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Top 10 Amazing Songs About Mental Health

Listening to songs when we feel low is not a new notion, and honestly, I have incorporated listening to songs whenever I feel bad wholeheartedly. But knowing that there are certain songs about mental health is a much-needed cherry on top.

The healing power of music cannot be overstated, it makes us feel better to listen to music. It can surely help you relax your mind and body1 and indulge your soul at the same time.

You’re about to hear some of the amazing songs about mental health!

Top 10 Amazing Songs About Mental Health

Before delving into the songs, let’s first get a few important terms clear:

Mental Illness

Mental Illness
By Chloe Capture, Flickr. Copyright 2021.

The term mental illness refers to a range of conditions that affect mood, thinking, and behaviour. Mental illness includes clinical depression2, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other types of mental illness.

We define mental health as the state of being emotionally, psychologically, and socially healthy. It affects our way of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Our coping mechanisms, relationships with others, and choices we make are also affected by our coping mechanisms3. We must take care of our mental health from childhood and adolescence to adulthood.

mental health
By Chanintorn.v/Shutterstock.com

U.S. healthcare professionals report that mental illnesses are among the most common. In the United States, one out of every 25 people lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.

The rate of severe depression among youth in the United States has increased to 9.7%, up from 9.2% last year. 12% percent of youth claim more than one race, a rate that was highest among those identifying as more than one race.

Mental Health and Music

Songs about Mental Health
By Daniel McAnulty, Flickr. Copyright 2021.

You can feel better by listening to songs about mental health since it can affect your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Music can have profound psychological effects. Your musical taste can reveal important aspects of your personality, according to research.

Relaxation can be achieved through music, you can improve your memory4 with it. You can also manage your pain by listening to songs about mental health. Mental health has become one of the most prominent themes for different art and music forms.

Let’s begin the search for some songs about mental health that combat the stigma around mental illness. Music is known to have many benefits for people, including the prevention of mental illness.5

Songs About Mental Health

1- “OK Not To Be OK” by Demi Lovato

Singer/Artists – Demi Lovato and Marshmello

Lyrics by – Gregory Hein, Demi Lovato, James Gutch, James Nicholas Bailey

Track Length – 2:39

Featuring – Demi Lovato and Marshmello

Released – 10 September 2020

Album – Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over

Genre – Pop

Songs About mental Health
By Eva Elijas, Pexels. Copyright 2021.

It is impossible to discuss songs about mental health without including this one by Demi Lovato. Demi Lovato has always been open about her struggles with mental health more than any other singer, as evident from her songs about mental health.

To be living with a mental illness is exactly what the lyrics of the song describe.

According to the official music video for the song, suicide prevention starts with a conversation we’re not having with our mental health due to stigma.

The first step to breaking that silence is dispelling stigmas of fear, judgment, and shame about our internal experiences. We achieve that by proclaiming It’s OK Not To Be OK!

2- “Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato

Singer/Artist – Demi Lovato

Lyrics – Lindy Robbins, Toby Gad, Kerli

Track Length – 3:42

Released – 12 July 2011

Album – Unbroken

Genre – Pop, Soul

Demi Lovato
By Lunchbox L.P., Flickr. Copyright 2021.

“Go on and try to tear me down. I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper.”

These lines are adapted from a song by Demi Lovato entitled Skyscraper, one of the pop artist’s songs about mental health.

17 weeks were spent on the Billboard Hot 100 chart after the song debuted at number 10.

3- “Breathin” by Ariana Grande

Singer/Artist – Ariana Grande

Lyrics – Ariana Grande, Savan Kotecha, Liya Salmanzadeh, Peter Svensson

Track Length- 3:18

Released – 18 September 2018

Album – Sweetener

Genre – Dance-Pop

pexels george milton 6954219
By George Milton, Pexels. Copyright 2021.

Ariana Grande relates how breathing helps with anxiety in this song, which falls into songs about mental health. The lyrics of this song are based on Grande’s personal experience of breathing to help with anxiety.

It talks about anxiety and feeling as if you cannot catch your breath, as stated by the artist. In this song, the artist encourages people to stay positive, and it belongs to the category of songs about mental health.

As a form of therapy, this song can be taken for anxiety.

4- “Help!” by The Beatles

Singer/Artist – The Beatles

Lyrics by – The Beatles

Track Length – 33:44

Released – 6 August 1965

Genre – Pop Rock

Songs about Mental Health
By Milton Johanides, Flickr. Copyright 2021.

In 1965, the Beatles’ English rock band released their fifth studio album “Help!” and their film of the same name.

As John Lennon told a reporter of the period in his life during which he wrote “Help!” and was tackling depression, “I was fat and depressed, and I was crying out for help.”

In addition to being received well by critics, the album topped charts in Australia, Germany, the U.K., and the U.S. No doubt, and it was a big hit back then.

5- “1 800 273 8255” by Rapper Logic

Artist (Artists) – Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid

Lyrics – Alessia Cara, Khalid, Drew Taggart, Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, Dylans Wiggin, Arjun Ivatury

Track Length – 4:10

Released – 27 April 2017

Album – Everybody

Genre – Conscious hip-hop, Pop-rap

Songs about Mental Health
By The Come Up Show, Flickr. Copyright 2021.

It’s true what you read. This song falls in the category of songs about mental health and is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number. The song is sung by Logic, an American rapper. The genres of the song are pop-rap and conscious hip-hop.

The song – 1 800 273 8255, a National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, features Alessia Cara and Khalid as guest vocalists and songwriters.

