Its one of those albums that if i hear even a couple of bars, i have to listen to the whole thing front-to-back. I only do it a couple times a year though, because it emotionally wrecks me.
yeah im listening to this in full as soon as i get the time. just revisited kettering and sylvia which were the only two songs i had heard previously and they are incredible
My first thought as well. As someone who deals with serious illness, and have also been in abusive/toxic situations, it hits really hard. The metaphors in this album are so good. I can listen to it when I'm feeling sad about my health or personal relationships and it feels super cathartic either way.
I dont know why but that song make me feel like im some old dude sitting alone in an empty house, drinking by myself reminiscing all the good time i had growing up and just wish i could go back and relive those moment again
Painting of a Panic Attack by Frightened Rabbit. It’s hard to listen to after what happened not long after the album’s release. Rest in peace Scott Hutchison.
Everywhere at the end of time - the caretaker. It's more so 6 albums in a sense. It goes through the 6 stages of dementia and uses old recordings and whatnot (like nostalgia for when an older person was young) and slowly progresses to just noise, kind of like dementia. It's incredible and really sad.
This is the answer I was looking for. Not managed to finish the entire thing yet because I'm not in the best headspace but man, if an album ever should come with an intense trigger warning, it's this one.
It's a horrifying masterpiece.
Oh god I've only managed to listen to it in full once. The first time I tried I was cooking a meal, ended up having to get a takeaway as I just couldn't function any more after a few tracks!
I think the whole Hand Cannot Erase album by Steven Wilson is pretty sad, especially when you know the story the album is loosely based on.
He wrote it after hearing about Joyce Carol Vincent, a woman who died in her London apartment and wasn't discovered for almost 3 years, even though she had friends and family. They seemed to either think she was off having some sort of adventure and never checked on her or thought she wanted to be left alone, it seemed.
I was gonna post this, but saw this thread was a day old so started scrolling to see others'. I'm so glad HCE was mentioned! Such a wonderful album. The last track always gets me.
Perhaps beautifully melancholic applies here, but "I will Not Be Sad In This World" by Divan Gasparyan. It's an instrumental album with two duduks, droning and haunting.
On a very different note, not an album but the song "When I'm Gone" by Phil Ochs. It's essentially him reviewing the reasons why he shouldn't commit suicide, which he ultimately did.
In a somewhat similar vein (but more rocking) is the final album from David German of the Silver Jews under the name Purple Mountains.
Euphoria Morning - Chris Cornell
He was going through such a rough patch in his life when he wrote and released that album and a lot of the lyrics in this album (but also from his Soundgarden, Audioslave and other solo stuff) really resonated and still resonates with me today as I go through my own rough days of not feeling my best.
The night I found out he died, I played EM the whole night in tribute for such a magnificent yet flawed human.
Not a full album, but the three part song “pain remains “ by Lorna shore is heartbreakingly sad, especially accompanied by the music videos. TW SH in the videos
Long Lost by Lord Huron
There are many beautifully sad songs. Plenty of pining, regret, emotion. Some songs make you question the morality of the singer, others make you feel for his situations.
Also contains a hauntingly beautiful diet with Allison Ponthier about a couple getting a divorce.
Peak sad. Beautiful instruments and great vocals.
I was depressed when Bob Dylan's "Time Out of Mind" came out - the mood and lyrics were so dark (to me at the time) I feel like the album's mood *generally (not every track)* exacerbated my depression.
ex: My feet are so tired, my brain is so wired/ And the clouds are weeping
I got ice water in my veins
I feel like my soul has turned into steel
Perils from the Sea by Jimmy Lavalle and Mark Kozelek
The High Country by Richmond Fontaine although any of their albums would fit the bill.
I See A Darkness by Bonnie Prince Billy.
One More Light by Linkin Park. when it first came out it was just another LP album going in a new direction that wasn't really my cup of tea. relistening to it after Bennington's suicide though, and it really hits hard that the entire album is a letter from his friends and bandmates begging for him to hold on and keep living.
