Top 10 Saddest Songs of All Time

Certain songs just hit different. We're talking about those tearjerkers, the ones that seem to tap directly into your soul and bring out all the feels.

From timeless ballads that make you want to sway with your lighter in the air to today's pop anthems that are tailor-made for a good, cathartic cry, this list covers all the bases. These aren't just songs. They're emotional experiences uniting old and new fans in shared moments of vulnerability.

So grab some tissues, maybe even a tub of ice cream, and brace yourself as we dive deep into the musical realm of heartbreak, loss, and raw emotion.

The Top Ten

Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton

This song is especially sad when you know its background. He wrote it for his four-year-old son, Conor, who died after falling from the 53rd-floor window of a New York City apartment belonging to a friend of Conor's mother.

Many guitarists these days, with a few years of experience, can pick up a guitar and play famous riffs by so many great guitarists and perfect them. However, no one will ever be able to replicate how Clapton plays because they lack one simple thing - emotion. I don't mean emotion in general.
His "Unplugged" album was so perfect precisely because it was so real. He had the courage to share what he was going through with the world. The loss of one's child is the most painful thing a person could ever go through, and he persevered.
He turned his pain into something so beautiful, which will stay with me forever. The acoustics on this album are just sheer perfection. This is so much more than a "sad" song. It's the deepest and most personal song on this list.
He wrote it. He performed it. He went through it. We know his story, and it means something to us - something we can't even begin to describe with our vocabulary, and he captured the essence of it so perfectly with this song.
His live albums, in particular, aren't just albums. They represent so much more - they highlight exactly why he is simply the best and the most emotional artist ever. I don't think I'll ever find a guitarist that I can so incomparably describe using just one word - God. This song deserves to be at the number-one spot because no other song can ever be as authentic and as heartbreaking as "Tears in Heaven."
Hurt - Johnny Cash

At the bottom of everything, extreme emotion is surprisingly void. Instead, a numb calmness takes over. The only way to know if emotion even exists is to hurt, metaphorically or literally.
Johnny sees all the fake people living fake lives, lies called society. He produces artificial happiness to fit in with society, taking drugs to feel happy. At least he used to use heroin.
His old vices and cruelty give him long flashbacks. He cannot erase what has happened in the past. He once had problems with these drugs.
He wants to give everything he can to his wife, making up for his ruined heart. His fame is not important because of these bad decisions. He wants to warn them. He will hurt them! He thinks he is entirely worthless.
If he could have a second chance, he would do it all over again, being pure and whole as a man.
My Immortal - Evanescence

The course of this song makes me sad because it's basically saying that she has been with this one person for a long time and now she just lost him and can't get him back.
Which makes me feel really sad because, well, whenever someone passes away you can never see them again, and if you had something really important to say to them, you can't anymore. Whether it's because you wanted to say sorry for something you accidentally did, or if you wanted to tell them something extremely special, or what if it was a family member or your own child. You wouldn't be able to apologize for whatever you did by accident. You couldn't say that special thing that you wanted to tell them.
You probably might not have been able to say goodbye to that family member of yours, and if it was your own child, you would be heartbroken because they are supposed to live longer than you are, and they probably weren't able to try new things or even completely grow up.
Now I know this because of too many TV shows and because I have lost a lot of my family members before and listened to songs like this to try and cheer me up. Sometimes it works, but most of the time it doesn't. What tends to make me happy again is my mom and my dad and both of my sisters because they're my family, and I don't want to lose them ever.
Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day

Green Day is my all-time favorite rock band. I remember the first time I heard this song was in the morning before going to school. I was probably in first grade, and my mom changed the channel on the TV to MTV Hits. That's when I heard this song for the first time. I really liked this song even though I was small and didn't really understand the meaning of it.
After that, I would always turn on MTV and hope that they would show the video. Today, I love this song even more because I understand the true meaning of it, and it's so touching. Whenever I listen to this song in September, I think about 9/11. One of the best rock songs out there. Love it! Amazing!
Yesterday - The Beatles

