Really dark... Classic Western songs | So dark that it may trigger depression—proceed with caution!

LithiumNirvana

Nirvana – Lithium (Official Music Video)

It is a masterpiece that sings of a heartrending sense of loss and loneliness that seeps into every corner of the heart.

The feelings of a young man who harbors suicidal thoughts yet seeks salvation in religion are expressed through a dynamic interplay of quiet and loud sounds.

Included on the album Nevermind, released by America’s Nirvana in September 1991, it was issued as a single the following July.

The structure, alternating between gentle melodies and intense choruses, skillfully captures the protagonist’s violent emotional swings.

As suggested by its title, which references a medication used to treat bipolar disorder, the song centers on themes of psychological instability and anguish, making it a track that resonates with those carrying heavy burdens in their hearts.

StitchesShawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes – Stitches (Official Music Video)

It’s a track from the album “Handwritten,” and it became Shawn Mendes’s first UK number-one single.

Shawn sings as if pleading about his heart being torn to shreds, and it’s heartbreaking.

Be sure to pay attention to the ending of the music video.

Another Brick in the WallPink Floyd

Pink Floyd Another Brick In The Wall (HQ)

A landmark piece of socially conscious rock infused with a critical view of formal education.

Released in November 1979 on the album The Wall by the British rock band Pink Floyd, this song topped the charts in 14 countries worldwide.

Centered on the theme of the “wall” built within the protagonist’s mind, it portrays loneliness and despair.

In the film Pink Floyd: The Wall, the striking images of students having their individuality stripped away in a factory-like school left a lasting impression.

A masterpiece where lyrics questioning an oppressive education system and a conformist society are brilliantly fused with a disco-inflected beat and a children’s choir.

It’s a song to hear when your spirits are low or when you feel you’re losing your way.

Fade Into YouMazzy Star

Mazzy Star – Fade Into You (Official Music Video)

Within its fragile, melancholic melody, yearning and deep affection melt together.

Mazzy Star’s signature song portrays the anguish of longing for unity with another while knowing it can’t be realized, set against a dreamlike soundscape.

Brimming with the essence of one of America’s defining alternative rock bands, this work was included on the October 1993 album “So Tonight That I Might See” and was released as a single the following year.

The black-and-white music video aired on MTV is memorable for its performance scenes in a dim, burlesque-era ballroom.

Featured in numerous films and TV dramas, including “Gilmore Girls” and “CSI,” it carries a timeless allure.

It’s a song that stays with you on dark days, a companion for nights when you want to quietly reexamine your feelings alone.

Someone Like YouAdele

Adele – Someone Like You (Official Music Video)

The poignant ballads woven by Adele, the singer from the UK, can be called the ultimate songs of sorrow, laying bare the pain of heartbreak.

Featured on her 2011 album 21, this work portrays the complex emotions of a woman who learns that her former lover is getting married.

Deep sadness and lingering attachment, along with the conflict of wishing the other person happiness, stir the heart alongside a simple piano melody.

Topping the charts in 19 countries and winning the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance, this song offers solace to those seeking to heal the wounds of a breakup or to find emotional closure—a true comfort to the soul.

The black-and-white music video shot in Paris also superbly captures the song’s world.

WithinDaft Punk

Daft Punk – Within

Daft Punk, the French electro duo that represents their country, have worked across a wide range of electronic music, including techno and trance.

Sadly, they disbanded in 2021, but their popularity remains strong.

A dark masterpiece of theirs that I’d like to recommend is Within.

Its lyrics abstractly pursue the question of “Who am I?”, and the melody is so achingly sad that it tightens your chest even if you don’t understand the words.

Counting StarsOneRepublic

OneRepublic – Counting Stars

It’s a track from the album “Native” and the first song by OneRepublic to reach number one on the UK Singles Chart.

With a quintessentially OneRepublic catchy melody and lyrics open to interpretation, it’s sure to captivate everyone.

In a word: “Fantastic!”