Why do we feel the need to listen to sad music when we are already sad? It doesn't matter the musical genre. Phrases that report longing, suffering and relapses are in the majority of the tracks that appear on the list of the 50 most listened to songs in Brazil on streaming in the first half of 2026. The country music of "dor de elbow", the melodic trap and the confessional pop ballads show that Brazilians love to suffer accompanied by a melancholic track. Lines like: "My love, please say that you haven't forgotten me either" (excerpt from "Apaga Apaga Apaga", by Danilo and Davi)... Jacaré with MC Lele JP and MC Negão Original)... ...are some examples of the suffering of the lyrical self of the songs most listened to by Brazilians in this first semester. The characters in these songs are sad, regretful and/or suffering. And this could be a reflection of what the listener is feeling, as it is quite common to look for sad songs when we are sad. But why does this happen? "It may seem strange, but when we are sad, we don't always want someone to take us away from our sadness. Often, before we can do this, we need to feel understood within what we are experiencing", explains Pamela Magalhães, Psychologist, Couple and Family Therapist and host of the podcast Apparently Terapia. "And melancholic, sad music tends to function as a kind of partner, an emotional companion. Because music gives words, meaning to what we still can't name, and which is permeating our mind and occupying our heart. It's as if the lyrics said: 'I know how this hurts'." Why do we feel the need to listen to sad music when we are already sad? Ivan S/Pexels For the psychologist, behind this behavior is a primary human need to seek representation so that pain stops being lonely. She explains that, when we listen to music that accurately reflects our emotional state, we experience a feeling of validation and belonging. That's why many people often say: "This song was made for me." Of course, with the very rare exceptions of people who were actually honored by the composers, the music was not made directly for that listener. But something intimate and universal has been struck within him, making him feel that, finally, someone has managed to translate his experience. "And it doesn't necessarily mean that we want to suffer more. It means that we found a safe place to feel what we were perhaps trying to avoid, hiding or even unable to explain rationally, through logic." "Music opens a door that allows emotion to come and go. That's why many people cry listening to music and then feel this kind of relief. Crying is not necessarily a sign of worsening." "There are times when music doesn't lift us from rock bottom, but sits beside us. And for those who are suffering, stopping feeling alone is the beginning of some way out." Patrícia Vanzella, professor at the Federal University of ABC and coordinator of the UFABC Neuromusic research group, mentions that what a person feels when listening to a sad song, in general, is not pure sadness. "It is a more complex, bittersweet, emotional state. That's why the experience can be deeply pleasurable without any contradictions." "This happens because we know that that emotion is in the music and not in real danger. It's a safe environment to experience difficult feelings without facing their consequences." Collective emotions If listening to fossa music on headphones or at home brings comfort, collective consumption can further expand this sense of belonging. Patrícia Vanzella highlights that singing "sufferings" at parties, bars, shows and social gatherings, together with thousands of people can produce an effect that seems paradoxical: pain turning into a party. "Synchronizing with other people increases the feeling of closeness and belonging, and collective singing is a particularly clear example of this. Suffering stops being experienced alone and starts being shared", he states. "This collective dimension precedes the individual use of music. Listening alone, with headphones, is the historic novelty. That's probably where a lot of the psychological power that music has over us comes from." Audience gets emotional at Cassiane's show, at Festival Promessas, in Goiânia, Goiás Reproduction/TV Anhanguera The ups and downs in the playlist and the mood When analyzing the 50 most listened to songs in Brazil on streaming, the second theme that most influences the tracks is that of partying and enjoying. With this, it is possible to draw a parallel with the "phases of mourning", a concept popularized by the psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and who divides the grieving process into five stages: Denial (initial shock); Anger (revolt); Negotiation (bargaining); Depression (deep sadness); At one point, the person hears music about longing, for example, abandonment and suffering. And soon after, he puts on music about partying, desire, excessive freedom. This doesn't necessarily mean that she's overcome." “It could mean that she is trying to get out of the pain, reacting to it, or simply in an attempt to interrupt it for a few minutes, in protest of some phase of grief that she can't get out of,” says Pamela. The psychologist explains that partying (whether in physical or musical form) can represent vitality, celebration and genuine resumption of life. But it can also function as emotional anesthesia, which is very common. "That's why