Exactly 50 years ago today, on March 19, 1976, a song widely considered to be one of the most depressing to listen to was No.

Paradoxically, people can be attracted to music that evokes sadness. Scrutiny of Billboard’s list of No. 1 songs from 1958 through 2013 reveals the dominant popularity of upbeat, happy music over sad, ...

Hip-hop has been cranking out living-it-up bangers for decades, but the average historian is (or should be) aware that dark thoughts aren’t a foreign concept for the genre. After all, Grandmaster ...

In general, the genre of classic rock is meant to make you happy. There’s a reason that every city around the country has whole radio stations dedicated to this type of music. When you’re driving in ...

A few years ago, Paste looked at the 50 saddest songs of all time, but as the need for new music to help you grieve—to show you that you’re not alone in your pain and to give you the space to process ...

You would think happy people would prefer to listen to happy music. Lyrics that speak to their positive mood, bringing them cheer and joy. Yet, sad music tends to have a longer-lasting appeal for many ...

Music is a part of every culture around the world. In fact, the ability to appreciate music is built into our brains, suggesting music has an evolutionary function. Many music studies look at the long ...

Country music covers a wide range of topics with lyrics that speak to the best of times and the hardest of times. While there are plenty of songs about love, drinking, dancing, and living life to the ...

Folksinger Nathaniel Riley lost his job as a vegan chef and manager at a Fort Collins restaurant in early March, yet another economic victim of the coronavirus outbreak. So he decided to stay at home ...

Neil Young is trying to escape all the discord in the world by working on a new album with The Chrome Hearts. The 80-year-old ...