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The ten saddest songs ever according to Rolling Stone readers
A survey proposed by the well-known music magazine Rolling Stone highlighted what readers think are the ten saddest songs ever.
Sadness can sometimes also be synonymous with beauty: in fact, these songs are much loved, despite presenting melancholic lyrics and melodies.
Music can often help us in complicated situations and is a key support through which we channel our emotions. Here, according to the readers of Rolling Stone, what are the 10 saddest songs ever, always remembering one thing: there is nothing more subjective and personal than music, and each song can arouse different emotions in different people.
Getty Images, Wikimedia Commons
The ten saddest songs ever according to Rolling Stone readers
A survey proposed by the well-known music magazine Rolling Stone brought out what readers think are the 10 saddest songs ever. Sadness can sometimes also be synonymous with beauty: in fact, these songs are much loved, despite presenting melancholic lyrics and melodies. Here, according to the readers of Rolling Stone, what are the 10 saddest songs ever, always remembering one thing: there is nothing more subjective and personal than music, and each song can arouse different emotions in different people.
WSM radio, Wikimedia Commons
10. Hank Williams – I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (1949)
Williams wrote "I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry" inspired by the failure of his turbulent relationship with his wife Audrey Sheppard. The song also ranks 111 among the most beautiful songs in history according to Rolling Stone.
Rex Aran Emrick, Wikimedia Commons
9. Alice In Chains – Nutshell (1994)
The song was composed by frontman Layne Staley, who passed away in 2002 due to an overdose. The song was written after members of the group were evicted from their residence for not paying rent. The most famous version of Nutshell is the one sung during the famous Unplugged in 1996.
8. John Prine – Sam Stone (1971)
The song is about a war veteran tormented by drug addiction: the song's protagonist returns home to his family, but he cannot find comfort even in the arms of his wife.
7. Pearl Jam – Black (1991)
"Black" is taken from Pearl Jam's debut. The theme of the song is an ended love: this is one of the most famous songs of the band, beloved by fans who sing it at the top of their lungs during concerts.
Secisek, Wikimedia Commons
6. George Jones – He Stopped Loving Her Today (1980)
George Jones was one of the best country singers in the world. "He Stopped Loving Her Today" is about an impossible love, linked to death. This song was played at George Jones' funeral, in 2013.
5. Nirvana – Something In The Way (1991)
Twelfth and last track on the celebrated album "Nevermind", "Something In The Way" is an autobiographical story that Kurt Cobain wrote inspired by the time he lived in Aberdeen without a fixed abode after leaving his family and school.
4. Harry Chapin – Cat’s In The Cradle (1974)
"Cat’s In The Cradle" is a quintessential symbol of folk rock music. The song describes a complicated, nonexistent relationship between a father and son, and has something prophetic about it: in fact, Harry Chapin died in a car accident, thus not being able to see his son grow up.
3. R.E.M. – Everybody Hurts (1993)
One of the most famous songs from band. The song aims to convey a message of courage and hope to those who feel let down by life or those who wish to end life itself. "Everybody Hurts" has thus become an anthem of solidarity and empathy between people.
2. Nine Inch Nails – Hurt (1995)
"Hurt" closes the concept album "The Downward Spiral": after committing suicide, described in the previous title track, the album's protagonist hurts himself to see if he still feels pain, but realizes that it is all in vain. In 2002, Johnny Cash recorded a cover of this song, which is considered to be as moving and beautiful as the original, partly because of its video clip.
1. Eric Clapton – Tears in Heaven (1992)
At the top of the list of the saddest songs ever is a heartbreaking song written by Eric Clapton in memory of his son Conor, born from his relationship with the Italian Lory Del Santo. When he was only 5 years old Conor fell from the window of an apartment located on the 53rd floor of a skyscraper in New York, dying on the spot.