The Best Sad Songs of 2020 Might Just Give You a Little Hope
The Best Sad Songs of 2020 Might Just Give You a Little Hope
Some people wake up every morning ready to tackle the day, but many of us are simply not that type of person. There's nothing wrong with that! The existential dread is hard to escape, what with the polar icecaps melting, a pandemic, a presidential election and Cats the motion picture. And that's okay because for every Camila Cabello hit that makes your counterpart feel like they're walking on rainbows, someone has to keep the world grounded. You're the sad one, and you deserve sad music.
So no matter what the sad occasion is, why don't you turn the lights down and pour yourself a fishbowl of wine? Find yourself a window and look out of it longingly. There's a whole world waiting later, when your spirits are up, but right now, you just need to do you and be sad. This list has your back.
"Good News," Mac Miller
Mac Miller's early 2020 release is a reminder of just how tragic it was to lose the promising young rapper in 2018. He showcased a more vulnerable side of himself in this anthem to being exhausted and frustrated with the circumstances of life.
"circle the drain," Soccer Mommy
Soccer Mommy, even on her happier tracks, has this aesthetic that lends itself well to the sad song list. In this one, she captures the apathy that can come during a time when you're just trying to get through the day.
"Lost in Yesterday," Tame Impala
An up tempo sad bop is always welcomed. Being sad doesn't mean you also have to be dreary, you know? Singing about the sweet memories of shittier times, Tame Impala hits that sweet spot of sadness that hits when you're in such a low place that even past bad times seem better than the present. Woof.
"Long Time Coming," Caitlyn Smith
Good. Old. Classic. Sadness. Caitlyn Smith's moody track is the kind of song that you listen to when you're working your way out of that terrible place. Chronicling the other side of a bad break up, Smith's powerful vocals, mixed with a bluesy melody, is a perfect mix of anger and hope.
"la," Kelsea Ballerini
Ballerini's ode to Los Angeles transcends location; if you've ever moved to a new city, you understand Ballerini's "love and hate relationship with LA" that she sings about. Torn between being lonely and the prospect of something new, "la" gets at that bittersweet feeling of anxiety and hope.
"Anyone," Demi Lovato
After a hiatus due to mental health reasons, Lovato made an incredible return at the Grammys singing her song "Anyone," which she recorded four days before suffering an overdose. Hospitalized in 2018, the single was shelved until 2020 when she emotionally performed it on national television. The product ended up being Lovato's most emotionally raw and beautiful song to date.
"Letter to Nipsey," Meek Mill, Roddy Ricch
In a powerful tribute to the late rapper, who was killed in 2019, Meek Mill and Roddy Ricch at once paint a tragic picture of Nipsey Hussle's funeral and give a positive message of the future. It's hope wrapped in tragedy.
"Who's Gonna Love Me Now," Cold War Kids
Not every sad song has to sound like a sad song. Angsty and guitar-heavy, Cold War Kids give you the pissed off, post-relationship bop that you need when you want to be aggressively sad.
"At The Door," The Strokes
Instead of trying to break down just why you should add The Strokes' "At The Door" to your sad playlist, we'll just list the lines of the chorus to this '80s-inspired track:
"Struck me like a chord/I'm an ugly boy/Holdin' out the night/Lonely after light/Bangin' on the door/I don't wanna know/Sinkin' like a stone/So use me like an oar"
Super cheery stuff, right?
4. Billie Eilish — "No Time to Die"
Billie Eilish recorded the theme for the 25th Bond film, No Time to Die, at just 18 years old, making her the youngest artist ever to perform an original 007 theme tune. But while Eilish may still be a kid, she’s no amateur—as her 2020 Grammys sweep well proved. “No Time to Die” caps the Daniel Craig Bond era with a haunting slow burn of a ballad that melds Eilish’s signature vocals with classic Bond orchestration.
Here are some tracks from Soccer Mommy, Billie Eilish, Mac Miller and more, for when you need them.