Take a sad song and make it better: Listening to downbeat music helps people get over a breakup Previous research suggested listening to upbeat music or funny films helped people get over break-ups But a new study found people having relationship problems opted for sad or negative music and films We also prefer angry music in frustrating situations Breaking up may be hard to do, but it could be easier if you listen to sad music or watch a tear-jerking film, according to new research. The study contradicts popular opinion that upbeat music and humorous movies can help people get over a relationship break-up. It says that people experiencing relationship problems are more likely to prefer experiences that reflect their negative mood. People with relationship problems prefer experiences reflecting their negative mood, like listening to a sad song such as Sir Paul McCartney's Hey Jude Study co-author Stephen Palmer, from the University of California at Berkeley, said: "Emotional experiences of aesthetic products are important to our happiness and well-being. Like a sympathetic friend, music, movies, paintings, or novels that are compatible with our current mood and feelings are more appreciated when we experience broken or failing relationships. The study authors said people experience serious emotional distress when intimate relationships are broken and look for a 'surrogate' to replace the lost bond. Previous research claimed that people in a negative mood prefer pleasant, positive experiences such as cheerful music or comedy films to counter their negative feelings. However, the new research suggests that under certain circumstances people in negative moods might choose aesthetic experiences consistent with their mood, such as melancholy music and tear-jerking dramas, even when more pleasant alternatives are available. In one study, volunteers were presented with various frustrating situations and asked to rate angry music relative to joyful or relaxing music. The study contradicts popular opinion that upbeat music and humorous movies can help people get over a relationship break-up Participants liked angry music more when they were frustrated by experiences such as being interrupted, or someone always being late. In another study, the volunteers were asked to recall experiences involving loss. Preference for sad music was significantly higher when they had experienced the break-up of a personal relationship than when they had an impersonal loss, like losing a competition. The authors said: "Interpersonal relationships influence consumer preference for aesthetic experiences. Consumers seek and experience emotional companionship with music, films, novels, and the fine arts as a substitute for lost and troubled relationships. The research appears in the Journal of Consumer Research.