30 Songs About Depression To Help You Feel Less Alone

By We Level Up FL Treatment Center | Editor Yamilla Francese | Clinically Reviewed By Lauren Barry, LMFT, MCAP, QS, Director of Quality Assurance | Editorial Policy | Research Policy | Last Updated: February 8, 2023

Depression Statistics

One of the most prevalent mental diseases in the US is major depression. Some people who have serious depression may experience substantial impairments that impede or restrict their capacity to engage in important life activities.

---

---

30 Sad Songs About Depression: Songs For Depression

Sometimes the instability of our home environment makes us feel unsteady, which contributes to our depression. This song’s refrain, “If you love me, don’t let go,” captures the desperation of wanting your parents to resolve their differences. However, on occasion, it’s the separation that will ultimately restore harmony and joy to the household.

3. Songs To Listen To When Depressed: Never Let Me Go – Florence and the Machine

Depressing Love Songs: Songs about depression, like Never Let Me Go, can be quite effective. You experience a rollercoaster of unfavorable feelings when you listen to the song’s sentiments. Accepting the end of a sad relationship is what the song’s lines, “And it’s over, And I’m sinking under, But I’m not giving up, I’m just giving in,” are about.

It’s still difficult emotionally even when you’ve finally given yourself permission to realize that a relationship is over. If you’ve recently gone through a breakup, this power ballad can make you cry a few real tears.

4. Depressing Rap Songs: Jay Z f/ Beanie Sigel and Scarface “This Can’t Be Life”

In one of his most vulnerable moments, Jay Z talks about his stillborn child and Beanie Sigel discusses how he self-medicated his inner agony. Of course, the history surrounding the song primarily stems from the verse by Scarface. As he prepared to record his line in the studio, the Houston star learned that his friend’s son had passed away.

“I could’ve rapped about my terrible times on this song / But heaven knows I woulda been wrong,” he says in a dedication to him. His performance is renowned for its profoundly moving blend of clarity and sadness.

5. Depression Songs Rap: Boosie Badazz “Smile to Keep From Crying”

Boosie Badazz rarely has difficulties conveying the emotion at the heart of his songs thanks to the distinctively southern drawl and bluesy sound of his voice. The somber song “Smile to Keep From Crying” is a noteworthy recent example. The song’s title may be cliche, but when you consider how much agony he is in—losing a friend to gun murder, being angry at a girl who wouldn’t write him while he was in jail, and losing three aunts in a year—you can understand why.

6. Rap Songs For Depression: Chance the Rapper “Acid Rain”

Chance’s music has recently shifted almost entirely toward uplifting themes and Christian connotations. Although part of that spirituality can be seen in his groundbreaking Acid Rap, it is mingled in with drug stories and some of his catalog’s darkest periods. He is depicted in “Acid Rain” as feeling hopeless and still suffering from the stress of witnessing his friend Rodney Kyles Jr. die.

He repeatedly repeats in pain, “I saw it happen, I saw it happen.” I always see him yelling, and I can see his demons in deserted hallways. Chance’s faith has undoubtedly been put to the test, which may explain why “Acid Rain” is so powerful.

7. Depressed Songs Rap: Meek Mill f/ Young Thug “We Ball”

Meek Mill, one of the most electrifying rappers of the decade, lowers the volume a little to show Young Thug his scars. The song “We Ball” serves as a reminder that Meek Mill’s story also involves loss. Meek Mill mentions Dex Osama, Lil Snupe, and Lor Scoota—all of whom perished as a result of gun violence—in the first few seconds of the song. Only 18, Snupe.

Both Meek and Thugger managed to flee after being in close proximity to that kind of violence. That incredibly haunted sensation of freedom is explained in “We Ball.” Thugger sobs at the end of his verse, encapsulating the sorrow of the song: “You can’t question God, oh yeah, or any of these obstacles / Sipping on this Actavis, I swear I gotta manage it.”

