[2026] A roundup of dark Western songs I'd like middle schoolers to listen to

BoredDeftones

Deftones – Bored (Official Music Video) | Warner Vault

This is Deftones’ debut track, which opens with an inorganic, razor-sharp guitar riff.

The vocalist’s decadent delivery, the heavy, pulsing bass, and the mechanical drums blend perfectly, resulting in a chaotic sound that fits a gloomy song.

The striking impact of their debut feels similar to Korn.

Wide Open SpaceMansun

Mansun Wide Open Space

Although there are no flashy performances or shouts, the steady, unhurried playing and the catchy lyrical melody keep looping in my head.

It conjures an image of standing alone on a desolate plain, and it might have a calming effect when you listen to it while feeling unwell.

Until The World Goes ColdTrivium

Trivium – Until The World Goes Cold [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

Since the vocalist is half Japanese, you can find photos on Instagram of them holding chopsticks while eating.

Their powerful performance and the vocalist’s motivating voice are striking, but if you watch the music video, you’ll see the word “loneliness,” and overall this song brings the band’s darker side to the forefront.

used to youmxmtoon

mxmtoon – used to you (audio)

mxmtoon, a Gen Z icon who took flight from her bedroom in Oakland to the world.

This song is featured on her April 2020 EP, Dawn.

It’s a bittersweet yet beautiful coming-of-age track that sings of nostalgia for days gone by.

It seems to portray the complex feelings that mix loneliness with optimism when you drift away from close relationships and familiar places.

The dreamy soundscape—like floating through a dream—and her gentle, intimate vocals tug at the heartstrings.

It’s the kind of song you’ll want to play on nights when you’re feeling a little sentimental.

As you settle into a new chapter of life, in those moments when you suddenly long for the past, it will surely be there to comfort you.

Would?Alice In Chains

Alice In Chains – Would? (Official HD Video)

When people think of grunge, Nirvana is usually the first band that comes to mind, but I think Alice In Chains kept putting out incredibly dark and cool tracks as well.

I wonder why their vocalist didn’t become a legend…

Their music feels fitting when you’re in a dark, painful, and troubled state.

Shout Out to My ExLittle Mix

Little Mix – Shout Out to My Ex (Official Video)

I chose it because it’s a song that blows away depression.

Watching them sing with all their might and perform with raw emotion makes me feel ashamed of my gloomy self, and I naturally start to feel energized.

Or, it’s so dazzling that it makes me even more depressed—one or the other.

creepRadiohead

Radiohead – Creep

It’s a classic that has been covered by many Japanese female artists.

It feels like you’re watching someone’s insecurities explode in front of the woman he loves: it starts with him singing in a calm, murmuring tone, but by the end he’s practically screaming, to the point that your own chest feels like it’s going to burst just listening to it.