So here they are - a not complete, tirelessly tailored sample of my favorite bad mood songs. Not that I expect it to happen, but on the off chance you want to listen along, I highly recommend you check your volume before diving in. It's going to get really loud, really fast!
Let's start with some lighter fare, to warm people up:
Paralyzed by Against the Current - Sometimes I just need a reminder that I'm not the only one who goes through these things. I feel like if my book had a theme song, it would be this one. This song is way peppier, but thematically it fits.
Up with Me by Boys Night Out - I like to listen to this song when I'm in a bad mood and need a reminder that it's not ever going to be as bad as it used to be. I'm a responsible, well adjusted mother-fucking adult! It is comforting to know that I've made mistake, but that I've changed.
Lonely Day by System of a Down - I get lonely. We all do right? (And it only slightly bugs me that "most loneliest" is grammatically incorrect.)
Coconut Dracula by Islander - We're going to notch up the tempo a little, but this is mellow thematically. I too sometimes want to find inner peace when I am in a bad mood. I am not sure how it would feel as Dracula biting into a coconut and finding inner peace, but I can get behind this vibe. The heavier sound and riffs grab onto the bad feelings and then the mellower vibes help wash it away.
Some General Contenders
I have over the years made many a mixed cd and then a playlist of songs that I needed for the heavier of moods. This selection are a bunch of songs that I generally like to listen to when more stressed. They are kind of a misc. bucket that fits many shades of moods.
Violence (Enough is Enough) by A Day to Remember - If we're going to punch of the noise, might as well start of strong. Who doesn't like the idea of violence when they are in a bad mood? (I am being facetious.)
Resentment by A Day to Remember - This is a recent single that I've only listened to since I've been sheltering in place. I find it fits with a lot of different things I've been feeling and thinking about. It's fitting a lyrics talks about everyday feeling the same. And I do feel like I've been stuck with things that didn't get figured out before shelter in place, and now feeling I cannot resolve things on my own terms and I cannot go after new things. Side note, the breakdown on this song is SICK!!!
My Apocalypse by Escape the Fate - This is just a great loud, angry, emotional song with some killer guitar riffs. Plus, there's a scene in my book inspired by this song, so it connects with my own experiences.
The Nature of the Beast by Ice Nine Kills - I will often just put all my INK albums on shuffle when I am overly stressed because they do a LOT of really great loud stuff. I wanted to highlight some songs I may repeat or mix in with other songs, since it would be a LOT to just include all their music. I don't always like some of the imagery they use in their videos, but I love their music. This song is inspired by Animal Farm. Their music is heavily inspired by horror, so I gel with that.
Bones Exposed by Of Mice & Men - This song just seriously slays.
Elephants by Our Last Night - honestly I don't know how the title is relevant. And I personally have never been so hurt by someone that I thought they were "the end of hope for all mankind" but I freaking love this song. (Side note - I do wonder the negative effect listening to a lot of guy heavy music that is less than mature about women has on my inappropriate tolerance for sexist behavior. But that's a topic for another day. And also why I don't listen to Falling in Reverse anymore.)
It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door by Underoath - this is a classic.
Criminal by Disturbed - Disturbed is another band I will put on the headphones at work when I am really stressed out, and usually when I need to be heads down working through the bad mood. I am not as familiar with all their songs as some other band I listen to but they get some decent play time. This song is my fav for mixing with other songs and rocking out to when pissed off.
Blood by In This Moment - I particularly love playing this song really loud in the car and driving around with the windows down as the word "blood" is sung really loud. I have an intellectual fondness for blood so I also really connect to songs about it. I am also such a fan of how bad ass Maria Brink is and the topics she writes songs about.
Sometimes People Make Me Angry
I have some songs that I specifically like to listen to when I am mad a someone - not that the songs remind me of specific people but rather the songs resonate with being made at someone, whomever I may be mad at in any given time.
