We started the Music to Grieve to list based around the idea of sad music being good for you. We researched and wrote a long article breaking down how sad music actually helps you grieve, and the original idea for the list was that it was going to be populated by sad songs. The thing is - as my countryman Robert Burns once said "The best laid plans o' mice and men gang aft a gley!"
After we'd been doing this for a while we noticed that many of the tracks that people submitted to the playlist weren't actually sad - they were often more upbeat tracks but they were associated with a specific grief event in the person's life. As a result - the griever was able to experience the emotional benefits and release from these more upbeat tracks that one normally gets from sad music.
A classic example is those beautiful romantic "falling in love tracks" that people experiencing a break up often go back to as they start to process their loss. (Check out Cathal Flaherty's stunning Two Hearts as an example)
I was on Instagram just yesterday looking at the Grieve to stream and came across this post from Tracy Woods, a Vet nurse and grief counsellor from Western Australia. She had written a blog entry about the power of music and how this particular Passenger track had helped her after her cat Teagan had died. And it's beautiful and appropriate and as she says "Although it is not necessarily written about death, it meant so much to me at the time because “I Let Her Go” "
It got me thinking about the track and I bumped what was originally planned for this week because this just felt right to publish today.
You can learn more about Passenger and his music in the links below but if you're dealing with the grief from pet loss (we lost our beloved Charlie a few months back,) you can learn more about Tracey at her website here.
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About the Curator - Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the dark forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top. They would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
After my dad died I was very sad - I couldn't play for a while and when I did, the music that came out reflected my grieving state. I wrote an album of solo piano music called Music to Grieve to - from which the idea of the Music to community originated.
If you'd like to know more you should read Nicole's fabulous article on why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
Latest Posts
Don’t Give Up – Peter Gabriel
24 September 2022
What’s the point?
You ever find yourself asking that?
The point of this playlist is to bring succor to people who are grieving. That’s it. We listen to and feature songs that we hope people can resonate with and perhaps elicit a cathartic release – at the very least – to help them feel less alone…
Strange Beauty – First Aid Kit
18 September 2022
It’s still September. We’re still talking about Suicide. We’re doing this because the experts tell us that the more we talk about it – the more we bring it into the open – the less likely it is that people will go through with it.
And yet – people still do…
Open Letter – Mr. Phelps
11 September 2022
So it’s September – and for the Grieve To list – that means our thoughts turn to suicide.
Yep – if you didn’t know – September is Suicide Awareness Month – it’s also National Suicide Prevention Month and in fact right now – between the 8th and the 14th – it’s actually National Suicide Prevention Week. If you are in any doubt as to the impact suicide has on society – spend a minute here: Suicide Statistics – the rate inches up every year – and as a middle aged white male – well – I’m slap bang in the highest risk group…
Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the Dark Forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top, they would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
As a psychology graduate I studied how sound affects human performance.
As a musician I compose instrumental music that stimulates your brain but doesn't mess with your language centers, leaving you free to be creative and brilliant without distraction.
As a curator I research how music can improve your life and create flow - I can tell you what music to listen to when studying for a test and why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
As a creator / contributor at musicto I’m part of a global creator community that collaborates through music. You can learn more about our community here.