[Dark Songs] A carefully curated selection of deeply dark tracks and heartbreaking songs that accompany you in tough times
There are times when something tough or sad happens and you just feel down, right?
In those moments, listening to overly positive songs like “Keep your head up!” or “You can do it!” can actually make things harder for some people, surprisingly.
So in this article, instead of upbeat tracks, we’ll introduce songs with a darker mood that gently sit with your more negative feelings.
By intentionally listening to songs with heavy or heartbreaking lyrics, you might find your feelings become just a little easier to bear.
- [Melancholy] For when you want to sink all the way. Masterpieces that depict various kinds of gloom.
- [Yami Song] Fight darkness with darkness!? Deep tracks that stay close to your pain
- Songs that hit home when you're feeling blue: masterpieces of Japanese music
- Masterpieces that sing of despair. Recommended popular songs.
- [For High School Students] Melancholy Songs That Stay Close to Your Feelings [Tough Times]
- [Songs to Listen to When You Want to Die] I want to disappear... A song to support you who feel that way
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- [Yami Song] A mental breakdown track that sings the true feelings of a melancholic heart
- [So touching it makes you cry] A heartbreakingly wistful and sad song that tightens your chest
- Hidden gems of yami songs. Recommended popular tracks.
- [Songs of Bereavement] Songs about losing a loved one. Tracks to listen to while thinking of someone dear
- [Bereavement Song] To you whom I can no longer meet... Tear-jerking songs about death
- [Relatable Lyrics] Emo songs to listen to when you're stuck after a breakup or relationship troubles
[Dark Songs] A curated selection of deeply dark and melancholy tracks that resonate with painful feelings (91–100)
Buy with revolving payments.Tajyusaim boyz (LB-RUG,Young SEX,M.A.G,PizzaLove)
This is a song about the dangers of revolving credit payments in an increasingly cashless world.
The revolving feature is convenient—you can buy this and that.
But if you don’t use it carefully, you’ll end up struggling with repayments and have no cash left.
And the reality is, few people warn you about this.
If you overuse it without knowing, what awaits you is hell.
This song faithfully portrays that darkness of modern times.
AkariMy Hair is Bad
A warm mid-tempo track from the album “ghosts,” released in July 2024, that gently kindles a flame in the listener’s heart.
The lyrics are striking in the way they portray the feeling of pushing toward tomorrow, even while weary from daily life, guided by the small light within oneself.
The use of realistic imagery—like comparing one’s situation to traffic light colors or evoking the idea of resting one’s wings—really resonates.
It features My Hair is Bad’s signature robust performance paired with rounded, gentle tones, and Shiiki’s vocals brim with warmth and compassion.
The vocal range isn’t very wide and the melody is calm, making it perfect when you want to sing at your own pace.
It’s a song that will gently nudge forward anyone striving to live each day earnestly.
[Dark Songs] A curated selection of deeply dark and bittersweet tracks that resonate with painful feelings (101–110)
If I Had Two LivesInoue Yosui
Released in 1972, this is Yosui Inoue’s “re-debut” song.
The part about reminiscing offers a bit of solace, but otherwise it’s filled with depictions of aging parents, and as you listen, you can’t help but start thinking about “aging.” It’s a strikingly impactful song.
Lazy BoyCreepy Nuts
Creepy Nuts is a musical duo made up of R-Shitei and DJ Matsunaga—a group you can’t leave out when talking about Japan’s hip-hop scene.
Their track “Lazy Boy” sings about the kind of nonstop, sleepless days the two go through.
The song also carries their resolve to keep pushing forward, even when they’re a bit worn out.
If you’re someone who’s exhausted from work or studying, you’ll definitely relate.
And don’t miss the Zoom-style music video, either.
If I Could Paint LifeYOASOBI
This is “If I Could Draw Life,” released in 2021 by the musical duo YOASOBI, known for hits like “Racing into the Night” and “Gunjō.” It serves as the theme song for the stage play “If I Could Draw Life,” and reflects on the lives of one’s loved ones and oneself.
The chorus melody feels almost understated yet unforgettable once you hear it—truly striking.
It’s a song I want you to listen to when you’re hurting and feel like disappearing.
How will I live? Is the person or problem I’m struggling with now truly worth staking my life on? Listening to this song brings such questions to mind.
chameleonKing Gnu
A song by King Gnu that stirs up the anxiety within.
Chosen as the theme song for the drama “Mystery to Iu Nakare,” it generally unfolds with a calm sonic atmosphere, yet the irregular piano tones give off an unsettling air.
The way the momentum builds as the track progresses is striking, conveying unstable emotions and heartache with raw clarity.
It’s a song that teaches the importance of releasing your pain instead of bottling it up when you’re struggling.
Where We From feat. T-PablowAnarchy
From the opening intro, the track is filled with madness.
It expresses the eeriness and fear surrounding poverty.
The sadness of the past is hard to forget, and within that, you can feel the contradiction of having to live in a modern world overflowing with nihilism.
From start to finish, it’s steeped in insanity and creepiness, recommended for those who like dark, horrorcore-style rap.
It’s hardcore enough that people might misinterpret it, and it’s definitely a track that will divide listeners.