emotional music for writing sad scenes (instrumental playlist)

Are you looking for the perfect instrumental playlist for writing emotional, sad scenes? I've got you. This playlist is a one-hour mix of some of my favorite background music for writing heartbreaking moments – breakup scenes, character death scenes, or your protagonist remembering their tragic past... I hope you enjoy listening! Every month I post a new thoughtfully-curated playlist (both instrumental and lyrical) to inspire your writing sessions. Comment below with requests!

✨T I M E S T A M P S✨

00:00 Fracture - Benjamin Monday
03:15 Hunger, Thirst - Johannes Bornlof
05:21 The Weight of My Tears - Cobby Costa
07:02 The Vanished - John Barzetti
09:02 Always Too Late - Benjamin Monday
10:59 At The Plaza - Cobby Costa
12:52 Beloved - Gavin Luke
16:23 Circular - Silver Maple
19:30 False Route - Christophe Gorman
21:20 Figure - Benjamin Monday
23:10 In The Time of Cholera - Christian Andersen
25:30 In This Together - Boil The Ocean
27:38 Light Through Prison Bars - Jon Bjork
29:39 Mr. Thomas’ Decision - Benjamin Monday
31:40 Oh The Humanity - Gabriel Lewis
33:59 Residuum - Silver Maple
36:36 Returning to Base Camp - John Barzetti
39:02 Reverie - LUCHS
42:12 Stormy Nights Ahead - Miles Avida
44:19 The Joys and Sorrows of Life - Johannes Bornlof
47:05 The Slow Tick of Time - Alfie-Jay Winters
49:07 Unspoken - Silver Maple
54:14 Vulnerable and Resilient - John Barzetti
56:32 What Happens Next - Christophe Gorman
58:08 What We Do To Forget - Johannes Bornlof
01:00:18 Where Are The Stars - Silver Maple

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INSTRUMENTAL ONLY:

WITH LYRICS:

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✨F O L L O W ✨

✨ A B O U T ✨
My name is Abbie Emmons I teach writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling, transforming their ideas into a masterpiece, and creating a lifestyle that makes their author dreams come true.

Story isn’t about “what happens” — it’s about how what happens affects and transforms the characters. I believe that there is an exact science (a recipe, if you will) behind a perfect story. And if you know what ingredients you need, you can create your own perfect story with ease and confidence. That’s what we talk about every week on this channel – and if it’s something you’re into, be sure to subscribe and join this community!

[demi]

I'm writing a scene right now where the main character finds out that her best friend was pregnant when she committed suicide. This is exactly what I need because if I don't feel torn apart while writing it, no one will.

[aestheticly_pink]

omg perfect for the scene in my story! there's a vial of poison that someone has to drink to save their realm and 4 characters who all have to decide who will drink it out of the 4 of them. Instead of arguing about not wanting to drink it, all 4 of the characters volunteer to drink it so that the others don't have to die. while everyone 2 of them are arguing, the main character notices that the 3rd character is sitting by herself all alone. when the main character goes to talk to her the other character starts saying things like "Tell my sister that I'm sorry" and the main character then realizes the empty vial in the other character's hand.

[theteenager]

Everyone agrees that Abbie isn't human, she is an angel! ✨🥺

[B.K-mw]

Right now I'm writing a novel about a young girl in college who finds her own dead body in a field in her dead father's hometown. She goes through emotional abuse from her neglectful mother and she deals with loads of trauma. However, it's never shown through trauma dumping it on her friends. She expresses it throughout the story with simple gestures that serve as hints and explanations. It might be the best thing I've written so far, putting everything that has happened in my own life in a blender and then seasoning it heavily with fiction.


This playlist is just perfect for the "background story" chapters and her getting betrayed by her close friends. And definitely the scenes when she finds the body and commits suicide. Just stellar. Great work!

[dorrin]

"You were my brother, Anakin! I loved you!"

[chancepeterson]

This gives me so much to work with! I’m at a sad part rn where one of my characters, a bright, kindhearted little girl who everyone loves has just fought tooth and nail with what little power she has to protect two orphan children she considers her own little brothers and got half her face blown off in the process. She’s in a coma and no one knows if she’s going to wake up and the protagonist is praying to god for the first time in his life, begging him to bring her back, as at this point in the story he thinks of her as his own daughter.

