Music Blocks

Feeling Pretty Bad

Listen Later

Sometimes a musical phrase or a single line of lyrics can unlock those bad feelings we’ve tried to hide. Music can be a powerful way to capture the mood when we feel anxious, chaotic or a little bit numb. This episode features music about feeling bad from Olivia Rodrigo, Beyoncé, Radiohead, Hakki Bulut, Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard.

Stuff to think about after you’ve listened:

  • “Bad” can be a vague description of a feeling. What were some of the “bad”-feeling music selections that stood out to you from the episode? Would you describe the emotion in that music a different way?

  • What’s a song you know that you associate with feeling bad?

    • Ready to explore more music about feeling bad? Check out our playlists on Spotify or Apple Music.


    This is one of eight Music Blocks episodes exploring how musicians express emotions through sound. You can listen in any order. Find more episodes, discussion questions and playlists at MusicBlocksPodcast.org.

    Tell us how you're using Music Blocks in the classroom or at home, or share your playlists and music creations inspired by the podcast! Email us: [email protected]

    Music Blocks is a production of Colorado Public Radio's Audio Innovations Studio.

    Hosts and Producers: Luis Antonio Perez and Rebekah Romberg

    Editors: Jo Erickson and Dennis Funk
    Education Advisor: Carla Aguilar, Ph.D.
    Executive Producer: Brad Turner

    Thank you: Monika Vischer at CPR Classical, Bruce Trujillo and Willobee Carlan at Indie 102.3, Jodi Gersh, Kim Nguyen, Mia Rincón, Clara Shelton, Hart Van Denburg, and all the teachers and students who shared feedback and attended virtual focus groups as we developed this podcast.

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    Music BlocksBy Colorado Public Radio
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8

    4.8

    43 ratings

    More shows like Music Blocks

    View all
    This American Life by This American Life

    This American Life

    91,088 Listeners

    Fresh Air by NPR

    Fresh Air

    38,453 Listeners

    Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

    Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

    38,724 Listeners

    The Moth by The Moth

    The Moth

    27,231 Listeners

    Song Exploder by Hrishikesh Hirway

    Song Exploder

    5,985 Listeners

    Snap Judgment by Snap Judgment and PRX

    Snap Judgment

    11,608 Listeners

    All Songs Considered by NPR

    All Songs Considered

    3,143 Listeners

    Switched on Pop by Vulture

    Switched on Pop

    2,679 Listeners

    Good Life Project by Jonathan Fields / Acast

    Good Life Project

    3,323 Listeners

    Decoder with Nilay Patel by The Verge

    Decoder with Nilay Patel

    3,143 Listeners

    The Beethoven 9 by Colorado Public Radio

    The Beethoven 9

    53 Listeners

    Colorado Matters by Colorado Public Radio

    Colorado Matters

    181 Listeners

    Indie 102.3 Sessions by Colorado Public Radio

    Indie 102.3 Sessions

    4 Listeners

    Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast by Joshua Weilerstein

    Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

    2,144 Listeners

    Centennial Sounds by Colorado Public Radio

    Centennial Sounds

    7 Listeners

    Circle Round by WBUR

    Circle Round

    15,746 Listeners

    It's Been a Minute by NPR

    It's Been a Minute

    8,996 Listeners

    The Great Composers by Colorado Public Radio

    The Great Composers

    117 Listeners

    The Taxman by Colorado Public Radio

    The Taxman

    111 Listeners

    Who's Gonna Govern? by Colorado Public Radio

    Who's Gonna Govern?

    14 Listeners

    Purplish by Colorado Public Radio

    Purplish

    218 Listeners

    Strong Songs by Kirk Hamilton

    Strong Songs

    1,991 Listeners

    Since Columbine by Colorado Public Radio

    Since Columbine

    33 Listeners

    On Something by Colorado Public Radio

    On Something

    325 Listeners

    Back from Broken by Colorado Public Radio

    Back from Broken

    701 Listeners

    At A Distance by Colorado Public Radio

    At A Distance

    56 Listeners

    Systemic by Colorado Public Radio

    Systemic

    1,585 Listeners

    Ghost Train by Colorado Public Radio

    Ghost Train

    386 Listeners

    ¿Quién Are We? by Colorado Public Radio

    ¿Quién Are We?

    85 Listeners

    Terra Firma by Colorado Public Radio

    Terra Firma

    370 Listeners

    Parched by Colorado Public Radio

    Parched

    288 Listeners

    One Song by Hartbeat

    One Song

    1,135 Listeners

    Colorado In Depth by Colorado Public Radio

    Colorado In Depth

    7 Listeners

    The Wedge by Colorado Public Radio

    The Wedge

    43 Listeners