Entertainment
16 Inspiring Songs That Open Up About Mental Health
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Republic Records
Music is one incredible way to express our emotions and what's going on in our lives. A lot of singers use their songs like diaries. And we don't just mean Taylor Swift. It's this openness that helps them connect with fans on a personal level and foster discussions about various topics. Tracks about love, rejection, and life's general problems are popular themes. One area that might not be as common, but is so important is mental health songs.
Maintaining our mental health is as important as maintaining our physical health. Sometimes, the former topic can still be considered taboo or difficult to talk about. Songs about mental health are brilliant at undoing the stigma while simultaneously helping people know that they're not alone. It doesn't matter whether it's a few lines or an entire song about one's mind. The honest lyrics make a difference for others and for the artist. These are 16 mental health songs.
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"Anxiety" by Julia Michaels featuring Selena Gomez
Republic Records
Julia Michaels has been upfront about living with anxiety. Additionally, Selena Gomez has been candid about her health and healing. She has previously checked into mental health facilities and has opened up about dealing with anxiety. So, hearing both ladies on the track "Anxiety" is all the more meaningful. It shows they're finding support in each other. The lyrics in the song will likely resonate with those experiencing anxiety. The chorus goes: "They don't understand why I can't sleep through the night / I've been told that I could take something to fix it / Damn, I wish it, I wish it was that simple, ah / All my friends they don't know what it's like, what it's like."
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"Breathin'" by Ariana Grande
Republic Records
Ariana Grande has become one of the biggest celebrities to speak out about mental health and the pressures modern society faces. The singer has been candid about life after the Manchester bombing, telling the world she suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder since the attack. "Breathin'" addresses her anxiety. The topic is sung over a dance-pop beat which gives the song a powerful uplifting quality. "Feel my blood runnin', swear the sky's fallin' / How do I know if this sh*t's fabricated, oh? / Time goes by and I can't control my mind." She croons. As she says, "Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'/ And oh, I gotta keep, keep on breathin.'"
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"Fight Song" by Rachel Platten
Columbia Records
Some of the mental health songs that have the most impact are the ones that encourage us to keep going. And there's nothing like the "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten for morale-boosting and encouragement. Even if you don't start out feeling positive, you'll be booming "This is my fight song / Take back my life song / Prove I'm alright song / My power's turned on / Starting right now I'll be strong / I'll play my fight song" before long. She revealed that she wanted the song to be vulnerable. Additionally, the singer wanted to open about the things in her past that were hurting her. She was struggling with making music in the industry and the track is like a love letter to herself that she's fabulous and can keep on going.
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"Mad Hatter" by Melanie Martinez
Atlantic Records
The chorus in "Mad Hatter" by Melanie Martinez goes, "I'm nuts, baby, I'm mad / The craziest friend that you've ever had / You think I'm psycho, you think I'm gone / Tell the psychiatrist something is wrong." The song doesn't sugarcoat words or skirt around topics. It takes words with negative mental health connotations like "psycho" and "nuts" and helps to reclaim them. The experience is heightened even more with the music video. If you've seen the video, you'll know it plays into the song title with a fantastical off-kilter world. The song powerfully ends, "All the best people are crazy, all the best people are" sung twice. It's a line that will hopefully stick in people's minds and help them see a different perspective.
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"Sober" by Demi Lovato
Hollywood Records
"Sober" by Demi Lovato is a real, honest account of the singer's struggle with sobriety. Its lyrics and message have an even greater impact now because the singer overdosed after the release of the song and went into treatment. What some might not know was the song was created at a 2018 Bali Invitational song-writing camp. The honest lyrics are telling about Demi's thoughts on relapsing from the first line "I got no excuses." It's intensified with the apologies to her parents and the "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know why / I do it every, every, every time / It's only when I'm lonely" chorus repeated multiple times.
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"In My Blood" by Shawn Mendes
Universal Island Records
We've talked about a bunch of female singers who have penned heartfelt songs about their demons and mental health issues. Now, let's focus on the guys. Shawn Mendes might be known for his adorable commercial pop and image, but it's a mistake to think that means he only sticks with "bubblegum" topics. "In My Blood" is a deeply personal track about the Canadian singer's anxiety. The song is especially significant because it marked the first time he opened up about it. The song begins, "Help me, it's like the walls are caving in / Sometimes I feel like giving up / But I just can't /It isn't in my blood."
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"Heavy" by Linkin Park and Kiiara
Warner Bros. Records
It can be hard to listen to "Heavy" by Linkin Park and Kiiara knowing that the previous band's frontman Chester Bennington committed suicide the same year the song was released. The members of Linkin Park helped write the song after they had a frank conversation about the things going on in their lives. It turned out there were some "heavy" things they grappled with. Their discussion is how the song and title came to be. Lyrics like "I don't like my mind right now / Stacking up problems that are so unnecessary" and "You say that I'm paranoid / But I'm pretty sure the world is out to get me" address this. Kiiara's verses add even more to the track. Furthermore, the video of her and Chester battling their problems with double versions of themselves adds to the impact of the emotional lyrics.
