Nearly every track from this album, which shares its title, is steeped in darkness.

The Swedish metal band pushes the limits of the genre with their experimental sound.

A critic from Ultimate Guitar described it as “telling a gloomy story of a time plagued by disease and perversions,” making it a truly haunting composition.

Next up is Giles Corey, delivering a track as bleak and haunting as they come.

Written during a period of deep depression and suicidal contemplation, the song takes an unsettling turn.

The screams heard in the title track are reportedly from him suffocating in a plastic bag with small holes to restrict oxygen, all while wrapped in cloth to remain in darkness.

Now that’s an extreme method…

This indie pop hit might have an infectious beat, but its lyrics reveal a much darker theme.

“All the other kids with the pumped up kicks / You better run, better run / Outrun my gun.”

Beneath the catchy melody lies a chilling narrative about a troubled kid who finds his dad’s gun and plans a school shooting.

Definitely not as upbeat as it first sounds…

La Dispute is a staple for any angsty teen’s playlist, blending heavy instrumentals with raw, spoken-word poetry.

This track, however, takes their dark storytelling to another level.

It follows a young man caught up in gang violence who accidentally shoots a child.

Consumed by guilt, he flees to a hotel, where he ultimately takes his own life.

Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas are musical masterminds, and this track was a major breakthrough in her rise to fame.

Eilish has shared that the song stems from a deeply unsettling experience:

“Sleep paralysis, night terrors. It’s like the whole night is terrifying, and then I wake up.”

The haunting lyrics are written from the perspective of a sleep paralysis demon, making it all the more chilling.

“I Don’t Like Mondays” set the stage for songs like Pumped Up Kicks—a deceptively upbeat tune with a chilling subject matter: a school shooting.

While the chorus might feel relatable to anyone dreading the start of the week, the verses paint a far darker picture.

Lyrics like “And school’s out early and soon we’ll be learning / And the lesson today is how to die” serve as a stark reminder of the tragic real-life event that inspired the song.

Tom Jones’ Delilah is best remembered for its catchy chorus, but the verses tell a much darker tale.

The lyrics reveal a story of obsession and murder, with the chilling line: “She stood there laughing / I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more.”

What sounds like an energetic singalong is actually about a man killing a woman after discovering her infidelity—quite the contrast from its upbeat melody!

Interestingly, there are a couple of Delilah songs that carry surprisingly dark meanings.

While one may seem like a heartfelt ode to long-distance love, music experts suggest it actually hints at an obsessive stalker.

This duality adds an eerie layer to what initially appears to be a romantic tune!

This song is truly chilling, presenting the story through letters from an obsessive fan to Eminem, known as “Stan.”

When Eminem doesn’t respond, the fan locks his pregnant girlfriend in the trunk of his car and drives off a bridge.

Eminem only learns of the tragic outcome when it makes the news, underscoring the dark consequences of obsession.

Another haunting track from Eminem reveals his feelings towards his mother, who suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy—a form of child abuse where parents fabricate or induce illnesses in their children.

In the song, Eminem expresses his painful realization: “I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn’t,” shedding light on the deep emotional scars left by his tumultuous upbringing.

This song, rich with biblical imagery and featuring “Hell” in the title, carries a darker message than one might expect.

Genius analyzed the lyrics and confirmed with Billie Eilish that it serves as a warning about climate change.

Lines like “Poisoning themselves now / Begging for our help, wow!” reflect the urgent plea for humanity to address the environmental crisis before it’s too late.

It’s a relief that Barbie was reimagined by Greta Gerwig and her team, as this song presents some troubling themes.

The lyrics suggest that men desire women to act like dolls, implying that they want control over them:

“Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please.”

This perspective highlights a problematic dynamic surrounding autonomy and objectification.

If you’ve seen a chilling online video or a recent horror movie, you might recognize this eerie song.

Not only is it unsettling to listen to, but the artist, Tiny Tim, had a rather bizarre story—he actually died on stage while performing it.

It’s no wonder this song has taken on a cursed vibe!

