Sadness is generally seen as a negative emotion, but we tend to find it pleasurable in an aesthetic context. What is the nature of pleasure that people experience from listening to sad music?

This excerpt is reprinted with permission from NYU Press. It is adapted from Power in Listening: The Sounding Out! Reader.

Music can heal you in many ways, but nothing comes close to the salve of sad songs when you’re at your lowest. Imagine Emma, who comes home after a long and stressful day at work, dealing with tight ...

People who come to therapy after experiencing a difficult breakup often mention that they have been turning to music as a source of emotional release. They sometimes ponder questions like: “Why am I ...