At the 60th Grammy Awards, “1 800 273 8255” received nominations for Song of the Year and Best Music Video. The song eventually reached number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

6- “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” by Geto Boys

Artists – Ghetto Boys

Lyrics – Brad Jordan, Doug King, William Dennis

Track Length – 5:11

Release date – 1 July 1991

Album – We Can’t Be Stopped

Genre – Horrorcore, G-Funk, Southern hip hop

Songs about Mental Health
By Jeremy Perez Photos, Flickr. Copyright 2021.

The Geto Boys recorded this song on their debut album. The song was written by Brad Jordan, Doug King, and William Dennis.

In what was originally planned as a solo album by Scarface, the song features three of Scarface’s lyrics. Rap-A-Lot Records, the label for Geto Boys, decided that it would be better suited as the group’s debut single.

Scarface’s song “My Mind Playing Tricks on Me” reflected his inner turmoil as he was suffering from manic depression at the time. His struggles are visible in the song.

The single peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the Geto Boys’ highest-charting single, there was no doubt that it was a big hit.

7- “So Many Tears” by Tupac

Artist – Tupac

Lyrics – T.Shakur, G.Jacobs, R.Walker, E.Baker, S.Wonder

Track Length – 3:58

Release date – 13 June 1995

Recorded – August 1994

Genre – Conscious hip hop

Songs about Mental Health
By Paal K., Flickr. Copyright 2021.

This song from “Me Against the World” fell under songs about mental health and peaked at 6 on Billboard’s hot rap songs.

Amidst the backdrop of an imminent prison sentence, “Me Against the World” deals with all of the emotions of the human experience, revealing his deepest emotions like never before.

The rapper Tupac died at the age of 25 by homicide.

8- “Smile” by Jay-Z

Artists – Jay-Z featuring Gloria Carter

Lyrics – Carter, Wilson, Stevie Wonder

Track Length – 8:28

Released – 2017

Album – 4:44

Genre – hip hop

Songs About Mental Health
By Daniele Dalledonne, Flickr. Copyright 2021.

Grammy-winning rapper Jay-Z featured his mother Gloria Carter in his music video for “Smile.” Gloria Carter revealed she is a lesbian in Jay-Z’s 4:44 song, also revealed by her son Jay-Z.

“Had to hide in the closet, so she medicates

Society’s shame and pain were too much to take

Cried tears of joy when you fell in love

Don’t matter to me if it’s them.”

Gloria Carter delivers a moving monologue after Jay-Z’s verses on “Smile,” She talks about “living in the shadows” and overcoming her situation.

The Huffington Post notes that Jay-Z supported same-sex marriage in a 2012 interview with CNN.

9- “Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M.

Artist – Rem

Written by – Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe

Track Length – 5:20

Released – 5 April 1993

Album – Automatic for the People

Genre – Alternative Rock, Soft Rock

Songs About Mental Health
By Blink+, Flickr. Copyright 2021.

We listen to songs to feel good. We listen to songs about mental health for feeling good and understanding the emotions of the one experiencing it.

Understanding that all humans (humans) have hearts, can feel pain, are capable of hurting, and all are struggling.

R.E.M. wanted to write a song for struggling teenagers for Automatic for the “People” – a song cycle about life and death. Therefore, Everybody Hurts contains their most direct and heartfelt lyrics.

10- “Head Above Water” by Avril Lavigne

Artist – Avril Lavigne

Written by – Avril Lavigne, Stephan Moccio, Travis Clark

Track Length – 3:40

Released – 19 September 2018

Album – Head Above Water

Genre – pop-rock

Songs About Mental Health
By Justin Higuchi, Flickr. Copyright 2021.

Singer Avril LavigneKings’e, and The Kings’ Travis Clark, wrote this title song with producer Stephan Moccio.

Fans assumed that the Cstar’sn pop star’s time away after more than 15 years of recording and touring was spent unwinding when she returned after a six-year break with this title song from “Head” Above Water.

Unfortunately, Lavigne turned out to be struggling with Lyme disease and was taking therapy. She describes trying to remain positive despite her deteriorating health in the rock ballad.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the positive effects music has on mental health?

Music may decrease blood pressure, diminish cortisol (the stress hormone), boost the amount of endorphins and serotonin in the blood, improves one’s mood, and can increase dopamine production.

2. Can music help with depression?

There is a definite link connecting music and health: music therapy may be adopted to battle depression and extensive trauma.

3. Does music affect your mentality?

Music, in addition to stimulating the production of the feel-good hormone dopamine, improves cognitive performance, decreases signs of stress and anxiety, and aids in concentration.

Bottomline

Well, the songs being listed above for your convenience, you must listen to them, but, don’t forget there are other ways of fighting with depression and bad mental health as well.

Reach out to your loved ones, go out, have fun, meet new people, and most importantly, enjoy life!

How In 5 Ways Music Benefits Your Mental Health!
Icy Health
  1. Benson, Herbert, and William Proctor. Relaxation revolution: The science and genetics of mind body healing. Simon and Schuster, 2011. ↩︎
  2. Craft, Lynette L., and Daniel M. Landers. “The effect of exercise on clinical depression and depression resulting from mental illness: A meta-analysis.” Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 20.4 (1998): 339-357. ↩︎
  3. FALKENBERG, JOYCE. “Coping mechanisms and consequences.” Organizational dynamics 31.3 (2002): 296-312. ↩︎
  4. Fry, Ron. Improve your memory. Vol. 4. Open Road Media, 2018. ↩︎
  5. McDaid, David, A-La Park, and Kristian Wahlbeck. “The economic case for the prevention of mental illness.” Annual review of public health 40 (2019): 373-389. ↩︎

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