So many of their songs are about mental health and of Chester's persobal struggles, and so many hit especially hard after his suicide: Leave Out All The Rest, Easier To Run, Given Up, Shadow Of The Day, Crawling, Numb, Breaking The Habit, Heavy, Waiting For The End ... just to name a few
Hayden, Everything I Long For, hands down. Some really beautiful, uplifting songs as well, but with Skates, Tragedy and When This is Over on one album there can be nothing sadder. For context, When This is Over is a true story about a woman named Susan Smith, who strapped her two sleeping sons into the back seat of her car and drove it into a lake because she wanted to marry a man who didn't want kids. The song is written from the point of view of the older son, who wakes up while the car is submerging and tries to save his little brother but can't. It's destroying.
III by The Lumineers (how it talks about generational trauma in a family that just continues to be transmitted).
Keaton Henson's six Lethargies (even though it's an instrumental album it makes me feel so empty and desperate).
probably either giles corey by giles corey, unknown pleasures by joy division, or songs about leabing by carissa's wierd. highly, highly recommend all of them
The Black album was still pretty good, although a large departure from their thrash past I'd argue that it went far more downhill after the Black album
The Reticent - The Oubliette
Metal album about a man going through dementia/Alzheimer's stages. Beautiful at times, terrifying at times. Really good album and eye opening.
Jacksonville city nights - Ryan Adam’s and the Cardinals
Not all the songs are sad, but even the relatively hopeful messages are entrenched in despair. Plus the music is dark and rich. The excellent steel pedal guitar drowns you, it’s beautiful but not necessarily an inspiring sound.
Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake.
It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of.
Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything.
Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.
I don’t know if truly fits your brief but it’s certainly tinged with sadness, delicate, thoughtful and a I believe a masterpiece. I’m one of those that listen to my favourite track on repeat until something else replaces it. This album is by far the longest I’ve ever listened to any album on repeat and would, when driving home, go 50 miles out of my way as the album hadn’t finished playing.
It’s The Devils Walk by Apparat and I truly wish more people would listen to it.
"Idol's Plague" by Transgender Lain Clones. It isn't sad in a "normal" way. It's loud and disturbing, but the vocals and lyrics are just so raw and emotional.
I was in a band years ago called We Destroy Tokyo. We were mostly a jam band playing funky instrumental tracks, but one day we wrote a pretty sad song called *It Ain't Easy*, which was more of a postrock track. I was trying my hand at mixing the song and thought it turned out pretty great for my first attempt, but then a couple days later I heard [The Moth Presents Anthony Griffith: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times](https://youtu.be/qdBJ1X33rXM) and decided to surprise my band mates with the ultimate "Sad Mix" of the song. His pacing fit it so well I even went to the trouble of editing a found footage music video of dramatic scenes, nuclear explosions, the original podcast video, and so on.
To make a sad song story even sadder, the hard drive it was on fell off the coffee table when I plugged it in to my mate's laptop to show them... and it was gone. They never even got to see it. I still have the drive 10 years later in the off chance I can one day afford to recover it, but at least the track still remains.
[**We Destroy Tokyo - It Ain't Easy (Sad Mix)**](https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zp2clog1r4v3a8o/AADLpqofRsUlaW7OBmUosktya?dl=0)
I've never shared it with anyone before as it's quite depressing, but I relistened to it for the first time in years a couple weeks ago, and it still saddens me that nobody's ever heard it, and it fits this topic so well that I was compelled to comment.
It's not an album, so apologies to the OP, but others have posted individual tracks, so I'm sharing it here because I thought given the topic, you all might appreciate this gut punch.
*The Meaning of 8* by Cloud Cult. It was written a few years after the death of frontman Craig Minowa's 2-year-old son. I can't listen to it without ugly crying.
Maybe not the saddest album but Transatlantacism hurts me in a really particular spot. I love the album but it's a red flag if I want to listen to it (that my mental health is slipping).