[TheTexasLass]

I had to somehow convey the agony of my main character discovering that all his efforts to save his best friend were in vain and, to add insult to injury, he himself isn't even real. I was stucker than stuck until I searched for "sad writing music" in utter desperation, and here I am. My scene is written, my main character is dead, and I'm sticking this in a playlist. Thank you for the lovely music mixes, Abbie!

[taylenespence]

“Mom, can I stay home? I want to make sure she is alright.”
“No, go to school. I will watch her.”
If I had known that that would be the last time I held her alive I would have stayed. I had texted my mom during lunch asking if the vet said anything and how she was doing. My mom never replied.
As I walked into the house after school I felt my heartbreak as if it were glass. There Tora laid wrapped in her favorite blanket. It was as if the whole world had stopped as my backpack fell to the floor. My sister rushed to her and tried to wake her up. My brother sat next to her. His face was already full of tears. As I walked to her body and sat down next to her my face was already wet with tears. Her once warm body was now cold and stiff.

[purplepuddlesuwu]

Me getting ready to tear apart my character for the 5th time today

[mbk]

writing a short story where the ML dies again and again and again and the MC tries to save his love but fails every single time. He lives through multiple lives and is tired yet he still wants to save his soulmate. It's a happy ending tho!! This playlist is perfect for it!

[its.diot]

"10 bucks says one of us won't make it out alive." His voice was a little unsure, but still a hint of tease.

We both stand looking down at the abyss at our feet. Knowing this could either end in a good or bad way.

"Yeah.." I mumble quietly.

"I wish it's you who dies tho, I intend to live a much longer life, so far so good." He pesters further.

I stay quiet looking down. "I wish that too." I add.
Waves of tranquillity wash past us as the serene atmosphere consumes us.

"But what if it's you?" I look up at him only to realise he's been looking at me the entire time.

"Well, then tell my friends to suck it. And that I had a great life with them." He shrugs casually as I nod.

"What if it's you? Who do I tell? Oh, my bad-" He laughs "You don't have anyone alive who cares about you."

He was just being his usual self, the barbaric, rustic guy he's always been.
Why do I expect some emotions from him anyway? He's just merely another guy who hates me.

"Well, then tell yourself that you're not as terrible as you think you are, " I speak, my voice placid.

"No, I'm much worse." He smirks.

"And that you'll be fine." I add.

"I've always been." He reciprocates.

"This is it then, " I look back down at the dark hole. Preparing myself to die at any given moment. At this point, I had nothing to lose.

"I'm quite curious for a guy who is about to die, but what if this was our last meet?" He speaks up.

"Then? You'd be happy right? Like you've clearly mentioned." I respond, a little salty. I never did like him very much anyway.

"Oh my, it would be the best day of my life." He smiles wide expressing his mirth. "Wouldn't have to drag your whiny self everywhere."

"While that's true, you have to admit, I'm fun being around." I joke, trying to keep my tears at bay.

"Please- you're the most annoying and hardest person to deal with." He denies waving his hand.

"Not even a little bit?" I push for an answer just for the validation I was seeking.

"Well, " he looks up pretending to think. "No." He answers with a straight face.

"Fine." I reply hiding the disappointment in my voice. "Let's get this done with." I pull my jacket together bracing myself.

"Calm down young woman. You're in a little too much hurry for someone who has a fifty per cent chance of dying." He chuckles running fingers through his hair.

"What do you want me to do? Have a small talk with you?" I furrow my brows.

"Well, you could answer my question." He shrugs.

I huff rolling my eyes. "What question?"

"If this is really the last time we're seeing each other, don't you have anything to say?" He steps closer next to me, probably preparing to jump in.

I stand there in mere silence, in what feels like forever, I finally come up with something.
Turning towards him, I smile a little.

"It was nice while it lasted, " I confess.

He looks at me, almost in surprise but wouldn't let it reflect. Looking away, he scoffs a little to himself.

"If you think I'm going to save you because you said something nice, you're wrong, ginger." He adds.

I laugh shaking my head. "It's alright." I turn to him. "Saving me wasn't your job anyway."

It almost looked like he wasn't expecting that. His brows knitted together as I look away and step a little closer to the edge.

"You didn't hear mine." He says immediately.

"Go ahead, " I say without looking at him.

A moment of pause and then he speaks.

"Out of all the foes I've had, you're the best one." I could hear the smirk in his voice.
"It was a nice ride with all the mean things we said to each other because I surely did fighting with you." He adds.

