When you’re hurting and feel like you want to disappear… timeless Western songs to listen to at times like these
The power of music is tremendous—sometimes just listening to a song when you’re feeling down can lift your spirits.
However, it’s rare to come across songs like that, and it’s not easy to find tracks that truly match your tastes.
In particular, I think Western music is harder to discover compared to Japanese music.
So this time, I’ve selected some classic Western songs for those moments when you’re struggling or feel like disappearing.
I’ve also included explanations of the lyrics, so even if you don’t understand English, you can still enjoy them without any trouble.
Please take your time and enjoy.
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When you're hurting and want to disappear... timeless Western songs to listen to (21–30)
Stressed Outtwenty one pilots
This work by the American alternative rock duo Twenty One Pilots, included on their album Blurryface, is a sweeping song that portrays the anxieties and stresses faced in the process of growing up.
The lyrics, contrasting nostalgia for the freedom of childhood with the practical responsibilities demanded by society, resonated with many young people.
Released as a single from the album in May 2015, it peaked at No.
2 on the Billboard charts.
The following year, it won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, drawing worldwide attention.
It is a song that stands beside those who feel life is hard or are on the verge of being crushed by pressure, offering emotional support.
Rebel HeartMadonna
This is a work by Madonna that looks back on her life with painful honesty.
It’s included on her album Rebel Heart, released in March 2015.
At first glance, it’s a song with a light, acoustic sound, but its lyrics are remarkably introspective.
The way she confronts the loneliness behind her glory and the past in which she hurt herself by pretending to be someone else is deeply piercing.
This track is one you’ll want to listen to on nights when your heart feels like it might break, when you want to face your own weaknesses—it carries a warmth that seems to affirm your true self.
If you tend to spend time alone lost in thought, be sure to check it out.
Boulevard Of Broken DreamsGreen Day
A song written about disillusionment with the American Dream and the awareness of it.
It won a Grammy Award and took home six awards at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year.
The music video was directed by Samuel Bayer, known for Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Lucid DreamsJuice WRLD
Rapper Juice WRLD, known as a standard-bearer of emo rap.
Though he passed away at the young age of 21, his music continues to captivate many hearts.
This piece is one of his signature tracks—a heartbreak song so raw it almost hurts.
The lyrics, which portray the torment of being haunted by an ex and a heart torn between love and hate, cut deep.
Released as a single in May 2018, it’s also included on the landmark album Goodbye & Good Riddance.
The melancholy guitar, sampled from Sting’s classic, vividly amplifies the overwhelming sense of despair.
If you’re in the mood to fully indulge in your emotions, be sure to check it out.
Born This WayLady Gaga
Lady Gaga’s Born This Way is a song overflowing with the power to live, gifted to everyone who’s struggling.
We all have times when we compare ourselves to others or lose confidence and feel down.
This track is like an energy booster that can change that version of yourself! Just watching Lady Gaga’s powerful performance lifts your spirits, and it really makes you feel how amazing the power of music is.
As this song teaches us—“you’re fine just the way you are”—let’s keep our self-esteem full, hold our heads high, and face each day with pride!
How Soon Is Now?The Smiths
A song said to be an anthem for people who are alienated and socially isolated.
The band members installed red light bulbs in a London studio to create the ideal atmosphere before recording.
The title is named after a question raised in Popcorn Venus, one of Morrissey’s favorite books.
Alone I BreakKorn
An achingly lyrical ballad woven by the American nu-metal band Korn.
It stands apart from their usual aggressive sound, highlighting vocalist Jonathan Davis’s delicate, clean voice as it quietly portrays the loneliness and anguish sinking to the depths of the heart.
The anguished cry of “falling apart alone” seems to reflect a soul collapsing from within, burdened by despair that no one can understand.
When you feel crushed by inescapable loneliness and listen to this song, you may sense it simply staying beside your pain.
It’s a tear-inducing track that gently loosens a taut heart.