8. Rap Depression Songs: Earl Sweatshirt f/ Na’kel “DNA”

Although rapping is not Na’kel’s primary emphasis, he managed to contribute to Earl Sweatshirt’s record I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside and come away with one of his best tracks. Earl revealed to NPR that Na’kel wrote his poem immediately following the death of a close buddy.

To express a freshly opened wound, he didn’t require that much technical expertise. The end product is a heartbreaking pair of bars that combines sweetness with anguish in progress. Na’kel yells to the heavens, “I’m going to London on the first, and I’m bringing you something back.”

9. Depression Song Rap: Company Flow “Last Good Sleep”

Company Flow starts to bring Funcrusher Plus to a close with an El-P cut about his experiences with domestic abuse after spending the album unwinding tangly lyrics over septic sounds. Even for an album this grim, it’s a gloomy turn, but El-P holds listeners’ attention with his in-depth account of a child witnessing an abusive stepfather.

The song’s lingering consequences, which he closes with, are what hurt the most: I see him every night, wiping away tears as I watch him beat his filthy wife. El-P himself was surprised by how powerful that track sounded. El-P told Rolling Stone, “I didn’t think anyone wanted to hear that shit—like, ‘Boohoo.'” But after that song, people began approaching me sobbing.”

10. Depressed Rap Songs: Lil Wayne “I Feel Like Dying”

Even Lil Wayne, who was at the height of his career at the end of the previous decade, was forced to be candid about his personal troubles. Wayne switches from his smooth flow to a performance that sounds impressionistic and bluesy in “I Feel Like Dying.” The song’s hook, “Only once the drugs are done / Do I feel like dying,” makes it abundantly clear that this is a dark type of escape, despite the magical imagery he uses to paint the verses (“I can play basketball with the moon / I had the whole world at my feet”).

11. Best Depressing Songs: Breathe Me – Sia

Songs About Overcoming Depression: Breathe Me, one of Sia’s first hits, is a song about overcoming depression. Frequently, what we actually want in difficult times is a buddy. As we battle awful feelings and irrational, destructive thoughts, there is an almost desperate yearning for anyone in the world to be by our side.

Trauma’s emotional condition can also be characterized by the lines, “I think I might shatter, lost myself again, and I feel unsafe.” Trauma can occasionally cause depressive symptoms that are difficult to deal with. Sia’s remarks could provide you some solace by letting you know that you’re not traveling alone.

12. Depressing Song: How to Save A Life – The Fray

Songs About Suicide And Depression: Not all songs about depression feature the viewpoint of the person’s buddy who is also struggling with their own troubles. The poignant song is about doing your best to support a friend who is contemplating suicide. Most of us lack the training necessary to manage patients who are experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts. This song on depression discusses the difficulty of connecting with someone who is struggling. The song’s lyrics, “And pray to God he hears you,” express the despair of a person whose thoughts are spiraling out of control.

13. Sad Song For Depressed: Lose You To Love Me – Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez sings upbeat songs about the hurt she experiences after a breakup. “You replaced us like it was easy, made me think I deserved it, in the thick of mending,” the song’s words made me believe. Being replaced by someone else and then being treated as though that is how you should be treated can be emotionally draining.

But in the chorus, Gomez constantly sings, “I needed to lose you to love me.” In this way, a song about depression is transformed into one about viewing the hurt, misery, and pain you experience through an optimistic lens. There are times when things break apart so that you can rebuild yourself and learn to love yourself once more.

14. Sad Depressing Songs: Skyscraper – Demi Lovato

As this song about sadness is all about rising up like a skyscraper even if you “take everything I have” and “destroy everything I am,” it’s probable that Selena Gomez borrowed some ideas from Demi Lovato. The song’s first line, “Skies are sobbing,” is a reference to how, when we’re melancholy, it sometimes seems as though the entire world is suffering as well. We always seem to have bad days when it is pouring. As you gradually get back up, these inspiring lyrics about depression will give you more reason to believe. Remember, you’re a skyscraper.

