Top 10 Saddest Music Videos of All Time
Some music videos are fun, some are weird, and some hit you right in the gut. You know the ones. Those videos that have you blinking back tears before the first chorus even hits. Maybe it's a heartbreaking storyline, a tragic twist, or just the raw emotion on an artist's face that makes it impossible to watch without feeling something deep inside.It's not just sad songs that make for devastating videos. Even tracks that might not seem all that emotional on their own can become almost unbearable when paired with the right visuals. Maybe it's a farewell between lovers, a tribute to someone who's gone, or a slow, agonizing realization that things will never be the same. Whatever the case, these videos leave you staring at the screen long after they end, lost in thought and maybe grabbing for a tissue.
This list is dedicated to those music videos. Vote for the ones that you think deserve to be ranked the highest.
This song and video absolutely devastated me in the middle of Algebra a long time ago, and still does. Not long ago at all, I was making a short film, and I used this song and video to get the pure sadness I needed from actors. The problem was, it backfired on me because I could no longer focus along with them.
Oh... My God! I saw this video once as a pretty young kid, and I was traumatized just by hearing this song for years! Legitimately the only song that still can make me cry. How does any song, and especially video, rank higher than this one in terms of sadness?
Epic song! This is something that shows the least of Green Day's legendary capability. Wonderful melancholic tune, sharp and cutting lyrics, Billie Joe's signature acoustic guitar, and unforgettable vocals - add it with a wonderful storyline for the music video - you get one of the best Alternative Rock music videos ever!
Whenever I see this video, I think of two things: how my dad was fortunate enough to live through cancer, and to think about your lover before you go and do something bad, even if it helps them.
Something about this song pulls at your heartstrings.
Being a Cash fan as long as I can remember and knowing about his life makes it all the more special to me.
If you haven't read about the American Legend "Johnny Cash," you should, then watch the music video.
The way it compares him from young to almost dead is truly heartbreaking, and who knew just months after filming he would have died from diabetes.
I do prefer the Nine Inch Nails version (the original), but this one made me cry. You think it couldn't be any sadder, but then he starts to cry.
It makes me cry because I imagine myself in that situation, especially the old man's, because we can relate to it. While no one in my family is in the military, I can't relate to that part, but it's still very touching and sad because others can. But I feel the old man's part really hit a nerve because we know it's very likely going to happen to us.
Wow. I saw the reviews, and I thought to see the music video. I nearly cried. It touched me. I never thought it would because this probably wouldn't happen to me, but the possibility of this happening out there got to me. I was glad at the end, though, with the message.
A romantic story, with a tragic ending. The acting is great and the song itself with Enrique's emotion into it supports the sad theme of the video's ending.
The ending is so sad. The song and the expression on Enrique's face, plus him being beaten to death by these gangsters, is gut-wrenching even though I'm a normal bloke.
As you can see, Jennifer Love Hewitt is from the scene in the music video where he's stabbed, and Hewitt is crying at the end of the music video.
This is one of the most powerful music videos (and songs) of all time. It really gives you chills because any one of us could be like Stan.
One of the best music videos of all time.
A guy who just wanted to meet Eminem got crazy and killed his girlfriend with their baby inside. Damn!
This is one of the saddest videos I have ever seen.
What an amazing song, and Madonna is so beautiful here! Yes, it's sad but still beautiful.
Just imagining losing someone like this. It's not just a breakup where there's always that chance to get him back. She'll never have him again.
You'll get emotional at the end, how he touched her hand to tell her he misses her, how she looked at him to tell her how regretful she is. When the music ends, your tears just fall.
Such a beautiful song sung by the perfect person. She deserves everything and more.
The saddest song ever, especially if you watch the video that was brilliantly done for it.
One of the saddest music videos I have ever seen. It is just really depressing.
It's so sad when he commits suicide at the end.
It's the saddest music video and also one of the saddest songs ever.
The Newcomers
The very last scene, where she reaches out to him, but she knows he's not there to hold her hand in return, breaks even my ice-cold, emotionless heart every damn time.
It's one of the saddest and most amazing videos I've seen. It really shows how terrifying war can be, and the raw emotion shown by Gerard when Mikey dies is just heartbreaking.
The song is truly beautiful. In the video, when Gerard's brother Mikey dies in the war, it pulls on your heartstrings.
War is one of the saddest events in the world. In this video, we can see the death of one of two brothers during the war.
How is this not number 1? It's 10 minutes long, tells a better story than most 2-hour movies, and cost more to make than most any other music video. It had a $2.5 million budget. Axl Rose is banging on a piano and singing, while Slash has three different solos. What's not to love?
Wow, I remember watching this with my dad as a kid and crying my eyes out. I probably couldn't even try not to cry while watching this video.
I read the short story that inspired this music video. Very emotional as well.
I just lost my Aunt this month. She was the most awesome woman I have ever met, and it was an honor to know her. When I watched the video, and I saw the old lady in the hospital, I was like, "Okay. Here we go." But when the old man started to cry, I was an emotional wreck.
The story in the song is pretty powerful in itself, but what got my waterworks going is the whole set of situations where they just gave up completely and have no will to fight.
Reminds me of my grandpa battling cancer.
Really sad video. But still very beautiful, touching, and moving. Toni showed very skillful vocal abilities here.
Really one of my favorite songs ever!
Does anybody know who these guys are and where they come from? Their sound is amazing, with heavy loads of sadness.
Great song, great video. Hope they get the attention they deserve.
This song helped me during a bad time. It's got something healing.
Criminally underrated song! I had no idea Shakira could be that great.
I love this video so much! You start out thinking, "Oh, this is cool, it's not often you see videos shot in reverse!" And then it gets to the car crash. This video is such a masterpiece!
This video will always be the best for me. It's sad how the accident happened and he wished he could just go back to the start before it happened. The video is such a tearjerker. I can never get tired of watching it.
I don't really like a lot of music. But when I do like a song, then you better believe it is amazing. This is one of those songs.
Such a nice song, and the music video makes me cry every time.
One of the saddest songs I've ever heard.
The video for So Far Away was more emotional. Snuff by Slipknot should be on this list as well. And why the hell are videos like Coming Down and My Nemesis by Five Finger Death Punch not on this list?!
The best music video ever! Amazing song too. Love Avenged Sevenfold!
It's beautiful, and every time I hear it, I cry.
Just beautiful. Makes me cry every time I hear and watch it.