If you’ve watched American Horror Story: Hotel, you probably remember the intense scene where Lady Gaga murders a group of people to this song.

The track is already unsettling, and with lyrics like “I want to tear you apart,” it blurs the lines between love and violence, making it quite disturbing.

At first glance, this song feels like a fun throwback club anthem, but its deeper meaning is quite dark.

Released as a protest against the Vietnam War, it combines sobering statistics with electronic beats.

One of its iconic lines highlights the stark difference in the average age of combat soldiers:

“In World War II, the average age of the combat soldier was twenty-six; in Vietnam, he was nineteen.”

A popular crowd favorite, this song carries a surprisingly dark theme.

It portrays a Vietnam veteran as a tragic figure, struggling with alienation after returning from war.

Scholars in the journal American Quarterly discuss it as a lament for the embattled American working-class identity, exemplified by lines like,

“I been seeing a young guy with shoulder-length hair sittin’ in a wheelchair by the pool for several days.”

This song recounts the story of Charles Starkweather, who was just 19 when he embarked on a murder spree in 1958, killing 11 people in Nebraska with his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Fugate.

Their actions sparked widespread fears that rebellious movies and rock music were creating a new generation of offenders.

In a 1996 interview with NME, Springsteen mentioned that he originally considered “Starkweather” as the title for the song.

Thom Yorke describes “Creep” as the story of an intoxicated man who seeks the attention of a woman he’s attracted to by following her around, ultimately lacking the self-confidence to approach her.

The song resonates as an anthem for outcasts, with many relating to lines like, “I want a perfect body, I want a perfect soul.”

Metallica’s “One” solidified their reputation as one of the greatest metal bands.

The song is inspired by the 1939 book Johnny Got His Gun, which tells the story of a WWI soldier who awakens to find himself a prisoner in his own body after losing his arms, legs, and face to an artillery shell.

Rolling Stone describes Leonard Cohen’s album Songs of Love and Hate as his most depraved work, and the song in question epitomizes this.

It’s written from the perspective of a hunchback living at the bottom of a mountain, featuring unsettling lyrics such as,

“It is your turn, beloved / It is your flesh that I wear.”

Sufjan Stevens’ music is beautiful and folksy, often featuring unique themes, and this song is no exception.

It tells the story of the infamous killer clown who terrorized Illinois in the 1970s, and the album it comes from is titled Illinois.

Stevens expressed feeling a deep empathy for the serial killer, saying, “I felt insurmountable empathy not with his behavior but with his nature.”

Clocking in at an intense 12 minutes, this song begins with the narrator bidding farewell to his only friend, The End, and only becomes darker from there.

Morrison concludes the song with a retelling of the Oedipus story, which, if you’re familiar with the classics, reveals some pretty disturbing actions involving his parents.

A completely ordinary song title, right?

Rolling Stone referred to live versions as “a lysergically summoned haunted house, offering up door after door for you to open against your better judgment.”

Rather than telling a specific story, the song creates a lingering feeling that something terrible has occurred, leaving listeners to piece together what it might be.

With lines like “The sheets are red and moist where I’m lying / God in Heaven, teach me how to die,” it’s clear this eight-minute song is dark.

It narrates the story of a man who dies after surviving a plane crash and receiving treatment from an EMT.

While the song topped the charts, many radio stations banned it due to its unsettling content.

Rolling Stone points out that Alice Cooper’s songs often delve into shockingly dark themes, and this particular track, an ode to necrophilia, stands out.

In an interview, Cooper remarked on the challenge of shocking audiences today, saying,

“If I cut my arm off and ate it, OK, that would be shocking. But you can only do it twice.”

This song uses haunting metaphors to address a tragic moment in U.S. history.

Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” poignantly describes lynching, with lyrics like, “Southern trees bear strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root / Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze.”

It serves as a powerful reflection on the horrors of racism.

Rolling Stone highlighted Nick Cave’s commitment to exploring the grim and macabre in his music, particularly in his album Murder Ballads.

