It’s supposed to be the most romantic time of the year. But people around the world spend most of their time listening to songs about breakups and heartbreak.
Deezer, a global music streaming service, reported that Miley Cyrus’ powerful chart-topping song ‘Flowers’ was the most streamed song last year, with 1.6 billion streams.
With lyrics like “I can buy myself flowers” and “I can hold my own hand,” Deezer said the lyrics promote independence in a way that inspires and empowers listeners.
Other songs that listeners looked to for inspiration included Rihanna’s ‘Lift Me Up’, which focuses on lost people and how much they are missed, as well as Beyonce’s ‘Cuff It’, which advocated taking ownership of your life and Harry Styles song. ‘As It Was’, which has, is about accepting change and your old self.
Streaming app Deezer reported that the top 10 songs listened to on Valentine’s Day last year were sad and focused on self-love after a headache.
Last year, Deezer reported a 560 percent global increase in love songs in the days leading up to the 14th and believed this indicated that romance is still alive and well.
However, Deezer analyzed data for the top 10 songs streamed during the holiday and found that the most streamed songs “suggest that Valentine’s Day isn’t as romantic as we think.”
“We can assume that most people are in a romantic mood on Valentine’s Day or have planned a date, but these popular streaming options suggest otherwise,” said music and psychology expert Dr. Annemieke van den Tol.
“Ultimately, sad songs or songs about heartbreak can help people channel their own emotions.
“Finding out that someone else (the singer) has also experienced the same thing, but has overcome it, can give us hope and help us reframe any negativity,” van den Tol said.
Listeners are more likely to hear sad songs later in the night, according to Deezer, which added that these songs peaked around 8:15 p.m. on Valentine’s Day last year.
Listeners are more likely to hear sad songs later in the night that focus on how relationships have impacted them and the emptiness they left behind.
The 10 best songs are:
1. Miley Cyrus – Flowers
2. Tom Odell – Another Love: It focuses on unrequited love and discovering why you can’t be with the person you want.
3. Rihanna – Lift Me Up
4. Sam Smith, Kim Petras – Profane: Focuses on infidelity and describes cheating as “an ungodly thing.”
5. Harry Styles – Just as he was
6. Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, 21 Savage – Creepin’: Focuses on feeling betrayed by someone you love, but not wanting to know the truth.
7. David Guetta, Bebe Rexha – I’m Fine (Blue)
8. Shakira – Shakira: Bzrp Musical Sessions, vol. 53: In this song, Shakira focuses on being too good for who she used to be.
9. Måneskin – The Loneliest: Analyzes the deep feeling of loneliness and leaving the person you love.
10. Beyoncé – Cuff Him
Those who are newly single, sad and heartbroken will probably be sitting at home, listening to music that encompasses their pain rather than spending a night out on the town.
Experts say there’s a good reason why sad songs rank above happy lyrics, citing that they can heal a broken heart.
A 2022 study published in Psychology Today revealed that sad music can help people experiencing pain find joy and hope in life again, can activate empathy and improve their mood.
‘All of us will have experienced heartbreak, or probably will in the future. And during these times, you may find yourself listening to more sad music,” Dr. Douglas LaBier, author of the study, told Deezer.
“Listening to sad songs, like many of those revealed by Deezer’s streaming data, can soothe a broken heart by taking you away from worrying about sadness,” he continued.
‘It can help you echo your feelings of despair that you will never heal from your broken heart. Accepting the reality of your experience can point the way to healing actions.’
Research also shows that people feel pressured by Valentine’s Day, feeling like they need to be romantic, go on a date, or act like the holiday is meaningful to them, according to a 2020 survey by the dating app. A lot of fish.
The survey showed that 43 percent of respondents thought Valentine’s Day is the most pressure-inducing holiday, and one in five respondents wished the holiday could be canceled entirely.
In light of last year’s most popular music choices, Deezer is launching a ‘Love Channel’ to celebrate all love connections, not just romantic ones.
The songs will focus on self-love after pain and celebrating best friends, parents, grandparents and colleagues.
Professor Jane Edwards told Deezer that it’s important to celebrate self-love after a romantic disappointment, especially at this time of year.
“It can help you connect with your emotional state and even intensify feelings to achieve some type of emotional release,” she said.