Yami songs in Western music: recommended masterpieces and popular tracks
Music can lift your mood, but it can also bring it down.
While many of us would prefer to listen to songs that lift our spirits, some might occasionally want to dive into darker, more melancholic tracks.
For those listeners, we’ve selected a range of depressive-themed songs in Western music.
From subtly somber tunes to seriously heavy tracks that evoke a sense of despair, we’ve curated a wide variety.
Why not explore and find the songs that resonate with how you’re feeling?
Please sit back, relax, and enjoy.
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Yami songs in Western music: recommended masterpieces and popular tracks (1–10)
Sippy CupNEW!Melanie Martinez
This song hides a heavy story—dark domestic realities and tragedy—within a cute, toy-like world.
The world that vividly portrays adult problems from a child’s perspective has a pull so strong that once you step into it, you can’t escape, right? It’s a track by Melanie Martinez, released as a single in July 2015 and later included on the masterpiece album Cry Baby.
Martinez herself directed the music video, which is a major highlight as it connects with the previous work to form a single continuous visual piece.
It’s a work I highly recommend to anyone who wants to fully immerse themselves in a sweet yet unsettling story that’s far more than just “cute.”
bury a friendBillie Eilish
Billie Eilish, the American singer-songwriter whose stylish musicality has earned her worldwide popularity, is also hugely popular in Japan.
While she’s now strongly associated with a sleek, stylish image, before “bad guy” became a hit she was known as a representative figure for darker songs.
“bury a friend” is a work that’s packed with that very darkness.
Be sure to check it out.
Take Me Somewhere NiceMogwai
Mogwai, a post-rock band representing Scotland.
Although they’re a rock band, their music isn’t rough; they’re known for delicate tones, with a sense of fragility drifting through all their works.
Among them, Take Me Somewhere Nice is arranged with an especially ephemeral atmosphere.
It’s the kind of song you’d listen to when you feel weighed down, gazing up at the sky with a single tear in your eye.
The lyrics are also dark, perfectly fitting the label of a “depressive” song.
Be sure to check out the Japanese translation.
Dark Western songs. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks (11–20)
SLOW DANCING IN THE DARKJoji
George is a world-renowned singer who represents Japan.
Many of you might be thinking, “Wait, he’s Japanese?” George is half Australian and half Japanese, and he originally started out as a YouTuber.
He is now active as a singer and has achieved major success, including reaching No.
1 on the Billboard charts.
His song “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK” is one of his signature works—a dark track characterized by a distinctive, understated haziness often described as trip-pop.
Por el amor de amarBuika
The Spanish film The Skin I Live In, praised for its excellent story, has garnered high acclaim.
Its theme song, Por el amor de amar, is performed by Spanish nuevo flamenco singer Buika.
Despite its very simple arrangement of just piano and vocals, the darkness of the melody gives it a heavy, somber atmosphere.
It’s also a work that showcases Buika’s top-tier vocals—she possesses an overwhelming singing ability that would undoubtedly rank among the top five in the world.
i hate u, i love u ft. olivia o’briengnash
If you’re looking for a dark, piano-centered track, I recommend “i hate u, i love u ft.
olivia o’brien.” This song is one of gnash’s signature works and features singer-songwriter Olivia O’Brien.
While it may sound like a simple breakup song with a trendy, understated melody, the actual content is strikingly heavy in mood.
It’s a “yami” song that portrays the painful love story of a woman who, despite being used by the person she loves, still can’t let him go.
If you’re in a similar situation, be sure to check out the Japanese translation of the lyrics.
Sombre dimancheDamia
The famous song “Sombre dimanche” by German singer Damia.
This piece has been passed down as an urban legend, said to make listeners take their own lives.
Of course, that’s not actually the case.
However, when the song was a hit—combined with the backdrop of an era when war was commonplace—there were reportedly people who did end their lives with this song as a trigger.
Known around the world as the “anthem of suicide,” the song is truly dark, so please be careful when listening.