I have to say Alice in Chains  is a band I love but the music combined with lyrics and singing style ends up depressing me.

Lyrics about substance abuse unhappiness give me a  bleak feeling

Even upbeat rockers like "we die young" have bleak lyrics

Rooster although about a friend dieing in Vietnam conflict has a f... you defiant manner, like mother f.. aren't going to kill me might be less bleak

Another song that might be a little life affirming is "No Excuses" as I take it to mean dispite his unhappiness he is going to try to quit drug habit

I'd like to hear from anybody who is affected by a musician or band

Musically i find myself listening to a lot of Radiohead albums, even 10 years later (Kid A, Amnesiac) top to bottom and just being awestruck at how well they hold up, hearing new sounds/noises, textures all of the time.

Emotionally I dont think theres a better singer songwriter than Jeff Tweedy of Wilco for me. Wilco has progressed much more into "happier" songs, but the sincerity in tracks like "At Least Thats What You Said" "Sunken Treasure" and "Shes a Jar" really always resonated with me.

Alice In Chains is by far the most underrated early 90's "grunge" band for sure. I agree about the combination of lyrics and music. Pearl Jam also comes to mind i think people overlook Lane Staley and Ed Vedder's poetic ability (im biased though as ive seen Pearl Jam 12 times in concert, haha) and both men, and bands get lumped into that grunge category which is overshadowed by Kurt Cobain and thus their powerful emotional lyrics and music sometimes is wrongfully diminished.

I agree about Pearl Jam great lyrics,and the guitar work and lyrics in "Alive" give me chills, what a guitar  solo. in fact i like them a little better then Alice. It's just AiC has such an effect on me in a negative way the bleakness is relentless and  The guttural monotone singing Yet I have to listen to them.  A musician friend said he gets the same feeling

I certainly appreciate how he (Eddie Vedder) has managed to evoke a plethora of emotions in me ranging from sadness to happiness and wonderment. Granted, often he seems to get lazy(uninspired?) and write some sub-par pieces (they're aplenty on Riot Act) but for the most part he ranges to good to really damn good (see Into the Wild soundtrack). A particular favourite of mine is from Wishlist - "I wish I were the verb to trust and never let you down."

The artist I find to be the most emotionally engaging is John Lennon. Whether you hated the man's ideals or not, he wore his heart on his sleeve and he expressed it incredibly. Plastic Ono Band is simply the most hauntingly heart-wrenching album I'd ever listened to. From 'Mother' to 'God' and 'My Mummy's Dead'... it's just unforgettable.

Hikaru Utada!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqXL6H2hbQg

- her songs are always so emotional

Other than that, nohting much like you guys' posts lol

Agreed, but its weird i feel the gems lyrically on Riot Act, LBC and Thumbing My Way are tremendously written and are some of his/their best stuff. then again my favorite song on the album, You Are is a Matt Cameron song, haha.

I always ifnd it strange my favorite bands always seem to open for Pearl Jam (Black Keys, Band of Horses, My Morning Jacket) 

Id also like to throw Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses out there as a great artist especially lyrically. The closing song Neighbors on their new album Inifinite Arms is amazing.

Yeah Alice in Chains music is all about depressing/dark topics.

You might wanna check out some of Iron Maiden. Their lyrics are almost always about a book/film/history. A lot of their stuff is about war and what not but they do it in a way that doesn't feel depressing. I know exactly what you're saying about Alice in Chains. It's that slow emphasis on the lyrics when he sings and sludgy guitar riffs that definitely sets the dark mood.

After a session with AiC's I put on Zeppelin.  Songs like Ten Years Gone are not so much depressing but Melancholy

"And the Rain Song" my wedding song in 1980, it's good because it is a realistic song about the ups and downs and the flow of relationships.

 "Battle of Evermore" by Zep is a song of evil overcoming good but it doesn't send you into the black pit as AiC's does 

Justin Bieber.... don't know why but a lot of anger and aggression always comes up when I hear him... and after that sadness..

Mybe Radiohead or Keane, some songs from Mellon Collie and the infinite sadness from the smashing pumpkins do it too.

I cant tell which one does most impact in me though, maybe I forgot other artists, and I didnt consider soundtracks or classic music.

Oh I forgot about Porcupine tree, The Smiths and some Placebo songs