What is considered the most sombre song ever recorded to avoid on Blue Monday 2025?

• Blue Monday 2025 is on the horizon.
• The day is considered the ‘gloomiest’ day of the year, owing to post-Christmas blues and post-Christmas debts.
• So perhaps it’s worth avoiding this particular song, dubbed ‘the most depressing song ever recorded.’

Say what you will if Blue Monday is an actual thing or just a myth/advertising stunt, but admittedly owing to the weather since the start of 2025, this year might just warrant the term.

While some of us in the newsroom have offered advice on how to boost your moods or make Blue Monday work for you financially, we’d cautiously with our advice regarding making a euphoric playlist this year.

There is one song in particular that has passed through the annals of time that is still considered the most melancholic song ever recorded - and its sorrow heightened even more after a world renowned singer covered the song in 1941.

It was also a song that was long considered the reason for a number of deaths after its release, though the composer themselves did not intend the number to be depressing but rather a reflection on the mournfulness they felt during a rough period of their life.

So - what is the most sombre song ever recorded and one to avoid this Blue Monday?

What is considered the most sombre song ever recorded?

That honour, for lack of a better term, goes to Gloomy Sunday, composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress in 1933, with lyrics written by László Jávor.

Originally, it wasn’t intended as a song meant to evoke a sense of melancholy or despair, but rather born out of a personal, somewhat melancholic mood Seress experienced during a tough period in his life.

However, upon its release, it quickly became known for its deeply sombre and emotionally charged nature, largely due to its haunting melody and lyrics that reflected themes of hopelessness, loss, and heartbreak.

The song’s dark tone and emotional intensity caught the attention of listeners, but it became infamous because of its association with a series of tragic events, including multiple suicide reports attributed to those who allegedly listened to the song.

These tragic stories led to its being dubbed the "Hungarian suicide song," ultimately contributing to its reputation as one of the most depressing songs ever recorded.

Interestingly, Gloomy Sunday was initially banned by several radio stations in various countries due to its morbid reputation. Despite its dark and seemingly cursed association, the song itself wasn’t inherently meant to be a “suicide anthem,” but rather an expression of deep sorrow, typical of the era’s more dramatic European compositions.

Has anyone of note covered Gloomy Sunday?

Yes, Gloomy Sunday has been covered by numerous artists over the years, but the most famous and influential version came from jazz legend Billie Holiday in 1941.

Her haunting rendition, recorded with the Sonny White Orchestra, is widely regarded as the definitive version. Holiday's deeply emotive and mournful delivery of the song only heightened its already intense melancholic reputation, cementing its place in both popular culture and the annals of musical history.

Holiday’s take on Gloomy Sunday added layers of vulnerability and despair to the composition, transforming it from a mere piece of European melancholia into an American jazz classic.

Her interpretation solidified the song’s place in the mainstream consciousness, making it synonymous with sorrow and heartbreak. It is often seen as a peak in Holiday's career, illustrating her unique ability to channel deep emotion through her vocal style.

Other notable covers include versions by Elvis Costello, Sarah McLachlan, and The Ramones, but none have matched the haunting impact of Billie Holiday’s iconic performance.

If you've chosen to listen to the track and want some help lifting your mood afterward, check out our tips on how music can boost your spirits and the best times of day to listen to uplifting tunes