15. Songs About Depression And Anxiety: Mad World – Gary Jules Michael Andrews

One of the most melancholy tunes available is Mad World. In the end, it all comes down to how lifeless a 9 to 5 job makes us. We rush to work but never truly accomplish anything. As kids, we enjoy these small celebrations of our birthdays. Apart from those pleasant childhood recollections, it appears that none of us are progressing. People make circular motions and miss out on life’s experiences and wonders. Additionally, it discusses how our educational system falls short. From an early age, we are encouraged to be employees rather than people.

16. Songs About Loneliness And Depression: The Night We Met – Lord Huron

The Night We Met by Lord Huron is a song about depression that emphasizes the aspect of revisiting the past. When we’re struggling with depression, we frequently reflect on brighter times in the past. Take Me Back To The Night We Met’s lyrics are about the last time you were truly happy before losing the love of your life. The phrase “I had all and then most of you, some and now none of you” refers to how a relationship steadily dissolves. However, there is a desperate want to return to the beginning, when everything was perfect.

17. Songs For Depression And Anxiety: Fix You – Coldplay

When you’re depressed, it’s literally impossible to listen to Coldplay’s Fix you without crying. Following the guitar solo, the line “tears stream down your face when you lose something you cannot replace” can cause a tremendous emotional release. As it’s about someone trying to repair you—or your pain, really—this song about sadness tends to be upbeat.

18. Best Songs For Depression: All We Are – One Republic

Beautiful lyrics from One Republic’s song on despair include “We won’t break, we won’t die, it’s just a moment of change.” When you’re struggling with your demons, these words could encourage you. We can eventually recover from the pain if we keep in mind that life may be changing and that the sorrow is just momentary. The song is about a couple who doesn’t mesh well together. “I walked in your shoes for a minute; they would never have fit.” This song about despair has the kind of candor that you occasionally need to hear in order to fully recover from your suffering.

19. Depressing Songs Sad Songs: Someone You Loved – Lewis Capaldi

The opening line of this song on despair, “I’m sinking under and this time I worry there’s no one to save me,” is a very realistic description of how depression feels. The feeling of hopelessness is something that a depressed person frequently feels. The song’s phrase, “I guess I kinda enjoyed the way you dulled all the agony,” describes how we occasionally rely on other people to help us face our issues. We must ultimately confront our demons on our own, even though doing so may be briefly reassuring.

20. Lonely And Depressed Songs: Chandelier – Sia

In her gloomy song Chandelier, Sia effectively depicts the feeling of depression. The phrase “I push it down” emphasizes how despite our best efforts, our unfavorable feelings and ideas inevitably resurface. The song’s famous line, “But I’m Holding On for Dear Life, Won’t Look Down, Won’t Open My Eyes, Keep My Glass Full Until Morning Light,” frequently refers to how people who are going through challenging emotions like depression frequently turn to alcohol as a form of self-medication to dull the pain they are feeling.

However, it doesn’t address the problem and frequently hampers recovery from it. But if you’re feeling gloomy, you can still sing along to Sia’s songs.

21. Depressing Country Songs: Patsy Cline, “I Fall to Pieces”

Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard were confident that their brand-new song, “I Fall to Pieces,” would be a hit, but before it got to Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee, and Roy Drusky both declined because they were “too country” and “too feminine,” respectively. But Cline made sure it wouldn’t get to anyone else when the latter left the studio.

She observed, “Drusky, that’s a hit song you just let go, and I’m going to persuade Owen [Bradley, the producer for Decca] to let me have it.” At least, it is how Drusky describes it. Jan, Howard’s wife, claims that Cline detested the song and would not record it. In any case, “I Fall to Pieces” was recorded in the latter part of 1960, and the following year it was the largest country hit.

While the song’s subdued honky-tonk tempo exudes calm, Cline makes an effort to maintain her cool while in the company of an ex-lover who wants to be just his buddy.

