This is the paradox of sad music: We generally don’t enjoy being sad in real life, but we do enjoy art that makes us feel that way. Countless scholars since Aristotle have tried to account for it.

And sorrowful art can bring solace. "When I'm sad and I listen to Elliott Smith, I feel less alone," Sachs says. "I feel like he understands what I'm going through." 'It makes me feel human' ...

When it comes to sad songs, there's nothing more classic than a song about a breakup. And when Lewis Capaldi writes one, you end up with a song so packed with emotion and vivid descriptions of ...