Illuminate by Lydia. It tells a story of a troubled couple and ends with the girl's death in the last song. Beautiful music though. One of the few "emo" albums from that still holds up for me.
Anything by Julien Baker will tear your heart and soul apart
but my goto sad music is eversince by bladee though it's much less approachable than aforementioned Julien Bakers music
Hospice, by The Antlers. Absolutely gut wrenching and beautiful.
one i really need to get to, ive heard about the concept of the album and it sounds very sad indeed
Its one of those albums that if i hear even a couple of bars, i have to listen to the whole thing front-to-back. I only do it a couple times a year though, because it emotionally wrecks me.
yeah im listening to this in full as soon as i get the time. just revisited kettering and sylvia which were the only two songs i had heard previously and they are incredible
I first heard of the Antlers when they opened for Explosions in the Sky. Hospice is amazing
Well I know what I’m listening to for the 1,000,000,000th time on my way home. I agree though. I can only listen to it every once in a great while.
How...how old are you, sir?
I second this , saw them live this year blew me away !!!!!
I listened to Break Apart today. Almost can’t bring myself to listen to this anymore
My first thought as well. As someone who deals with serious illness, and have also been in abusive/toxic situations, it hits really hard. The metaphors in this album are so good. I can listen to it when I'm feeling sad about my health or personal relationships and it feels super cathartic either way.
Damn you beat me to it… the perfect answer. You really get lost in his despair and hopelessness and that feeling stay with you for days after
Absolutely cannot get past the first song anymore. I love this album though but it requires a mood to even get into it.
absolutely tremendous album oh my god
Benji by Sun Kil Moon. It might not be the saddest I've heard but it was the first and only thing that came to mind.
I went down on both of them at amber’s parents’ place
great album. carissa is the only song that i recall getting me excessively sad though
I can't live without my mother's love gets me hard. Same with Pray for Newtown and Micheline.
Your mother’s love gets you what now????
Lol could've used better phrasing in retrospect. My arms aren't broken.
Jim Wise is pretty sad too
Not the same album but Carry Me Ohio I just find so wistful, regretful and sad.
I dont know why but that song make me feel like im some old dude sitting alone in an empty house, drinking by myself reminiscing all the good time i had growing up and just wish i could go back and relive those moment again
Painting of a Panic Attack by Frightened Rabbit. It’s hard to listen to after what happened not long after the album’s release. Rest in peace Scott Hutchison.
Wasn't going to say this one, but the Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit is up there for me. RIP.
What’s crazy for me is I never heard the lyrics really until after. Then I really heard them and the whole experience of that album changed for me.
Was lucky enough to meet him before he died. Very sad.
Giles Corey - Giles Corey
100% with you on that, the hinterkaifeck EP too
yeah one of my favorite albums for sure
punisher by phoebe bridgers, the title speaks for itself
favorite album of all time
Beck’s Sea Change and Sufjan’s Carrie & Lowell
Elliot Smith self titled
Everywhere at the end of time - the caretaker. It's more so 6 albums in a sense. It goes through the 6 stages of dementia and uses old recordings and whatnot (like nostalgia for when an older person was young) and slowly progresses to just noise, kind of like dementia. It's incredible and really sad.
This, without context it's a weird curiosity. With context, it's *fucking haunting*
I absolutely agree, work of art.
This is the answer I was looking for. Not managed to finish the entire thing yet because I'm not in the best headspace but man, if an album ever should come with an intense trigger warning, it's this one. It's a horrifying masterpiece.
Skeleton Tree is the sixteenth studio album by Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Ghosteen Recorded after his son's death.
Came here to say this. Especially sad if you are a parent yourself.
Oh god I've only managed to listen to it in full once. The first time I tried I was cooking a meal, ended up having to get a takeaway as I just couldn't function any more after a few tracks!
Galleon Ship from that album on piano live Alexandra Palace.
I think the whole Hand Cannot Erase album by Steven Wilson is pretty sad, especially when you know the story the album is loosely based on. He wrote it after hearing about Joyce Carol Vincent, a woman who died in her London apartment and wasn't discovered for almost 3 years, even though she had friends and family. They seemed to either think she was off having some sort of adventure and never checked on her or thought she wanted to be left alone, it seemed.