22. Depression Country Songs: Alan Jackson, “Monday Morning Church”

English teacher Brent Baxter’s mother once described poetry to her students as “as empty as a Monday morning church.” Baxter used that image to describe the heart of a desolate widower who was furious with God, set to a straightforward yet timeless Erin Enderlin melody. Before Alan Jackson, a melodrama-averse performer who conveys a calm desperation that suggests Patty Loveless’ backup vocal is all that stands between him and the abyss, the song was examined by Lee Ann Womack and Terri Clark.

23. Country Depression Songs: George Jones, “The Grand Tour”

It’s difficult to choose between midnight on a moonless night or coal when comparing the sadness of one of Jones’ melancholy songs to the next. “The Grand Tour,” a husband’s tour of his empty home shortly after his wife has left permanently, represents the point at which Jones and Epic Records producer Billy Sherrill discovered creative chemistry.

Billy Sherrill’s downtown violins were initially perceived as being in opposition to Jones’ honky-tonk roots but ultimately served as the castle that separates the king from the outside world. The song is sometimes interpreted as a narrative about Jones’ traumatic divorce from fellow country music icon Tammy Wynette, which was formalized the year the song was released. one of the authors of it? George Richey, who had a brief marriage to Wynette.

24. Country Depressing Songs: Pirates of the Mississippi, “Feed Jake”

The poignant image of a man bending down to say the “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” bedtime prayer—pleading for someone to look after his best friend, a dog named Jake, if his owner should pass away before he wakes up—is at the center of this song by early Nineties band Pirates of the Mississippi.

25. Rock Songs About Depression: Everybody Hurts By R.E.M

Songs About Depression And Suicide: In some way or another, we’re all hurt. That was the point made by R.E.M in their popular 1992 song “Everybody Hurts.” The song that is included in the album Automatic for the People was written in an effort to prevent suicide.

R.E.M.’s song has taken on the status of something of an anthem for the depressed by using their prominence to raise awareness. When you’re down, listen to “Everybody Hurts” and simply keep in mind that it’s acceptable to not be okay.

26. Rock Depressing Songs: Creep By Radiohead

The band Radiohead released their single “Creep” in 1992. The song, which is still a favorite of many people today, is about trying to fit in a world where you don’t belong. Although numerous artists have covered this famous song, none of them can compare to Radiohead.

Give “Creep” a listen and add it to your playlist if you want a song to belt out when you’re feeling down and out and it feels like there is no way out of your situation.

27. Most Depressing Song: Just A Dream – Carrie Underwood

Just A Dream by Carrie Underwood is a depressive song that emphasizes the pain of losing a loved one while serving in the military. For military spouses or wives who lose their companions too soon, this song might be painful to listen to. The emotional state of terror and the blur of the funeral—where your brain is unable to grasp everything that is going so quickly—are eloquently described. This song is really heartfelt and melancholy, especially for people who are mourning a loss.

28. Songs About Being Depressed: Let It All Go – Birdy

Let It All Go by Birdy and Rhode is a sorrowful song about a breakup. Even if you are not currently going through a breakup, the song may nonetheless feel relatable to you. The phrase “I’ve been waiting on you, simply to say something real” can be used to convey the emotional condition of feeling as though the entire world has lost all meaning. Depression frequently causes us to lose our sense of purpose, have trouble falling asleep, and feel a little numb. This song discusses how, even though we sometimes experience severe emotional breakdowns, we are able to go on. By that, we mean the discomfort.

29. Depressing Songs For Depressed People: Already Gone – Kelly Clarkson

Already Gone by Kelly Clarkson is a sorrowful song about a breakup that also has additional meanings. The phrase “we were never meant to say goodbye” refers to how difficult it is to lose a loved one and how occasionally our minds find it difficult to move on.

They place a great deal of weight on the love that was shown to them throughout the relationship, as the remark “you couldn’t have loved me better” demonstrates. This romance does end, but it does so on a happy note.

