As Sophie Ellis-Bextor once observed, “It’s murder on the dancefloor”. But it’s sometimes fun to wallow in a little drama. This is where the sad banger comes in. It’s an anthem for the dumped, the disillusioned, or simply the thwarted romantic.
Abba probably started it, these Eurovision winners with their Scandinavian melancholy in the verses, but neon bright choruses. And this is the key to the sad banger dynamic- the bittersweet flavour.
In the eighties and nineties, who didn’t love swooning synth pop by Eurythmics, Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys? It was literate, beautiful, great to move to, and often teary eyed.
More recent creators of the sad banger are Robyn, Jorja Smith and Ex:Re. Genre wise, think indie you can dance to (Romy, Bjork) or R ‘n’ B with some soul searching (Solange, Blood Orange, etc).
Feeling bad never felt so good. It’s the ultimate pop paradox. Just keep dancing on your own.
Hit The North 