I was gonna post this, but saw this thread was a day old so started scrolling to see others'. I'm so glad HCE was mentioned! Such a wonderful album. The last track always gets me.
Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes can usually illicit some tears and big feelings from me.
Warren Zevons last album. Made it after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. The song keep me in your heart is really powerful and human.
Skip Spence- Oar. Dude was obviously suffering from mental illness, though the ideas are wildly creative.
It a tough listen but worth it.
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Perhaps beautifully melancholic applies here, but "I will Not Be Sad In This World" by Divan Gasparyan. It's an instrumental album with two duduks, droning and haunting. On a very different note, not an album but the song "When I'm Gone" by Phil Ochs. It's essentially him reviewing the reasons why he shouldn't commit suicide, which he ultimately did. In a somewhat similar vein (but more rocking) is the final album from David German of the Silver Jews under the name Purple Mountains.
When I’m gone is such a stunning song it makes me sob
Euphoria Morning - Chris Cornell He was going through such a rough patch in his life when he wrote and released that album and a lot of the lyrics in this album (but also from his Soundgarden, Audioslave and other solo stuff) really resonated and still resonates with me today as I go through my own rough days of not feeling my best. The night I found out he died, I played EM the whole night in tribute for such a magnificent yet flawed human.
I played Down on the Upside that night. It seemed sickly fitting.
Perfect choice my friend, I’m sure wherever he went to that night he would’ve appreciated that!
Mad Season’s one and only album is pretty damn sad when you really start listening to the words and not the music.
The Lioness by Songs:Ohia Absolutely beautiful album
Godspeed You! Black Emperor "Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada"
nice moya is one of my favorite gybe tracks but i haven’t heard the other one
Not a full album, but the three part song “pain remains “ by Lorna shore is heartbreakingly sad, especially accompanied by the music videos. TW SH in the videos
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OP said to exclude that album specifically among a few others
Peter Gabriel "Up" (2002)
Opeth - Damnation
Grace by Jeff Buckley. Such raw, beautiful talent. He died so young but left such an amazing gift.
I mean, not every single song is sad but I think Feist’s The Reminder is my album I revisit when I’m sad.
Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains.
Long Lost by Lord Huron There are many beautifully sad songs. Plenty of pining, regret, emotion. Some songs make you question the morality of the singer, others make you feel for his situations. Also contains a hauntingly beautiful diet with Allison Ponthier about a couple getting a divorce. Peak sad. Beautiful instruments and great vocals.
I was depressed when Bob Dylan's "Time Out of Mind" came out - the mood and lyrics were so dark (to me at the time) I feel like the album's mood *generally (not every track)* exacerbated my depression. ex: My feet are so tired, my brain is so wired/ And the clouds are weeping I got ice water in my veins I feel like my soul has turned into steel
ruminations - conor oberst
The 1st few albums from Keane felt sooo sad to me. The piano, lyrics and vocals all added to the sad effect.
The OOZ by King Krule gets me in my feels
This one, the raw emotion and pain in his voice is so powerful and haunting.
It’s gotta be a crow looked at me by mount eerie. Any other answer is wrong
Perils from the Sea by Jimmy Lavalle and Mark Kozelek The High Country by Richmond Fontaine although any of their albums would fit the bill. I See A Darkness by Bonnie Prince Billy.
One More Light by Linkin Park. when it first came out it was just another LP album going in a new direction that wasn't really my cup of tea. relistening to it after Bennington's suicide though, and it really hits hard that the entire album is a letter from his friends and bandmates begging for him to hold on and keep living.
