10 Perfect Rock Albums That Are Incredibly Sad

It is jarring to go from one of the ugliest records of the '90s to one of the Beatles, isn't it? Since Trent Reznor was known for making music that could give you scars, why would an album like Double Fantasy be on a list like this? John Lennon seems like a new man going through every one of these songs, but the context behind this record matters a lot when listening back to it.

Up until this point, John had been quietly retired from music, spending most of his time looking after his son Sean. When he finally decided to take his guitar down though, this record felt like the next logical step, with songs that meditated on what it's like to come of age and having to raise kids. The Intellectual Beatle definitely sounded reenergized, but he wouldn't have that much time to actually enjoy this kind of happiness.

Just a few months after this record hit shelves, John would be murdered in New York City, making this an unintended epitaph for his hit making days. Seeing how much energy he brought to these tracks, it's much more painful to listen back to songs like Beautiful Boy, as he talks about being so proud of his new son and looking forward to see him come of age in the next few years. From the songs on here, John looked like he was about to enter a new phase in his career, but it all got snuffed out in a couple of gunshots.