He told the BBC radio programme The Why Factor that it comes down to a natural hormone4 called prolactin. He says: "as you might have guessed from the name, it's associated with ‘lactation' from breast-feeding. When people cry, they also release prolactin. And, there are circumstances in which prolactin seems to have this comforting effect." It seems that people who like sad music are maybe getting too much prolactin, or more than is normal, and when they hear sad, downbeat music, it gives them a good feeling. But if prolactin isn't released, or there isn't enough of it, some people find that sad sounds don't help to cheer them up.

 

Previous research by Durham University has also suggested that listening to sad music can trigger pain and sadness; but it can also provide comfort and even enjoyment5. A high number of people they surveyed were cheered up by listening to supposedly sad songs. Though the feeling may not be exactly the same as happiness, it may be the ability to cope with the sadness that gives the feeling of comfort.

 

So, reacting to sad music on the radio may have nothing to do with the melancholic6 sound of a string quartet or a singer who's got the blues7, but rather a natural chemical reaction taking place in our bodies. Maybe that explanation is music to your ears if you're wondering why you've be listening to Adele on repeat!