to be pretentious and a bit of an ass

"and so being young and dipt in folly
i fell in love with melancholy"

It's an age old debate..but why are sad songs so much more emotionally engaging than happy ones?

I listen sad and angry music all the time and here in Finland about 4/5 songs are in minor. That's why happy songs like Stagnant, Life, Slow Me Down and Hope (day seven from 'Human Equation') have a huge affect on me.

This reminds me of a Neil Hamburger joke:

Q: Why does Brittany Spears sell millions of albums?

A: Because the public is horny and depressed.

I love sad songs. Check out "Blinded by Blood" by Ulver, my favourite sad song ever.

I agree man....that song is UNREAL!

I think Steven Wilson said it best when he replied to a question asking about why most of his music is melancholy. I don't have the exact quote here, but it was along the lines of "What makes one person happy doesn't necessarily make another person happy. But what makes me sad will most likely be something that makes you sad. Sadness is universal."

And that's true...people can relate to sad songs better than they can to happy songs.

Depending on your flavour of music. Ryan Adams "Come Pick Me Up", gets me teary eyed.

I love sad songs. Check out "Blinded by Blood" by Ulver, my favourite sad song ever.

I agree man....that song is UNREAL!

Yey, you rock!

To me "beautiful" music is generally happy rather than sad (or just plain Messhugah style abstract). Sad music is just depressing.

Also melancholy bands are lame, depression is just anger without enthusiasm. And artists should be enthusiastic about their work!

Two of the songs I would call very sad:

DTB - Deadhead

Nevermore - Sentient 6

Primal by Jason Becker (album Perspective). Once or twice it made me shed a tear or two, because on this song Jason recorded his last guitar parts, before his hands fell down for the last time ... it's power chords basically, but the way they blend with the heartfelt vocals in the chorus, it's almost like I feel his struggle and his whole story is as sad as sad could be, so ... Primal is the sad song for me at the moment.

Perspective is a monumental record, Jason owns.

when i was younger i used to listen to sad songs to make me happy! at least someone in this world was in a worse mood than me!
its also easier to be sad than happy, so i guess its easier to write a sad song. storm was the song that made me cry last year coz my fella went away to work for a few months and every time dev screamed 'stay with meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee' i was in tears!
i'm more of a bouncy, stompy tune person! though i do enjoy a really depressing song sometimes!

oh and where is my mind by the pixies gets me coz it was played at my brothers funeral and was his favourite song. plus torch by the sisters of mercy....i still can't listen to that song.