10 Most Disturbing Songs of All Time

“Down with the Sickness” (2000)

Disturbed

Though its unique opening is what captured the listener's attention the most, lurking beneath the surface is a much more distressing message. Towards the end of the piece, lead singer David Draiman stopped singing. He opts for a spoken word verse about a minor abused by his mother, eventually fighting back with the added implication that she dies. The lyrics in this section are far more graphic than the rest of the song, resulting in criticism. The band has gone on to clarify themselves, saying it was all metaphorical— but regardless, the verse was cut from both the radio release and the music video.

“Lullaby” (1989)

The Cure

Not every distressing song has an overt message. With only a reoccurring tambourine and ambiguous lyrics, The Cure managed to evoke a sense of pure dread with their 1989 hit, “Lullaby.” There has been a litany of theories about the song’s content. The mystery has been kept alive by Robert Smith himself, who has offered multiple explanations. Regardless of its meaning, it perfectly captures a sense of impending doom. Each line describes the metaphorical spider coming closer and closer, leaving the listener feeling as though they’re being trapped as well. Despite that, it went on to hit the top ten in the United Kingdom— proving that even dreary tracks could still reach a wide audience.

“Daddy” (1994)

Korn


Some of the most distressing works of art are born from personal experience. This was unfortunately the case for Jonathan Davis of Korn, who was inspired to write “Daddy” about the abuse he experienced during his youth and how he wasn’t believed initially upon coming forward. The lyrics are blunt and unapologetic in their message, not sugarcoating a single detail. Even more disturbing than the words are the moments where nothing is said at all— such as Davis weeping over a lullaby, and five minutes of pure silence that follow it. The raw emotion combined with the eerie silence allows the message to truly sink in, capping off the piece with a cathartic moment that leaves a resonating feeling of pure dread.

“Dance with the Devil” (2001)

Immortal Technique

While the content is disturbing enough, what truly makes it so is the fact it’s allegedly true. Immortal Technique's “Dance with the Devil” details the story of a man falling further into gang life. Eventually, it takes a sharp turn as the narrator describes a night wherein the man is forced to take part in a vicious act against an innocent woman— who’s revealed to be his own mother. The narrator then admits that he took part in the crime and that the Devil is hunting him down for it. The rapper has gone on to maintain his innocence in whatever happened that night— but that it really did occur. That alone is enough to color the piece in an entirely new light.

“The End” (1967)

The Doors

What started as a simple break-up song ended up evolving into something much darker. “The End” was eventually extended to almost twelve minutes long. Each one reveals a more disturbing layer than the last. From saying goodbye to a failed relationship to accepting death, each line takes the listener further down the abyss. Eventually, it leads into a spoken word piece detailing Morrison’s take on the Oedipus complex, which then devolves into a flurry of curse words as the music reaches a frenzied climax. The sinister track is enough to leave anybody feeling on edge, serving as a perfect juxtaposition to the more carefree tunes that were popular at the time.

“Polly” (1991)

Nirvana

This was proof that even softer songs can have a truly distressing message. One of the best examples of this is Nirvana’s “Polly”-- a deceptively quieter track detailing the real-life case of a young girl who was kidnapped and horrifically tormented before eventually being able to escape. Simply retelling the events would’ve been enough. Cobain decided to take it a step further by including a detail wherein the victim convinces her abuser that she liked the torment. That one addition takes the track from bleak to full-on perturbing. The instrumental contrasts the disturbing lyricism, creating a layered track that has remained a standout in their discography.

“Kim” (2000)

Eminem

While the rapper is certainly no stranger to incorporating themes of violence in his music, this was a case where he nearly took it too far. Eminem’s contentious relationship with his ex-wife is well-known by this point, with “Kim” serving as the peak of his fury. In the emotionally-intense piece, he lays out a fictional scenario wherein he kills her new partner, before doing the same to her. He even imitates her screamed pleas for him to stop, which mingle with his own infuriated shouting in a truly discordant way. His usual humor was missing, making it clear that while the events didn’t take place, he meant every last word.

“Song of Joy”

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

A project composed entirely of murder ballads was bound to have plenty of dark content. One clearly stands out as the most frightening. “Song of Joy” is gripping from the very first second. Cave tells the story of a man who meets the love of his life – only for him to later find her and their daughters murdered in their own home. The grisly description of the events combined with the dark, steadily ramping production creates a genuinely gripping story that will leave the listener entranced and unsettled all at once. The final twist of the knife is the ambiguous ending – where it’s revealed that the perpetrator may have been the narrator himself.

“Ballad of Hollis Brown” (1964)

Bob Dylan

Murder ballads aren’t anything new. Artists have been creating them for centuries. Bob Dylan was no exception to this, penning several throughout his career. “Ballad of Hollis Brown” is one of his bleakest songs to date, and all it takes is one listen to understand why. Across nearly a dozen verses, Dylan tells the story of a man undergoing financial woes, leading to him and his family going hungry. As it continues, Hollis grows more desperate for relief – culminating in him shooting his family, before turning the gun on himself. Being sung through a second-person point of view forces the listener to put themselves into his shoes – creating a disturbingly relatable piece on how extreme poverty can affect a person’s psyche.

“Closer” (1994)

Nine Inch Nails


Though the content itself is meant to be unsettling, the most disturbing part is the way it was received. Every aspect of “Closer” was seemingly designed to be as unsettling as possible, from the distorted production to the lyrics detailing the narrator’s extreme self-hatred and how it manifests in his relationships. The intended toxicity comes to a head in the chorus, as he makes his unhealthy obsession clear. Unfortunately, it was taken in the exact opposite way upon being released, with many listeners interpreting it in a purely lustful way. It was taken so far out of context that it was voted one of the sexiest songs of all time – showing that even the darkest of messages can be lost if they’re catchy enough.


What song disturbs you the most? Let us know in the comments below!