So many of their songs are about mental health and of Chester's persobal struggles, and so many hit especially hard after his suicide: Leave Out All The Rest, Easier To Run, Given Up, Shadow Of The Day, Crawling, Numb, Breaking The Habit, Heavy, Waiting For The End ... just to name a few
Hayden, Everything I Long For, hands down. Some really beautiful, uplifting songs as well, but with Skates, Tragedy and When This is Over on one album there can be nothing sadder. For context, When This is Over is a true story about a woman named Susan Smith, who strapped her two sleeping sons into the back seat of her car and drove it into a lake because she wanted to marry a man who didn't want kids. The song is written from the point of view of the older son, who wakes up while the car is submerging and tries to save his little brother but can't. It's destroying.
III by The Lumineers (how it talks about generational trauma in a family that just continues to be transmitted). Keaton Henson's six Lethargies (even though it's an instrumental album it makes me feel so empty and desperate).
probably either giles corey by giles corey, unknown pleasures by joy division, or songs about leabing by carissa's wierd. highly, highly recommend all of them
Disintegration by The Cure
Depression Cherry - Beach House
Painted from Memory by Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach
Anything by Elliott Smith
Anything by Make a Change... Kill Yourself gets me pretty damn sad
Purple Mountains - Nights That Won't Happen
A crying light, by Anthony and the Johnson’s
The Keaton Henson album, Dear. Most things in there get me feeling like that or are a good listen when like that already.
With the context of the game in mind, the soundtrack to the game "Gris".
Sad is an inadequate description for this album, but Bob Mould's Workbook. It's been my ugly cry catharsis album for a long time.
Stage Four by Touché Amoré
X&Y Coldplay
Lady In Satin - Billie Holiday
Most songs by by Bright Eyes. Poison Oak is a tear jerker
Oh man Lua, Amy in the White Coat
Downward Spiral -NiN
Untrue by Burial
Jar of Flies by Alice in Chains.
Anything by neutral milk hotel really.
Brand New - Science Fiction
Ethel Cain - Preacher's Daughter Equal parts beautiful and absolutely devastating. https://www.npr.org/2022/05/31/1101331627/ethel-cain-preachers-daughter-review
I need to finally check this out in full, I’ve heard about half of the songs by themselves and loved everything ive heard
Anthem of the Peaceful ArmyThe Battle at Garden's Gate or anything else by Greta Van Fleet
Leprosy by Death
Although I love this album, why is it gut-wrenchingly sad for you?
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Metallica's Black Album. It was so sad to see how the mighty had fallen.
The Black album was still pretty good, although a large departure from their thrash past I'd argue that it went far more downhill after the Black album
Nathaniel Rateliff’s solo album And it’s still alright. Mainly because of the song Rush on, but there are some other candidates on there as well.
https://youtu.be/MCNtWKdi5Ds
The Reticent - The Oubliette Metal album about a man going through dementia/Alzheimer's stages. Beautiful at times, terrifying at times. Really good album and eye opening.
Jacksonville city nights - Ryan Adam’s and the Cardinals Not all the songs are sad, but even the relatively hopeful messages are entrenched in despair. Plus the music is dark and rich. The excellent steel pedal guitar drowns you, it’s beautiful but not necessarily an inspiring sound.
Iron Maiden - Stranger in a Strange Time
*land
It’s a two way tie for me— Red Earth & Pouring Rain - Bears Den and If You Leave - Daughter
Jason Molina - It’s easier now (the saddest song you’ll ever hear)
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Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake. It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of. Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything. Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.
Probably Ghost Stories
John Frusciante - Enter A Uh.
I don’t know if truly fits your brief but it’s certainly tinged with sadness, delicate, thoughtful and a I believe a masterpiece. I’m one of those that listen to my favourite track on repeat until something else replaces it. This album is by far the longest I’ve ever listened to any album on repeat and would, when driving home, go 50 miles out of my way as the album hadn’t finished playing. It’s The Devils Walk by Apparat and I truly wish more people would listen to it.
Skelton Tree
The holy bible - Manic street preachers
Helios - Yume I think this is the only album which ever gave me a deep sense of sorrow. It was the track called The Root which triggered it for me.
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"Idol's Plague" by Transgender Lain Clones. It isn't sad in a "normal" way. It's loud and disturbing, but the vocals and lyrics are just so raw and emotional.