"Mm.." I hum quietly. A tear surfaces my eyes as I quickly blink it away.

"So yeah.." He steps forward. Now right next to me, looking down at the pitch-black darkness.

"It was nice while it lasted."
And with that, we jump.


I'm writing an enemies to lovers story on Wattpad if anyone's interested. My username if 'Louisgurl1D' and my book is called 'Destined [h.s]'💕💅🏻

[sxrpenshire]

Am I going to use this to write a fanfic? Yes. Yes, I am.

[juggler]

"Stay." Rein's voice trembled, hands lying on the glass wall that separated him from the one he loved. Tears swelled, an unspoken prayer, before they slipped off his trembling lashes. "Please."

Ethea gave him an apologetic smile. "I can't be your other half."

Of course, she could. If there was one who could, it was her. But he knew she'd deny it if he ever asked, so he didn't. Yet, she's leaving. "Then don't be. Just keep me company, yeah?"

She stepped back and shook her head. "Rein. Take care of the palace for me, will you?"

Rein's hands fisted, fury he'd learnt to control for her sake taking ahold of him. "You said you'd save me! You said you'd help me out!"

Ethea flinched, nails digging into her palms to prevent them from reaching out to him. From embracing him. Indeed, she'd made such promises, but it was on the premise that he'd continue to hate her like he always did. But then he stopped hating and started something else. "And you said you hated me. You should've continued to hate me."

Now, she had to play the bad guy.

[heatherwind]

This is perfect for what I'm working on right now -- thank you so much for keeping it instrumental as well. I get so distracted by anything with lyrics when I try to write. Beautiful mix!

[MLBeditsU-bcsp]

3:16 is my favorite, i can truly feel the emotion

[VictorVlogz]

"How do we win?" "By sacrificing everything"

[cristalyz]

Happy writing everyone! Hope the scene you are working one comes out just like you expected 💗💗

[reggiemedellin]

Right now I am writing a scene, in which the lover of my main character wakes up from a coma, and he reminds them all, except her. This playlist was what I needed to cry at ease

[yikes.]

i swear reading sad fanfictions to this really teleports you into another universe... i also use this to write my own books or fanfictions and this really heps me to set the mood and makes writing sad scenes just so easy like literally.... the story writes itself with this playlist... thank you for making these.. your taste is immaculate

[BrianWanke]

“ So that’s it. I didn’t get to do anythin’ important for the world. I’ll just be forgotten, insignificant. Like all the others of my kind. You have no right to be sad over me, Delilah. “

“ That ain’t true, love. When my ma died I’d felt nothin’ I’d ever felt before. Then you came in. ‘ When darkness comes, the stars’ll come too. ‘ You taught me that. When we were just girls we’d stay up late and read that book together till we just couldn’t stay awake no more. You know, I was terrified of everythin’. My ma was just as healthy as all o’ us, then I blinked and she was gone. You helped me see that there’s always something or someone to look forward to, to care for like you’ve never cared before. You shouldn’t just live constantly in fear, when you know there’s such wonderful thing as love. And then I blinked, and I wasn’t so scared anymore. You mean more than you’ll ever know. Rose might’ve brought the world some entertainment, but you. You brought this one girl more love and more hope than she ever coulda dreamt of. You brought me another chance at, shoot, everythin! Everybody is gonna play their part, then they’re gonna go. You’re only gonna live half as long as anybody normally would, but you played your part just as well. Now, you’re gonna have to accept that it’s time to go, and that you did just fine. You did just fine, ... Okay?… “

This scene happens in the second book of my fantasy world, ( only figured out the dialogue cuz I haven’t finished book 1, also Rose is an old Royal who made lots of adventure books that inspired lotsa people ) where basically the MC’s best friend/adopted sister has always wanted to do something really important for the world, and would always share her dreams with the MC. She’d talk about being the first of her kind to travel space, or making up some great invention that would change the world. But she got sick when she was still too young, and started isolating herself from the family. Eventually on her last day the MC got to talk to her on the cliff they met and watch the sunset slowly fade into night, as the MC got to tell her something she always thought she would’ve been able to figure out herself over time.

“Thank you, ” I said, still holding back tears as I held her in an embrace. “For being there in my darkest times.”

“Thank you, ” she said, pulling back so I could see her weak smile. “For being there for everything.”

And then, she was gone.