I'm not saying anyone wants to intentionally be sad, but have you ever just wanted to be in a funk? Run a bath and pull the covers over your head to songs that once got you through a breakup or the loss of a loved one? Even if you can't relate, it's those songs that make you think, "They just don't make them like this anymore." The ones that bring nostalgia and emotions that put you back into the first time you heard it.
It's no secret music has the power to pull on heartstrings, so if you want to feel sad, here are songs that make your soundtrack complete. Just grab a Kleenex first.
1.“One Sweet Day” - Mariah Carey ft. Boyz II Men
This is one of those songs that you belt out without realizing how sad it really is. The melody might be beautiful and nostalgic, but the lyrics are as sad as it gets.
2."Purple Rain" - Prince
Whew. From the guitar solo to the "oos" at the end, get ready to get all the way in your feelings.
3."Rainy Dayz" - Mary J. Blige ft. Ja Rule
It will have you looking out the window, shaking your head, and singing every word.
4."Backstabbers" - The O'Jays
It might not be a song about a breakup, but jealous "friends" you have to side-eye aren't necessarily fun either.
5."Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart" - Alicia Keys
Just the thought of sleeping with a broken heart is enough to make you sad. Alicia just takes it up a notch.
6."All Falls Down" - Kanye West ft. Syleena Johnson
The old Kanye had a way of getting us into our emotions, and this song, along with the video, was no exception.
7."I Have Nothing" - Whitney Houston
I mean, there are few songs that make us bare our souls like this one. It can leave you drained before you even realize what happened.
8."I Miss You" - Aaliyah
Who else felt that "Off to college, yes you went away" line every time?
9."Ain't No Way" - Aretha Franklin
Ready to love someone who refuses to let you (or love you back)? The legendary Aretha Franklin makes it OK to mourn that moment in this ballad.
10."Marvin's Room" - Drake
Drake is just as emotional as most of us, and he had no shame in showing his regrets with an ex.
11."Dance With My Father" - Luther Vandross
You didn't have to be grown to feel the gravity of Luther's emotions.
12."Hello" - Adele
If anyone can make you feel sad about your true love not answering your calls, it's Adele.
13."End Of The Road" - Boyz II Men
When the end of a relationship is too much to bear, Boyz II Men is there to help us cope.
14."Lost Ones" - J. Cole
Even if you don't know all of the words, the story itself is enough to be sad by the time the outro fades.
15."Un-Break My Heart" - Toni Braxton
Toni, Toni, Toni. This song is at the top of the breakup soundtrack.
16."See You Again" - Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
There are fewer things worse than losing a close friend and not being able to share life's moments with them.
17."Broken-Hearted Girl" - Beyonce
When begging someone to stay just doesn't work.
18."When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars
You can literally feel the pain of a good thing gone bad.
19."Dreaming Of You" - Selena
When the love of your life may or may not feel the same way, the best thing you can do is dream about them.
20."Save The Best For Last" - Vanessa Williams
The song has its positive moments, but for some reason, it can put you in a mood.
21."Yo Side Of The Bed" - Trey Songz
If the song isn't enough to make you cry, the video will do it.
22."Ex-Factor" - Lauryn Hill
Every lyric is a monumental one to get you emotional.
23."Stay" - Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
You might as well cry yourself to sleep on this one.
24."Unpretty" - TLC
You might be sad, but you'll still be unapologetically you.
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
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Colman Domingo’s Career Advice Is A Reminder That Our Words Shape Our Reality
When it comes to life, we are always here for a good reminder to shift our mindsets, and Colman Domingo just gave us one we didn't know we needed.
In a resurfaced clip from an appearance at NewFest shared as a repost via Micheaux Film Festival, the Emmy award winner dropped a gem on how he has navigated his decades-spanning career in Hollywood. The gem in question? Well, Colman has never identified with "struggle" in his career. Let that sit.
Colman Domingo On Not Claiming Struggle
"I’ve never said that this career was tough. I’ve never said it was difficult. I’ve never said it was hard," Colman said. "Other people would say that—‘oh, you're in a very difficult industry. It's very hard to get work and book work.’ I’m like, I’ve never believed that."
Instead of allowing himself to be defined by other people's projections about their perceptions of what the industry is or was, Colman dared to believe differently even if his reality was playing catch up with his dreams:
"Like Maya Angelou said words are things. And if you believe that, then that's actually what it is. Actually I've just never believed it. Someone told me some years ago, they said, 'I remember you were, you're a struggling actor.' I'm like, 'I don't.'"
"I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living..."
He continued:
"Even when I was bartending and hustling and not having opportunities or anything, I never believed that I was struggling because I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living and creating and being curious."
Colman’s philosophy of attaching to living instead of struggle has blossomed into an enduring career. He first made his mark on stage in acclaimed Broadway productions before transitioning to the screen, where his star began to rise in the 2010s following his role as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead. From there, his presence only grew, landing memorable supporting roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the hit series Euphoria.
In more recent years, Colman has stepped fully into the spotlight with standout leading performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, both of which earned him widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.
With all that said, Colman's advice is no doubt powerful, especially for those who are chasing their dreams, building something from the ground up, or have question marks about what's next in their careers. Words shape our realities, and how we speak about our journeys even in passing matters.
Words Create Our Reality & Colman Is Living Proof
"I tell young people that. To remember the words that you say about yourself and your career are true. So, I choose to make it full of light and love and it's interesting and every day I'm going to learn something new even if it looks like I don't have what I want but it's important to be in the moment... you really build on the moments moment to moment.
"And you're looking back at your career as I've been in it for what 33 years and you're like, 'Wow, that's what I've been doing.' And I've stayed strong to that so I think that is truly my advice."
Let this be your sign to give your path a reframe. When the path you're on feels uncertain, the journey is still unfolding. Like Colman said: "I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living."
That's a Black king right there.
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