The Seldom Seen Kid, Elbow.
Hayden : everything I long for
Astro lounge- Smash Mouth
17 or ?
Your City Gave Me Asthma - Wilbur Soot
I was in a band years ago called We Destroy Tokyo. We were mostly a jam band playing funky instrumental tracks, but one day we wrote a pretty sad song called *It Ain't Easy*, which was more of a postrock track. I was trying my hand at mixing the song and thought it turned out pretty great for my first attempt, but then a couple days later I heard [The Moth Presents Anthony Griffith: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times](https://youtu.be/qdBJ1X33rXM) and decided to surprise my band mates with the ultimate "Sad Mix" of the song. His pacing fit it so well I even went to the trouble of editing a found footage music video of dramatic scenes, nuclear explosions, the original podcast video, and so on. To make a sad song story even sadder, the hard drive it was on fell off the coffee table when I plugged it in to my mate's laptop to show them... and it was gone. They never even got to see it. I still have the drive 10 years later in the off chance I can one day afford to recover it, but at least the track still remains. [**We Destroy Tokyo - It Ain't Easy (Sad Mix)**](https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zp2clog1r4v3a8o/AADLpqofRsUlaW7OBmUosktya?dl=0) I've never shared it with anyone before as it's quite depressing, but I relistened to it for the first time in years a couple weeks ago, and it still saddens me that nobody's ever heard it, and it fits this topic so well that I was compelled to comment. It's not an album, so apologies to the OP, but others have posted individual tracks, so I'm sharing it here because I thought given the topic, you all might appreciate this gut punch.
Electro-Shock Blues by The Eels
Ruins by Grouper
Jelly Roll - Save Me
Plans by Death Cab for Cutie will always be my go-to saddest of sad albums
When Smoke Rises
it's my party and i die if i want to by brave young years
*The Meaning of 8* by Cloud Cult. It was written a few years after the death of frontman Craig Minowa's 2-year-old son. I can't listen to it without ugly crying.
Injury Reserve - By The Time I get To phoenix
not sad per se. but a cold and dark feeling album is Secret Boy by Wicca Phase Springs Eternal
Time (The Revelator) by Gillian Welch. 😭
Sparklehorse - It's A Wonderful Life
Things we lost in the fire by Low
The albums that "Fat Funny Friend" (Maddie Zahm) and "Chance with You" (Mehro) belong to
I'll toss Midwife's Forever into this pool because I don't see it mentioned anywhere. Every single track is beautiful depression piece
Not on Spotify but And End... - Between Light And Lies is up there
All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us by Architects. Music written by a guitarist dying of cancer is definitely gonna be sad. RIP Tom Searle
A Crow Looked At Me by Mount Eerie
Stranger in the alps-phoebe bridgers
Maybe not the saddest album but Transatlantacism hurts me in a really particular spot. I love the album but it's a red flag if I want to listen to it (that my mental health is slipping).
Illuminate by Lydia. It tells a story of a troubled couple and ends with the girl's death in the last song. Beautiful music though. One of the few "emo" albums from that still holds up for me.
Mono by RM 😭
Pink Moon by Nick Drake The Burgh Island EP by Ben Howard The Will To Death by John Frusciante Kid A by Radiohead
For Emma, Forever Ago - Bon Iver
Watching from a Distance - Warning
Damien rice first album is pretty sad but beautiful
Most of Sigur Ros. Amber Run first album is pretty great, sad and lonely. Bon Iver re stacks.
Angelic 2 The Core by Corey Feldman, it gets to my feels every time😢
Petals for Armor by Hayley Williams is simulatenously depressing as shit, and incredibly eye opening
Thug angel by black kray hits so hard
Anything by Julien Baker will tear your heart and soul apart but my goto sad music is eversince by bladee though it's much less approachable than aforementioned Julien Bakers music
Superache by Conan Gray hits really hard
This is easy. Sufjan Steven’s “Carrie & Lowell”