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"Breathe Me" by Sia
Atlantic Records
A lot of Sia songs address inyrndr feelings and encourage us to overcome obstacles. Consider her "Titanium" feature with David Guetta or the emotional "Chandelier." Think back to before those hits and before she started covering her face with elaborate wigs and hats. "Breathe Me" was an emotional ballad. It was actually written on the night the Australian singer attempted suicide and survived. Even if people didn't know that when they listened to the song, they will still see the hurt and depression from the lyrics. She sings, "Help, I have done it again / I have been here many times before / Hurt myself again today." What's also key about the lyrics is that she is asking for a friend to "hold her up" and "breathe me."
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"Angels and Airwaves" by Angel Haze
Universal Island Records
"Angels and Airwaves" by Angel Haze is another one of the mental health songs that opens up about the issues facing so many. The rapper revealed to Rolling Stone that the song was born after a guy told her about his suicidal thoughts. "He told me all these things about his life and his struggles," she explained. "I took that and I turned it into a song for him on my album." The final lyrics feature verses like, "You can make it, keep ya fingers crossed tonight / Put your headphones on and turn off the lights / There's angels in the airwaves tonight." The track is also important because mental health is something that impacts African-American communities more, but there's a stigma about it. Songs like this help break it down.
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"Gasoline" by Halsey
Astralwerks
Halsey is someone who always tries to keep it real. She has previously talked about bipolar disorder, a suicide attempt, and dealing with the effects of experiencing miscarriage. "Gasoline" addresses mental health head on with the opening line, "Are you insane like me?" It repeats, "I think there's a flaw in my code / These voices won't leave me alone / Well my heart is gold and my hands are cold." The track discusses dreams, comments from other people, and "being part of a machine." The heartfelt lyrics will likely have listeners pausing and considering their lives and how they react to other people.
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"Warrior" by Demi Lovato
Hollywood Records
Here's another Demi Lovato song focused around mental health. We couldn't only include one of the singer's tracks because mental health is a topic that is very important to her. "Warrior" was released five years before "Sober." "Warrior" is actually a sequel of sorts to "Skyscraper." The follow-up reflected on her struggles and how she is going to fight through them. It even begins with her revealing she's going to tell a story she hasn't told. The theme is that despite the hard times, she is going to continue. Sample lyric: "Now I'm a warrior / Now I've got thicker skin / I'm a warrior / I'm stronger than I've ever been." It's an empowering song that we could all listen to when we're feeling defeated or like we don't have anyone that believes in us.
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"The Monster" by Eminem and Rihanna
Shady Records
When we think of Rihanna's music, the first things that often come to mind are catchy lyrics and beats. And Eminem is known for his controversial lyrics and DGAF attitude. "The Monster" track showed a different side to both of them with its references to mental health. The song was written by the two artists along with Bebe Rexha and Jon Bellion. RiRi's lines focus on her inner demons while Slim Shady's look at the negative side of fame. The lyrics resonated with people going through rough patches in general. See: "I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed / Get along with the voices inside of my head / You're trying to save me, stop holding your breath / And you think I'm crazy, yeah, you think I'm crazy." Part of the video features Eminem at a therapy session.
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"Fake Happy" by Paramore
Fueled by Ramen
Have you ever tried to put on a "brave face" and hide how you're really feeling inside? The majority of us have done it and we've likely done it for a variety of reasons. "Fake Happy" by Paramore is a song that explores it. It's honest, candid, and has all of the feelings. Hayley Williams sings, "I love making you believe / What you get is what you see / But I'm so fake happy I feel so fake happy / And I bet everybody here / Is just as insincere." It is such a true statement. She continues, "Oh please don't ask me how I've been / Don't make me play pretend." If you've never seen the video, watch it because it strengthens what is being said in the pop-rock track.
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"Clinic" by Muncie Girls
Specialist Subject Records
This is one of those mental health songs that is deeply personal. "Clinic" was penned when Muncie Girls frontwoman Lande Hekt was trying to cope with a difficult mental health period. Furthermore, it comments on the flaws of the health care system. See the line: "I called the clinic and they said it was a three-week wait / 'But the doctor'll give you something just to get you through the day.' / I'm scared, I've never felt like this before." There are other songs from the same album, Fixed Ideals, that look at mental health. They include "Falling Down," "Laugh Again," and "Picture of Health."
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"Numb" by Linkin Park
Warner Bros. Records
A second Linkin Park song makes it onto the list. This one still has the same emotional impact as "Heavy." The track "Numb" was released way back in 2004 but it is still one of the first songs that people think of in regards to relating to mental health. Its mainstream success helped spawn more conversations about mental health and it still remains important today. In 2018, it reached one billion views on YouTube. The video depicts a teenage girl struggling to fit in. Combined with lyrics like "I've become so numb, I can't feel you there / Become so tired, so much more aware" and "I'm tired of being what you want me to be / Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface", it is an iconic song that talks about important topics.
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"Hit the Switch" by Bright Eyes
Saddle Creek Records
"Hit the Switch" by Bright Eyes isn't a behemoth hit like some of the others on the list, but it doesn't matter. Record sales and views don't negatively impact the message of the song. The deeply felt lyrics highlight the feelings of loneliness and isolation many can often feel. The 2005 track begins, "I'm staring out into that vacuum again / From the back porch of my mind / The only thing that's alive I'm all there is." It also touches on drinking and alludes to it as a coping mechanism. "'Cause there's a switch that gets hit and it all stops making sense / And in the middle of drinks, maybe the fifth or the sixth / I'm completely alone at a table of friends / I feel nothing for them. I feel nothing, nothing."
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