The genre of rock music isn't necessarily known for having tear-jerking tunes. However, there are still quite a few rock songs that are extremely tragic.
In April 2026, Far Out magazine showcased this by releasing a list of "10 most depressing rock songs ever." The ranking featured sad songs such as 1975's "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin's 1979 classic, "All My Love," Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird, released in 1977, and "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton, released in 1992.
The publication rankedJohnny Cash's 2002 "Hurt" as the "most depressing rock song" of all time. Far Out reported that Cash's Nine Inch Nails cover is especially painful, as it seems that the famed country singer, who died in 2003 at 71, had a deeply personal connection to the song and was lamenting his past behavior by reciting the lyrics.
Producer Rick Rubin Shared Behind-the-Scenes Information About Why Johnny Cash Recorded 'Hurt' in 2025
"Hurt" is the second track off of Cash's last album, 2002's American IV: The Man Comes Around. In a 2025 interview with Rick Beato,Rick Rubin, who co-produced the record with Cash, shared that he had recommended that the "I Walk the Line" singer record "Hurt." Rubin explained that he chose "Hurt" "because of the lyrics," which Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor penned.
"If you listen to the words, if you forget the music, if you forget what Nine Inch Nails sounds like, and you just read it like a poem, and you imagine a 70-year-old man reading these lyrics, it'll be profound. It is profound," said the record producer.
Rubin also noted that Reznor was in his late 20s when Nine Inch Nails recorded the original 1995 song.
"When you are 20 years old talking about regret, it's heartbreaking, but it's heartbreaking in a different way because you have your whole life to figure it out. When you are looking back over your life at the end of your life, with regret, it's brutal," stated Rubin in the 2025 interview.
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