As I hop in my car and turn on the radio I notice the same song I've heard the last five times I've driven somewhere. The radio is flooded with new music every day. This music consists of new artists, the same few phrases and themes, and what feels like the same song just sung in a different font. But what we fail to realize is that in recent years there has been an uptick in a genre I like to call “sappy, my significant other broke up with me, and I'm driving my car down a quiet street, venting.” Or maybe we should just call it ‘Sad relatable teen music’. Although the corny lyrics allow myself and others to cringe,  we can also indulge in this wince-able content through relatable teen sad songs as a way to cope and find a sense of understanding.

The ability to try and stray from the socially acceptable same three themes of love, sadness, or in the middle of both songs is utterly impossible. What many, including myself, didn't know is that it is actually beneficial to listen to this genre of music when experiencing sad or troubling emotions. Science ABC author Sushmitha Hegde voices the explanation: “Listening to sad music is believed to facilitate catharsis from negative emotions. In other words, it allows listeners to bring their own negative emotions to the surface and vent them out, thereby reducing tension and stress.” Music is a great way to express feelings without necessarily using your own voice to convey your thoughts. Using music as a way to cope and bring a sense of relatability to your situation at that moment is extremely needed when feeling alone or down. Addressing the emotions and feeding into positive coping mechanisms rather than invalidating your very own feelings.

I, too, am a victim of accidentally invalidating my emotions by forcing my thumb to tap my “hype songs for hot girls” playlist made by none other than my sad alter ego. Resisting your true feelings and not understanding how to come from various friend breakups (those hurt worse than actual breakups), bad days at school, and everything in-between. Looking back at the moment, all sad and flustered Emily needed was some good Oliva Rodrigo, One Direction, Bo Burnham, or any indie sad artist's music blasting through her Toyota Rav 4’s speakers on the way home.

The potential cringe in the future is worth it, for allowing you to express and convey your feeling through music allows for you to maintain a positive and healthy mindset. Kentucky Counseling Center details, “When you bottle up negative emotions like anxiety and anger, it can disrupt the normal function of your stress hormones called cortisol. What happens to your mind and body? A lowered immune function, at risk of developing a chronic illness, and is a gateway to developing mental health conditions.” Not singing, rather yelling or quietly listening to your song of choice, allows for you to actually benefit in the long run. Who would have expected that a sad song a day actually keeps the doctor away? The more you know, my friends.

Turn on that self-banned song, get comfy, and blast it while in your PJs and with your fed-up cat just trying to take their 17th nap of the day. Cry, open up, and allow yourself to demonstrate these intense but indescribable weights you are carrying on your shoulders. Relax, reflect, and cope. When looking back and feeling as though you were cringy at the moment; consider your job of moving on and self-observation successful. Allow yourself to fully express your emotions by indulging in your sad playlist. It will ultimately benefit you in the moment and in the future.

Works Cited

Hegde, Sushmitha. “Why Do We Like Listening To Sad Music?” Science ABC, 22 January 2022, scienceabc.com/social-science/why-do-we-like-listening-to-sad-music.html. Accessed 26 April 2022.

“How Bottling Up Your Emotions Is Bad For You.” Kentucky Counseling Center, 4 June 2021, kentuckycounselingcenter.com/how-bottling-up-your-emotions-is-bad-for-you/. Accessed 28 April 2022.