Johnny's Revenge by Crown the Empire - Speaking of songs singing loudly about blood... Okay technically this song is the 2nd in a trilogy of songs about Johnny who sells his soul to live again and then gets tricked and sent to hell, and then wants to revolt to get free. But sometimes I just get mad about people and want to hear a song about revenge. I don't actually ever have situations where I need revenge, and that's hella petty and destructive. But music can be a fun escapism fantasy to help calm down feelings so people can turn around and be adults when they have to be. Plus, at this point with their music, Crown the Empire had a nice mix of theatricality with the loud music.
2nd Sucks by A Day to Remember - Soooo, usually I am a very caring, empathetic person. I try to see the positivity and value in everyone. When people are being less than great, I try to see their perspective and understand why maybe they weren't being the nicest because of something negatively impacting them. I try to see the skills and value in people even when it's not up to where others might wish it to be. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.
But sometimes people just push their luck and it can be really overwhelming being empathetic all the time when people take advantage or are too stupid or selfish to see how negatively they are pushing people's buttons. I those momentary breakdowns of emotional intelligence, I flip and suddenly become this impatient arrogant know-it-all that wants nothing more than to tear into someone with words so cutting they hit right to the heart of someone's insecurities and weaknesses. It's not that I actually do that - sometimes I may complain to a friend. Honestly I've only ever unleashed this power maybe once and that was before I was even aware of how good I am at seeing to the core of people.
I don't ever want to use that power. Instead I just listen to angry music, like this song! I get particular joy from this lyric: "Can't waist my time/ On hateful people like you/ So keep wishing you were me/
And I'll keep making you have to."
Sometimes You're the Hammer, Sometimes You're the Nail by A Day to Remember - I also like to listen to this song when someone pisses me off, especially if I feel there is some kind of unfair mistreatment happening, like when I'm the victim of sexism or people are playing power games to get stuff they didn't earn. Don't came at me - I've got hard work, a long game, and intelligence on my side. I do get hella irritated when people (often men) underestimate me because I'm a woman and they think I'm younger than I am b/c I have a baby face and a higher voice. Come at me, bro!
Secrets Don't Make Friends by From First to Last - I think the title speaks for itself.
I Am Nothing Like You by Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! - I usually reserve this song when I am mad at someone that I highly related to on some important aspect of my personality, but in some other way they are being not great and I need to let out the frustration about it. (Side note - yes, this band is named from the Goonies quote. They are from France, so the word pronunciation on their songs is interesting sometimes.)
Why Not Also Sing Along
Listening to songs that match my mood help bring me through the emotions. And singing is a great stress reliever. So why not combine the two? Here's a bunch of songs I also like to belt along to when I'm worked up.
A Dead Language for a Dying Lady by Vanna - Yeah, the song is as messed up as you'd think from the title.
The Kill by Thirst Seconds to Mars - I did this for karaoke once.
I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace
The Arms of Sorrow by Killswitch Engaged - I got a pretty good score singing this on Rock Band 4. :)
Sometimes Society Really Pisses Me Off
One of the biggest problems with being vastly empathetic is I can get overwhelmed when the world sucks too much. So here's a series of songs I listen to when I am frustrated with the state of the world or society.
The Product of Hate by Ice Nine Kills - I particularly like the lyric "But I alone cannot control what move use backwards." I get so tired sometimes of all the hate. And the frustrating thing is I don't think everyone is as generally hateful as the media wants to portray. But we get bombarded with the negativity because that's click bate.
My Generation by Memphis May Fire - please listen to us! (Side note - MMMmMmMmm hot ginger with tattoos.)
Satellite by Rise Against - I could just put pretty much all of Rise Against here because that's their thing. I will definitely put all their albums on random sometimes to fuel my inner social justice rage.
Choose Your Fate by Story of the Year - I was actually just talking with someone about the recent wistfulness over the baby Bush presidency. When I think about that time, I think about this song and many songs about it. I don't miss that (but the music was fire!!!)
Friends in the Armed Forces by Thursday - Here's another good one from that same time period. I remember at this time feeling kind of bad that I agree with the sentiment of this song and didn't share it around. Now IDGAF.
