A new international study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that music lyrics play a powerful role in helping people navigate emotional struggles, especially during times of crisis.
The research shows that when people feel sad, isolated, or overwhelmed, they don’t just turn to music for distraction—they turn to lyrics that mirror their feelings and help them make sense of what they’re going through.
The study was led by Professors Renana Peres and Adi Levy from the Business School and Professor Roni Granot from the Department of Musicology at Hebrew University. It looked at more than 2,800 songs selected by people from 11 countries during the first COVID-19 lockdown—a time when emotional stress and isolation were widespread around the world.
Participants were asked to choose songs that helped them cope emotionally during that period. The researchers then analyzed the lyrics of these songs and found clear patterns: people struggling with sadness or personal loss often chose songs with themes of grief, life and death, and reflection, while those dealing with loneliness were drawn to lyrics about belonging and connection.
Interestingly, the study found that the emotional tone of the lyrics was more important than the musical qualities—such as speed, key, or rhythm.
This suggests that while music helps people feel, the words in the songs help them process and understand their emotions. In other words, the lyrics serve as emotional anchors, providing language and structure for feelings that are often hard to explain.
Professor Granot noted, “This research shows that people use music as a kind of emotional toolkit. Lyrics help express deep emotions like grief, hope, or longing—especially when people can’t find the right words themselves.”
The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, is the first of its kind to link lyrical content directly to emotional coping on a large scale. It offers a new way to understand how music supports mental health—not just as background noise, but as a deliberate and meaningful form of self-care.
Professor Peres emphasized the practical value of the findings: “We now have evidence that lyrics really matter when it comes to emotional coping. This could change the way we use music in therapy, in grief support, or even how streaming services build playlists to promote mental well-being.”
The researchers believe their work could have wide-reaching effects. For example, therapists might use more lyric-based music in treatment, or streaming services could design personalized playlists not just based on genre or tempo, but also on emotional needs.
Public health campaigns and memorial services could also use songs with meaningful lyrics to bring comfort and connection during difficult times.
In a world where mental health is becoming an increasingly important conversation, this study highlights something we’ve always known deep down—music speaks when words fail, and lyrics can say what we’re too overwhelmed to express.
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The research findings can be found in Frontiers in Psychology.
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