Why the Song “SAD!” Sucks

SAD!, by the artist XXXTENTACION, hits a key of Eb Major and moves at a tempo of 150 BPM.

The introduction stands out in the song and starts with synthesized chords. These chords lay out a I-vi-IV-V progression.

While this pattern is familiar, the fourth chord is extended, creating a richer sound. A final chord starts off the beat, catching listeners by surprise compared to the rather static first three chords.

This introductory setup repeats, featuring a pseudo-distorted guitar melody and a heavily reverberated kick drum, which serves well in establishing the musical theme.

At 0:25, the chorus begins but doesn’t bring much change. The melody is simple and the beats are accompanied by hi-hats and snare.

One significant absence is the bassline. This is a key element in many songs, usually providing the low-pitched sounds that balance the overall sound structure.

In SAD!, this element is missing. The kick drum, although low in frequency, is not pitched like in other hip-hop tracks, leading to a notable void in the song’s depth.

The melody has unique qualities, with certain aspects that might appeal to listeners. It begins with a descending scale and then shifts to lower pentatonic notes.

This is a refreshing change from melodies that often rise. There’s a catchy segment in the chorus where the lyrics “I’m sad, you know, yeah” follow a straightforward note pattern, contributing a simple yet effective melodic line.

This melodic catchiness in parts does not compensate for the overall lackluster elements of SAD!.

The repetitive chorus is another point of critique. The first chorus repeats immediately with no changes, which can come across as uncreative.

Moving into the verse, the percussion drops, creating a sense of progression, but the absence of a bass line makes it sound too similar to the intro after a brief section of drums.

When the drums return, there’s hardly a difference between the verse and the chorus, other than the change in melody.

The verse melody itself is somewhat inconsistent. It almost feels disjointed but shows an effort to maintain coherence.

Ending the phrase “hate when you leave” on a note below the tonic might have aimed for a moody effect, but it feels lacking due to the choice of descent.

After the verse, we return to the chorus, followed by another repetition with slight additions like sporadic piano notes but no significant new elements.

The pattern and structure continue to loop, making the song feel like it’s dragging a simple idea for almost three minutes without significant variation.

The form of the song is as follows:

Form Structure:

• Intro
• Chorus
• Chorus
• Verse
• Chorus
• Chorus
• Bridge (similar to Intro)
• Chorus
• Chorus
• Outro (same as Intro, fades out)

SAD!’s lyrics also come under criticism. They’re seen as lacking depth and relying on overused themes like “it’s torture bein’ in love” and “she took my heart and left me lonely.”

These tropes don’t necessarily have to be complex to be meaningful, but simplicity shouldn’t equate to redundancy.