I Could Just Listen to Secrets for Bad Moods
Secrets is a band that I love so, so much! I have all of their music (I'm mostly sure) and I relate to them so much. Their album Everything That Got Us Here particularly got me through a rough time a few years ago. So I am just going to group a bunch of their songs together here.
Left Behind - I feel like many people I know hit those periods where they feel the world has left them behind and that everything is over. I love the metaphoric language about dreams going broke and the spending on dreams.
Half Alive - I have been there where I felt my passion left me half alive and wondering if just quitting made the most sense.
The Man That Never Was - Ok, so I'm not a man, but I can relate. Is it bad that I really love the lyric about ripping open the chest to dig around and see that the hear has left? I like some good imagery. I could also call apathy my one and only friend sometimes, especially lately. This song also have probably my favorite bridge on the entire album. Has the best of me came and went? (Ugg, that grammar though.)
Dance of the Dead - I know that this song is clearly about a relationship. However, this was the song I related to when thinking about my job a few years ago. The lyrics very much related to how I felt I related to my job and the work I did and the entire experience.
Somewhere in Hiding - I always imagine this possibly being a song that reminds someone of me because of my tendency to retreat when not doing great emotionally. I hide in my head or my apartment, depending on if it's emotional/mental hiding or literal hiding. Okay, maybe I don't want someone so intense they find no point in having a heart unless I take it from them, but it's the thought that counts? (Side note: Every time I hear the lyric about needing medication to help get inside of the girl, I giggle b/c all I can think about is he need Viagra. I know, so immature. Hahahaha.)
Waste Away - I just really like this song and it slaps, emotionally.
Sometimes I'm Really Down on Myself
I think this last group is very fitting to follow the Secrets songs, since most of those songs would fit into this category anyway, except for there are so many of them I gave them their own category. I decided to save this group for last because if I end up being extra vulnerable about my feelings about myself, only the truly dedicated (hi Anna Marie!) will make it this far. I don't actually think anyone else actually reads my blogs, so really it's more about writing to get feelings off my chest and then my BFF reads them b/c she's awesome!
Me, Myself & Hyde by Ice Nine Kills - What? More INK? Shocker! ;^) Technically yes this song is about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But I have felt that raging war inside myself like I am falling apart and letting the better of my give way to something that would rather just tear everything apart. Plus I love listening to this song when worked up because it's so theatrical and I think the lyrics clever, so it pulls me out of the funk with coolness.
In the Dark by Silverstein - Turns out if there's a song called "In the Dark" I related to it and want to listen to it when feeling upset.
In the Dark by Flyleaf - Of the two, I definitely like this one better. I really need to listen to Flyleaf more often. I lost touch with how much I love this band!
Mnstr by Crown the Empire - As a senior in high school in AP English we learned about archetypal characters. As part of that we received an excerpts of a book that had a quiz to see what archetypes were at play the most in our lives. I keep that - I still have it - and every couple to few years I'd find it in my desk and take the test again. I'm pretty sure I have all those results still too. A constant archetype at play in my life was the Destroyer. The Destroyer represents that part of a person that breaks things down to make room for new things. It can be a positive agent to make room for personal growth or a negative agent for self destructive behavior. My book has a character called The Destroyer based exactly on this (since it's a self-reflective work). And this song is the song that reminds me of that character. He was an honorable warrior turned ruthless killer by a horrible leader and transformed so he cannot take off his worn armor and has a broadsword where a forearm should be.
Retrograde by Silverstein - There isn't anything really personal about this song that I relate to. I just think it's so good and I really resonate with the emotion in it. This may just now be my favorite Silverstein song, I like it that much.
Okay, so maybe that last section didn't get THAT intense. I had already groups and moved things so much things ended up all over the place! I think I got the most vulnerable when I admitted I become an arrogant jerks that hates people when someone pisses me off. Hahahaha!! Anyway, I hope you (someone? anyone?) came along with me on this journey, maybe learned a thing or two, and quite possibly almost enjoyed at least a moment of it. Now it's time for bed! ... After a few more songs.
