Spotify built an algorithm that aims to quantify the amount of sadness in a music track. The streaming service collected metadata on each of the 35 million songs in their database and judge them with a scoring system. Tracks with high valence sound more positive, tracks with low valence are more positive. There is also similar scoring for how fast, loud and noisy a track may be.
Based on this Spotify research and scoring system, these are the saddest Billboard number one songs from 1958 to 2018:
- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack (number 1 in 1972)
- Three Times a Lady – Commodores (1978)
- Are You Lonesome Tonight? – Elvis Presley (1960)
- Mr. Custer – Larry Verne (1960)
- Still – Commodores (1979)
This topic prompted the topic of choosing your favorite sad song. Bobby Bones Show members chose their favorite as well as talked with listeners about their favorites. Here they are:
- Brad Paisley & Allison Krause “Whiskey Lullaby”
- Garth Brooks “The Dance”
- John Mayer “Slow Dancing In A Burning Room”
- R.E.M. “Everybody Hurts”
Amy’s favorite sad song:
- Coldplay “Fix You”
Lunchbox’s favorite sad song:
- Eminem “Stan”
Eddie’s favorite sad song:
- Johnny Cash “Hurt”
