10 songs that will help you feel less alone
It’s hard to deny that music has a lot of power. No matter what mood or emotion you’re feeling, there’s a song to suit it. Whether it’s a lyric that sweeps you away or a beautiful melody that gives you guidance, chances are there’s a song to help you through any tough time.
READ MORE: I Found Hope At A Frank Iero Show—On music and mental health
Below you’ll find a list of songs that could help you through any feeling; from dealing with loneliness, depression and everything in between, these songs have been through it all. There’s something comforting about hearing another human vocalize your feelings via song.
Free Throw – “Randy, I Am The Liquor”
If you’ve ever felt depression, chances are you’ve experienced a deep, searing loneliness that feels like it will never relent. You want to seek solace with friends, but when they’re busy you turn to a highly counterproductive method.
The raw energy that propels this Free Throw track forward captures that feeling perfectly. The simplicity in the lyrics and rolling guitar riffs maintains the drive until it all culminates in a frenzied crescendo that closes the song.
Fall Out Boy – “I’ve Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)”
This often overlooked Fall Out Boy track deals with Pete Wentz’ attempted suicide. Lyrically, it builds the idea of having pressure put upon you to achieve something. It ends up being too much, so you feel like you’re doing more damage than harm. The gentle melody and Patrick Stump’s incredible vocals make for a number that’s heartfelt and addictive.
Waterparks – “Dizzy”
Growing up is a bitch. You creep through your 20s realizing that life quiets down—well, for some—and with that idea comes a different form of loneliness. Awsten Knight of Waterparks does an incredible job of matching the frustration through the vicious instrumentation and lyrics that attack scathingly.
The Front Bottoms – “Raining”
The first verse introduces the idea of putting yourself through an ordeal worthy of a hospital visit, and ends with a euphoric outro of “how do you think that felt for me?” The Front Bottoms have a supreme knack for bottling raw emotion into simplistic, yet powerful lyrics.
My Chemical Romance – “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)”
My Chemical Romance nailed it in this one. This is the poster song for those of us who aren’t OK. MCR managed to bottle and hold onto something really special throughout their career, and they gave us all a feeling that it’s OK to be who we are, and, most importantly, it’s OK to not be OK sometimes.
The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die – “Mental Health”
From a band who have always expressly championed the idea of mental health and being OK with it, this is perhaps one of their more on-the-nose numbers. It’s about the moment when you realize that maybe you aren’t OK, and you do need help.
Box Car Racer – “I Feel So”
Just listen to the way the song evolves from that sullen piano intro to a frenzied, collapsing chaos of instruments. The sadly, short-lived Box Car Racer took what blink-182 did for teens everywhere in helping them understand growing up and channeled it into more serious motifs that tackled the darker side of it all.
Modern Baseball – “Fine, Great”
When you’re in a place that is truly your own, it generally involves being in a terrible place yet still worrying about everyone else around you. Succinctly summarizing every feeling with the line “I hate worrying about the future/‘Cause all my fucking problems are based around the past,” it’s almost impossible to not relate.
Joyce Manor – “This Song Is A Mess But So Am I”
Considering the song’s title, it’s actually a pretty drive track that doesn’t feel cluttered like the ideas it deals with. Barry Johnson’s chorus hones in on the feeling you have when you just want to sleep away the hours until you reach brighter pastures, and while it may feel heavy, the melody keeps things feeling far more upbeat.
Linkin Park – “Heavy”
It’s impossible to not include a Linkin Park song. Throughout their career, Chester Bennington gave a voice to those who felt lost or abandoned in any format, but this being one of the last songs they released as a six-piece holds even more weight now. It’s a succinct track that holds pop music in its soul and its heart on its sleeve.
