The Paradox of ‘Pleasurable Sadness’: Why Do We like Sad Music?
Gloomy songs frequently top the charts
People generally go out of their way to avoid feeling sad. Paradoxically, gloomy melodies have always been popular among music lovers. Melancholic classical pieces, such as Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings and Mozart’s Requiem, are considered some of the most beautiful compositions ever written. Adele’s sorrowful songs have frequently topped the charts.
Recent studies have shown that many people don’t associate gloomy tunes with negative emotions. On the contrary, they’ve found that sad music evokes a pleasing feeling of nostalgia and peacefulness in the listeners. It’s the so-called “paradox of pleasurable sadness.”
Musicologists explain that composers and songwriters use certain techniques to convey sadness. In Western culture, for example, the minor key and a slow tempo are often associated with sorrowful music. Recently, psychologists and philosophers have tried to understand why people find songs in minor keys aesthetically and emotionally pleasing. In other words, they aim to learn why sadness can be artistically enjoyable.
