.
- Moist Western music | A slew of sweet classics make an appearance…
Dark and Cool Western Music Masterpieces | Minor Works Also Featured! (11–20)
bury a friendBillie Eilish
Billie Eilish is a female singer-songwriter who enjoys overwhelming support from younger generations.
When you think of dark, cool tracks, many people probably think of her.
Among her songs, the one I especially recommend is “bury a friend.” Unlike “bad guy,” this track places an even greater emphasis on a dark worldview.
Combined with Billie Eilish’s downer-style vocals, it creates a distinctly cool vibe.
Be sure to check it out.
LeavesThe Gathering
The Gathering is a Dutch rock band known for mastering a variety of genres such as trip hop, ambient, and gothic rock.
Among their songs, a particularly dark and cool track I highly recommend is Leaves.
This piece strongly highlights the gothic rock elements that defined their early sound.
Beyond its dark, striking vibe, the sultry, captivating vocals are nothing short of breathtaking.
Be sure to check it out.
Bec LauderHard to Get
Here, I’d like to introduce a quirky track.
Beck Lauder’s masterpiece “Hard to Get” exudes the dark, cool vibe that fits our theme.
However, unlike typical gothic-tinged songs, this piece emphasizes blues characteristics throughout.
On top of that, it’s wrapped in a distinctly dark tone.
Since blues is inherently a cool genre, this track stands out with a dark yet seasoned, sophisticated coolness.
Be sure to check it out.
There’s A Part I Can’t Get BackSunflower Bean
An impressive track by Sunflower Bean, who continue to thrive at the forefront of the indie rock scene, was released in the United States in April 2025.
Hailing from New York, the band delivers this ambitious, self-produced work from their new album, “Mortal Primetime.” It presents a candid confession drawn from bassist-vocalist Julia Cumming’s experiences, expressed through a compelling fusion of alternative rock and psychedelia.
A U.
S.
tour is also planned at venues such as Rough Trade and Lodge Room, and this release is highly recommended for listeners who wish to embrace their ever-evolving band sound with deep empathy.
Killing Me Killing YouSENTENCED
This is a track whose sorrowful, deeply sinking vocals tighten your chest.
A shadow of ruin creeps over a relationship that once felt like paradise.
Even as they love each other, they hurt one another, and everything turns to ash—an unbearably vivid depiction of utter despair.
The cry of a heart that longs to reclaim love while yearning to be freed from this suffering resonates heavily with the listener.
It’s a song by the Finnish band Sentenced from their classic album Crimson, released in January 2000, with the lead single reaching No.
5 on the domestic charts.
Brimming with a profound allure, it quietly keeps you company on nights swallowed by an inescapable sense of loss.
The EndThe Doors
It’s a roughly 12-minute track that closes The Doors’ self-titled debut album, released in January 1967 by the American rock band The Doors.
It feels as if vocalist Jim Morrison’s inner world has been transmuted directly into sound, portraying an impulse toward ruin within a psychedelic soundscape.
The world it evokes touches taboos lurking in the human subconscious and feels so dangerous that it seems to slowly erode the listener’s sense of ethics.
The piece was used at the beginning of the 1979 film Apocalypse Now, resonating strikingly with the madness of war.
From its calm opening, the song gradually builds toward frenzy, confronting us with the depths of the darkness hidden within the human psyche.
Iconic Dark and Cool Western Songs | Lesser-Known Gems Included! (21–30)
LichtgestaltLacrimosa
A song by the German gothic metal band Lacrimosa that portrays a soul’s struggle to find a ray of light amid the darkness of despair.
The contrast between Tilo Wolff’s anguish-laden vocals and Anne Nurmi’s compassionate voice fuses with a majestic orchestra, shaking the listener to the core.
The work’s dramatic world, where desolation and hope intersect, is truly breathtaking.
The track is included on the album “Lichtgestalt,” released in May 2005, which reached number 30 on the German charts.
When facing life’s hardships and feeling on the verge of breaking, listening to this song may give you the courage to rise again from the depths of sorrow.