When I hear something like 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' or pretty much anything written by Jim Steinman, or if I have to listen to the braying idiocy of modern country, where some asselope takes yet another jingoistic phrase like 'Don't Count yer Chickens' and turns it into a rollicking tune, when I hear one of those awful American Idol singers flailing away at some pop standard, when I hear music like that, I get depressed. There is no other word for it. Don't tell me music can't be depressing....Would that it were true.

Yup. Good point there. Especially with those reality tv shows.

Once again, you're confusing subject matter with quality here. Not all art deals in positive emotions, that doesn't make it bad art.

Let me put it this way: Have you ever seen a movie that was sad? If so, does the fact that it was sad mean that it was a crappy movie?

I hate to break it to you, but melancholy is also a negative state of mind.

Yes

No.

Not sure of your point sorry.

Then we need to think fo a better word to describe it. One that's positive.

It's really not that hard to follow, but let me break it down for you:

1. Sadness is a negative emotion.
2. Some movies are sad.
3. Some of these sad movies are good movies.
4. Therefore it is obviously possible for a movie to evoke a negative emotion while still being a good movie.

Now let's apply the same logic to depressing music:

1. Depression is a negative emotion.
2. Some music is depressing.
3. Some of this depressing music is good music.
4. Therefore it is obviously possible for a piece of music to evoke a negative emotion while still being good music.

How would that make sense? As I’ve said before, you’re confusing content with artistic quality. They aren’t the same thing. To pick an example from literature: The content of Lord of the Flies is depressing and disturbing, but the artistic quality of the book is excellent. It’s a good book because it expresses what it expresses so well, but what it expresses is definitely quite depressing and disturbing.

But you've jumped to the conclusion that the sad movie has made the viewer depressed. Because of it's content.

If this is the case, then that person must be rather unstable - to have his or her entire frame of mind chanegd by a movie.

Right. But my problem is that people use the term "depressing music" as a detrimental term. Hinting that all music that is melanholic is bad. Because depression is bad.

I guess this is just a matter of opinion. Perhaps I am stronger mentally then. Because I've never listened to a song or watched a movie and then though how awful everything is.

Actually you're the one who has jumped to that conclusion, not me.

The only person I've seen doing that so far is you.

I think the real issue here is probably that you simply don't know what the word "depressing" means.

Well perhaps. Just thought I'd invoke debate.

This isn't the friendliest forum, I must say.

I'm not sure what you expected coming in and making an ill-informed instigating remark.

We just expect our users to be open minded and reasonable, and they see that behaviour returned when they deliver it.

Apologies for that. Which remark was illinformed and what did it instigate?