This song brings me to tears because of certain memories that, while sad, make my life seem just a little better and brighter.
Four years ago, my great-grandfather passed away due to a terminal illness. Before he was sent to the hospital, he got up in the middle of the night and played this song on the guitar while singing it to my great-grandmother, who he woke up. She sleeps in a rocking chair for whatever reason.
I remember waking up in the middle of the night to hear the sound of the guitar for one minute. Then, while sobbing and choking on my tears, I recorded the whole scene on my phone. They saw me and told me to come in. We proceeded to finish the song and then sing Blackbird and Let It Be.
When I went home (my family lives in another part of the country), I learned how to play the songs that we sang that night. Now I'm pretty good at those songs. I can proudly say that I'm really skilled with a guitar.
Last year, my great-grandmother died because of cancer. Before she was admitted to the hospital, I remember waking up at around 1 a.m. to go to the toilet. When I was about to retreat back to my room, I heard her singing Blackbird. I went into the room, and we started quietly singing the songs we had sung last time and a few others like Here Comes the Sun and Hey Jude. (I wasn't really singing. I was mostly ugly crying and choking on my tears).
The day before she died, I was already home. When my mom FaceTimed her, Granny was already in the hospital. It was so painful to see her wired up to so many machines. She looked so sad, tired, and hurt. When she told me that the doctors couldn't do anything for her anymore, I started sobbing for probably half an hour or more. She told me not to cry, and she said that she'll see Grandpa again and that they'll save me a seat on the Yellow Submarine.... read more
Stan - Eminem

This is a song with a story.
Basically, a fan of the artist Eminem, named Stan, writes letters to Eminem. He can really relate to Eminem in the first verse. As the song goes on, he begins to get more distraught. He names his daughter after one of Eminem's songs (Bonnie), and talks about his Uncle Ronnie, who he hasn't sung about at all, among other things.
In verse 2, he gets a bit crazier. He expresses that he thought it was messed up that Eminem didn't answer fans, even though Eminem gets tons of fan mail every week. Stan gets angry when Eminem does not give his little brother, also a fan of Eminem, an autograph. They stood in the cold to get it. At the end of verse 2, Stan makes the threat that he will no longer be a fan of Eminem if he doesn't get a response. This is clearly an empty threat, as he has shown deep levels of obsession so far. However, it does demonstrate that Stan is ready to take action if he doesn't get a call, which foreshadows the ending. As it turns out, Em does lose Stan.
In verse 3, he starts viewing Eminem as his enemy, a rival. He lets his anger escalate to the point that he records it on a cassette tape. He then says that he is still doing what Em does: 1) driving 90 on the freeway, and 2) referencing a line from "My Name Is": "I drank a fifth of vodka, you dare me to drive?" He lets his confused feelings get the better of him. You then hear screaming, and Stan claims he tied her up in the trunk. He tells Em he isn't like him, and then in a moment of stupidity, realizes you can't send a cassette out from a car in the bottom of the river. You then hear the screech of a tire, a crash, and soon after, a splash.... read more
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

"Wish You Were Here" is addressed to Syd Barrett, an original member of Pink Floyd whose mental dysfunction led to his departure from the band. He was replaced by David Gilmour. Barrett wrote most of Floyd's debut album, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn."
"Shine on You Crazy Diamond" is also a tribute to him, and "The Wall" is viewed by some as his biography.

Definitely the best. This song is about the iconic ex-guitarist for Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett. It discusses how, though Syd was alive at the time, it was as if he was dead due to the extensive use of psychedelic drugs, which left him clinically insane. He spent the remainder of his life in his mother's basement, as required by law. It's truly sad.
How to Save a Life - The Fray

This song is absolutely incredible. The lyrics are very meaningful. Isaac Slade, the singer, has a very unique voice that's unlike any other. We can feel his emotions throughout the time he sings this song.
This song is definitely the saddest song of all time, and it is absolute genius. How to Save a Life is my favorite song ever.

This song makes me want to cry. It's nostalgic now, but I remember all the times I've been hurt, even physically, and remember the times I really wanted to die. I felt worthless. This song makes me feel sad, but I remember it all.
I do regret wanting to die. Although I feel foolish, as I sit now, I want to fall asleep forever.
Creep - Radiohead

I don't get how this isn't higher up on the list. It's by far one of the saddest songs I've ever heard. A lot sadder than other ones that are above it.

I love this song. Everyone, at one point, has probably felt like an outsider, someone who doesn't fit in. Creep is beautiful because it captures the feeling of seeming inferior compared to the seemingly perfect lives of those around us.