30. Good Depressing Songs: Whataya Want From Me – P!nk

When it comes to composing songs about depression, P!nk is unbeatable. She expresses the necessity of a strong support network when dealing with depression bluntly in her song, “Just don’t give up, I’m working it out, please don’t give up, I won’t let you down, it messed me up, need a second to breathe, just keep coming around.”

Sometimes all you need to say to your partner is that you’re doing your best, and you’re working through some things, but you still need them to stick by you while you navigate the obstacles of your mental health.

Bonus Songs About Depression

Christian Songs For Depression: Your Grace Finds Me – Matt Redman

Depression can make us feel helpless in the face of both internal and external pressure. But it is God’s grace that sustains us. We discover serenity and the ability to move forward when we rely on God’s grace. He provides abundantly for those who call out in His name, and His grace is enough to carry us through even the most difficult situations.

Metal Songs About Depression: Fade To Black – Metallica

Popular Metallica song “Fade to Black” has excellent music to go along with it and brilliantly captures the symptoms of despair in the words.

Depressing Christmas Songs: Band Aid, “Do They Know It’s Christmas”

The song is about the devastating hunger crisis in Africa, but what also makes it sad is the white savior trope being employed so brazenly, even if for a good cause.

What You Can Do To Deal With Depression

Psychotherapy and antidepressants are frequently recommended by medical practitioners to treat depression. Depending on your symptoms and treatment objectives, you can use either one of these methods alone or in conjunction with dietary changes.

Increasing your vitamin D intake could assist with symptoms of depression if a vitamin D deficiency is the cause. Consult a medical expert to learn more about your treatment options and what might be most effective for you. Here are some other actions you may take if you’re depressed that might help lessen your symptoms:

• Sign up for a support group. You can find others who are going through the same symptoms online, over the phone, or in your local area by joining a support group. They are able to encourage and show sympathy.
• Regular exercise. Regular exercise releases “feel-good” chemicals like endorphins into the brain, which helps to lessen the symptoms of depression. Cardio should be done for around 30 minutes a day, three times per week, and more days and minutes can be added as needed.
• Maintain a consistent sleep routine. Maintain a regular sleep schedule to manage depression-related sleep problems. A sleep and wake alarm might be set. You could also keep a journal to track your development, noting your sleep duration and caliber.
• Contact your loved ones. You might find support from your friends or family while you manage your symptoms. Your network of reliable, encouraging friends and family may be able to assist your treatment efforts if you are able to talk to them about your depression.

Find Professional Depression Treatment: We Level Up Dual Diagnosis Treatment

The definition of dual diagnosis (also referred to as co-occurring disorders) can differ between institutions. However, it is generally described as the specific treatment of someone who has been diagnosed with a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder at the same time. Treating dual-diagnosis clients is a critical aspect of our inpatient treatment experience because co-occurring disorders are strongly correlated with instances of substance abuse.

Creating a treatment plan that addresses the physical aspects of withdrawal, the psychological connection with drug use, and managing underlying mental health disorders is part of setting clients up for success.  A thorough mental health analysis identifies possibilities for treatment.  Meeting with mental health counselors and medical care providers means access to behavioral therapy and medication treatment. At our dual diagnosis treatment center, We Level Up can implement the highest quality of care. 

We recognize the fragile complexities of how mental and substance abuse disorders can influence others and sometimes result in a vicious cycle of addiction.  That’s why we offer specialized treatment in dual-diagnosis cases to provide the most excellent chance of true healing and long-lasting recovery.

It can be challenging to accept that you may be living with a mental illness, but once it is properly diagnosed and treated, treating the presenting case of substance abuse can be magnitudes easier. Only a properly trained medical professional can diagnose these underlying conditions.  If you believe you are suffering from a disorder alongside addiction, we urge you to seek a qualified treatment center to begin your journey to recovery. Call We Level Up today.