One of the songs tells the story of a man whose wife, Joy, is discovered “stabbed repeatedly and stuffed into a sleeping bag,” creating a narrative reminiscent of a musical version of a crime scene investigation.

This classic song, “Every Breath You Take” by The Police, is often mistaken for a romantic ballad, but its lyrics suggest a much darker theme of obsession and surveillance.

With lines like “I’ll be watching you,” it raises questions about stalking rather than love.

So, while it may be a favorite for many, it might be time to reconsider the implications behind those lyrics!

The song “My Sharona” by The Knack may sound upbeat and catchy, but its lyrics take a darker turn when you realize they’re about an older man’s infatuation with a younger woman.

Lines like “I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind” raise eyebrows and spark questions about the nature of the relationship.

The song’s playful tune often distracts from its more unsettling themes!

The 1975, a British indie rock band, have gained significant attention for their bold themes, and one of their songs explores the dark side of a toxic relationship reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde.

The narrative follows a young couple on a killing spree, with haunting lyrics like “Now everybody’s dead,” which reveals the extremity of their destructive bond.

This track showcases the band’s ability to blend catchy melodies with unsettling themes, making a powerful statement about love and violence.

The Beatles cover a wide range of themes in their music, including love, loss, and even darker topics like murder.

In one of their songs, the lyrics suggest a jealous boyfriend threatening a girl with lines like,

“You better run for your life if you can, little girl. Hide your head in the sand, little girl.”

Written by Lennon and McCartney, this track takes a surprisingly sinister turn, showcasing the band’s ability to explore complex emotions and relationships beyond their usual upbeat sound.

Mick Jagger referred to “Brown Sugar” as a “mish-mash” of “nasty subjects,” and while he might view it as ambiguous, the lyrics clearly address themes of assault and slavery.

Although The Rolling Stones were seen as rock icons during their era, revisiting this song reveals unsettling aspects that can leave listeners feeling uncomfortable.

Carole King penned this song after learning about a babysitter’s abusive relationship, where the boyfriend hit her regularly.

The most troubling line is, “He hit me / And I knew he loved me.”

Due to its dark subject matter, the song struggled commercially, receiving backlash from the public and being shunned by radio stations.

“99 Red Balloons,” originally written in German as “99 Luftballons,” is indeed a protest song with a darker meaning than its catchy melody suggests.

The song tells the story of two children releasing balloons, which are mistaken by military forces as a threat, setting off a series of events that lead to a nuclear war.

Its lyrics reflect the dangers of miscommunication, fear, and the potential for escalation in a world on the brink of conflict.

The song serves as a powerful anti-war statement, even though its upbeat tune might initially mask the gravity of its message.

Amidst the many parodies online, it’s easy to miss the song’s graphic nature.

Lines like “Would it be wrong? Would it be right? / If I took my life tonight” lead the track into a disturbing descent, filled with eerie madness and dark reflections as it unfolds.

This pop-punk anthem strikes a chord with teenagers due to its angsty themes.

Gerard Way emphasized its importance in an NME interview, explaining that it tackles the grave issue of youth violence in America, where “kids are killing kids.”

Hail The Sun’s “Disappearing Syndrome” is inspired by the haunting case of Elisa Lam, who was captured on hotel security footage acting strangely, talking to herself and interacting with a malfunctioning elevator.

Tragically, she was later found in one of the building’s water tanks. Guitarist Aric Garcia described the case as “[a] chilling and eerie” situation.

The Cranberries’ powerful hit “Zombie” addresses the tragedies of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

It was inspired by the IRA bombing in Warrington in March 1993, which led to the deaths of two children, Jonathan Ball (three years old) and Tim Parry (twelve), as well as injuries to fifty-four others.

The song serves as a poignant reminder of the violence and its devastating impact on innocent lives.

Yes, that well-known Christmas song has a surprisingly somber origin.

Songwriters Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker created it as an appeal for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Their emotional response to the conflict was so intense that they struggled to perform the song without breaking down.

It serves as a poignant reminder that even holiday music can carry deeper messages about the world’s challenges.