There are plenty of Radiohead songs sadder than this one. Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit, Let Down, and No Surprises are much more depressing.
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin

This song makes me sad but also very excited. I just love it! It's easily one of the best rock songs.
The lyrics feel so passionate. If you watch the live version, Robert (the lead singer) says, "You know, I feel like this song's about hope." Then the famous guitar riff hums its way in, and the crowd is bawling and screaming their lungs out. The live version is amazing as well.
But this song overall is just so beautiful that it's sad. I think that's why I vote for it. It's about the natures of life and how precious life itself is. Stairway to Heaven, in my opinion, is easily one of Led Zeppelin's best works and one of the best songs of all time.

The Newcomers

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Madeleine - Good Kid

This is my favorite Good Kid song and it's arguably their most emotional one too. It's about drifting apart from a longtime friend and desiring to connect with them again.
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Sun’s Coming Up - Tame Impala

The closing song on Lonerism, this song is a heartbreaker about Kevin Parker's dad dying of cancer.

The Contenders

Mad World - Michael Andrews

I was waiting for this to show up. It honestly saddens me that it's so low on the list (52). Just listen and tell me it doesn't leave an impact. In a short few minutes, everything about life is reflected, and we realize just how much we've had to go through in this Mad, Mad, World...

Such a sad song. Most will know this from Gears and Dom's death. Gears incorporated this song greatly. It's just such a sad but good song, and at the same time, it gives me a good feeling that's unexplainable.

Every time I hear this song, it makes me want to curl up in a ball. The words are so thought-provoking and really make you think. It is a mad world, definitely. Just take a moment to reflect...
Last Kiss - Pearl Jam

This song is the saddest thing I've ever heard. It is the ultimate embodiment of regret and love lost. I cannot believe that it's all the way in the top 40.

A really sad song about a boyfriend and a girlfriend getting in a crash. The girl is dying, so he has one last kiss before she dies.

I used to hate this song, but then my boyfriend passed away last year. Ever since then, I listen to this song all the time.
American Pie - Don McLean

I listened to this with my grandfather (it was one of his favorites) when I was little, all the time. He died three years ago, and I miss him so much. I can't listen to the song anymore because I couldn't stand the pain.

I'm not sure how sad this song is, but it carries a lot of emotional memories for me. In school, we would sing a song at the end of each year, and this is the one we sang the year that my friends all moved away.

That's why I listen to The Saga Begins. But even that is still sad in the end. Weird Al can't make me laugh with this song, no matter how much I love the melody or Star Wars.
Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.

"When the day is long, and the night, the night is yours alone. When you're sure you've had enough of this life." It's a touching song from one of the '90s best albums and one of the most influential bands of the past 30 years.

This is the saddest song ever. Having listened to most of the songs on this list, this is the only one that makes me cry throughout. Perhaps it's just me, but it's the saddest song I've ever heard.

This song is sad but also hopeful. Initially, it makes me want to sit down and cry, but then, when the final part comes and Michael Stipe starts singing "hold on, hold on," it inspires me to believe that things will improve and I will get through the hard times.
Dance with the Devil - Immortal Technique

The only reason this isn't higher is because not many people know about Technique. In this song, he transforms from a rapper to a storyteller. The narrative moved me to tears, the first time I had cried in years. Dance with the Devil explores the lengths one might go to in order to seem cool to the public. It's both incredibly sad and inspirational.

How is this not at least in the top 10? If this isn't the saddest song ever written, I don't know what is. A friend introduced me to this song, and I was left speechless by the end. It deeply affects listeners, tearing at your heart. No song even comes close to this one.
Mother - John Lennon

I can relate to this song so much! I love how you hear John letting out all his pain toward the end of the song. Gut-wrenching!

This is one of those songs that gave me goosebumps. John's screams at the end are just heart-breaking.

So sad. The outro sounds like an emotional collapse put to music.
Hurt - Christina Aguilera

Every time I hear this song, I cry my eyes out. I've lost both of my parents, but this reminds me of my mom. We didn't have a perfect relationship, and I always felt that I wasn't good enough.
As I get older, I realize that she was trying her best. I didn't always understand her. The lines in the song: Would you tell me I was wrong? Would you help me understand? Are you looking down upon me? Are you proud of who I am? leave me in a puddle that takes me hours to recover from.
Christina's vocal emotion is spot on! I love this song with every fiber of my heart.

It's 2013, and I still cry during this song, remembering my father. I cry, cry, and cry, even if I've listened to it around 100,000 times and a half. I cry.
And it's Christina who made me cry because she's so amazing, so perfect, and so stunning, even after all these years of living. My father would have loved the song, and I wish there was a way I could show it to him.
Fix You - Coldplay

Yes, this song is sad in the beginning, but it soon becomes inspiring at the end. I think that Amsterdam should replace this song. That song is filled with suicidal thoughts and depression. Don't get me wrong though. Fix You makes me cry every time, but it comes when the guitar comes into play, just because that sudden change in mood is so powerful.

