Pain and pleasure of sad music

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. Sad music can provide enjoyment, comfort or pain to different people, according to new research looking at the effects of melancholy songs on the emotions. Researchers at Durham University and the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, said their findings could have implications for how music therapy and rehabilitation could help people's moods. The musicologists looked at the emotional experiences associated with sad music of 2,436 people across three large-scale surveys in the UK and Finland. They identified the reasons for listening to sad music, and emotions involved in memorable experiences related to listening to sad music.