[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 someone dear. Tracks to listen to while thinking of a loved one.
- [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 heartrending tracks that resonate with painful feelings (31–40)
Colorless Self-Harmnekobōro
This is a song that makes you reflect on who you are and what you live for.
It was released in 2013 by Nekobolo, a Vocaloid producer who also works under the name Sasanomaly.
The meaning of life and your own worth—things you didn’t think about as a child—can become sources of pain as you grow up, especially when you feel powerless, and many people may feel discouraged by that.
While this song expresses those feelings that are hard to share with others, it also offers a hopeful portrayal at the end, and I think listening to it when you’re feeling down will gently lighten your heart.
despairMUCC
A song that depicts being tormented by despair and loneliness.
It’s included on MUCC’s 2002 album “Homura Uta.” When you think of MUCC, you think of heavy low-end.
This track showcases that to the fullest—its all-consuming lyrics and sound unleash the dim emotions lurking in your heart.
MUCC has other songs that portray negative emotions, but if you’re seeking something overwhelmingly dark and intense, this is the one.
Vent your inescapable feelings and anger by listening to this track!
He was alive, wasn’t he?aimyon
“Ikiteitandayo na” begins with startling lyrics and a narration that feels painfully real.
You’ve probably heard or seen situations like this on TV or online, right? This song makes it feel close to home—like it’s not someone else’s problem.
Because it speaks and sings about life itself, there are some harsh expressions, but once you listen, you’re pulled right in, unable to look away from reality.
The lyrics are dark and heavy, yet it’s a thought-provoking number that grips anyone’s heart.
Beautiful nameThe Back Horn
An unmistakable masterpiece overflowing with their kindness.
You can feel the swirl of emotions like regret and sadness.
The vocals, carefully sung as if pouring out their feelings, are striking, and although it’s a quiet song, it’s a mysterious one that lets you sense a certain kind of energy.
KagomeYuuri
Yuuri, the singer-songwriter known for his hit song “Dry Flower.” He released this track, “Kagome,” in 2020.
Many listeners likely can’t help but resonate with the way the lyrics portray the hardship of living.
The monologue-like phrases and raw cries of the heart turned directly into sound… the more you listen, the more it brings you to tears.
Beyond simply staying close to painful feelings, it also carries a message to live for yourself, making it a song that, somehow, feels healing just by listening.
[Dark Songs] A curated selection of deeply dark and heartrending tracks that empathize with painful feelings (41–50)
MayB’z
Among B’z singles, “May” drew attention from fans at the time for its unusually distinctive mood.
The song begins with a scene where someone important from the past, with whom the narrator has parted, appears in a dream.
If you’ve broken up with someone you love but still have lingering feelings, you’ll likely share the same aching emptiness as the song’s protagonist.
It’s a track I hope those who can’t forget an old lover, or who feel down because they can no longer see someone dear to them, will listen to.
It’s somber, but it has a very gentle atmosphere.
I’ll wait.amin
Released in 1982, this was Aming’s debut single.
It’s a massive hit that topped Oricon’s yearly sales chart, singing about a girl who decides to wait until the man she likes turns his attention to her.
But when you listen to it again, the lyrics are actually quite dark.