Come on already. Tears in Heaven is still a sad song, but not many people can relate to it. Fix You has lots of different verses that can relate to lots of different people. Plus, the organ and piano help to make it sound even more depressing, instead of just Chris's voice.
The guitar part helps make it even more emotional and motivating, like you've got up to the thing that's making you sad. This should be in the top 10, and maybe even first, but that's a bit too much to be honest. - mathyfox441
Hello - Evanescence

I'm not even going to lie. Last week was easily the worst week of my entire life as of the day I'm writing this comment. This may sound like an exaggeration, but I lost one of the most amazing people I ever knew, and admittedly, I've had it pretty good. For 15 years, this is the first time I've had to go through a major family death, and it's probably also one of the hardest I'll ever have to go through as well.
This song was already sad before, but now it actually hits home for me like no other song has before. That's not all, though, because on top of the child in the song losing someone close to them, it starts with them in denial until they have to see it for themselves. This beats "My Immortal" by a mile, in my opinion.
So Far Away - Avenged Sevenfold

This song is about the passing of the Reverend Tholomew Plague (Jimmy Owen Sullivan), who passed away in 2009. The band, Avenged Sevenfold, decided they would not go on without Jimmy. But they might possibly have another album coming out for all you A7X fans out there. I admit, I'm such a fan girl. But anyway, that's why I voted for the song. Because it's about an actual person, and well, I love Avenged Sevenfold.
Keep calm and listen to Avenged Sevenfold, people. They have a song in Black Ops 2 called "Carry On." Look it up. It's amazing.

Ok, the fact that it's #48 makes me feel sad. This is a terribly sad song because The Rev is one of the greatest drummers of all time.
The fact that the music video only makes it more sad is something that I'll always remember. RIP Rev. A7X foREVer.
Adam's Song - Blink-182

This song got me and many of my friends through our teenage years! Just knowing you're not alone in the emotional journey of growing up and dealing with life in general helped a lot, as it can be one of the most difficult times in a person's life. Not knowing who you are, where you're going, and who you want to be - it's something a lot of people struggle with.
Each year, many people are affected by depression and suicide. Thankfully, we live in a time where help is available for those who need it. You just have to be strong and reach out to get it. Remember, reaching out doesn't make you weak. It makes you stronger as a person.
My thoughts are with all of you who have been affected in some way by losing someone to this illness.
The Last Words You Said - Sarah Brightman

For anyone whose soul has been singed by the passions and glories of tragic love, this one's for you. Sarah's voice singing these heartbreaking lyrics will tenderly wound and heal you. She's without equal in awakening hidden depths of feeling in the listener.

Awesome song! It was a great pick for one of the saddest songs. Her voice makes me feel like melting!
It reminds me of when my cousin Jordan died. He was a really good kid. I will always miss our good times together.

Sarah's dazzling, wonderful, glorious voice, heart-breaking lyrics, soul, passion, and heart all combine in this song.
Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers

The city references were only there as a metaphor for loneliness in the world. This is one of the saddest songs when you reflect on the lyrics.

I can't fathom why this beautiful song is so low on the list.

Probably the best song by RHCP. The lyrics touch my heart every time I hear it!
The Show Must Go On - Queen

Freddie Mercury recorded this song when he was terminally ill. Other mediocre men would just give up and enjoy the last of their days, but not Freddie Mercury. With barely the strength to even walk, he took the stand and did it anyway.
Listen closely to his vocal runs at the end of the song. It's almost painful to hear. It's the sound of the great Freddie Mercury ignoring the pain to deliver one last masterpiece for the world.
It's not the song itself that's saddening. It's the fact that this was the last song Freddie Mercury sang that makes it so sad. Every time you listen to this song, be reminded that this is his last gift to the world, his final message.
How to Disappear Completely - Radiohead

The only reason this song is so low on the list is that not a lot of people have heard it. You're doing yourself a disservice if you haven't listened to it.

If you heard this song, it would screw up your day. Of all the songs on this list, this is definitely the saddest and most depressing song of all time.

I just got back into Radiohead and completely forgot about this song. It will make you cry.
"I'm not here. This isn't happening."