I mean it in the literal and figurative sense…
For me, it was the Sisters of Mercy album “Floodland” and the Cocteau Twins’ “Blue Bell Knoll.”
Listening to those two albums got me through a really rough few weeks, in which I felt suicide was a reasonable alternative. I didn’t go through with it, because I would get up and make myself dance, or listen to one of those two albums (tapes, actually…they’re more portable).
Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Kate Bush. Because of her I met my husband, and without him, I wouldn’t be alive today.
And may I just say, fuck that Google ad.
Well, Elton John of course: Someone saved my life tonight, sugar bear.
“Won’t Get Fooled Again,” written by Pete Townshend, performed by The Who.
Greatest… rock song… ever.
“Out of Control” by Oingo Boingo. The first time I heard it was at a concert. Some times I’ll go get a drink or a smoke at a concert when the band plays something I’m not familiar with, but as soon as Danny Elfman sang the first line
"Everyone says sooner or later you’ll reach the end of the line.
When things get rough some think it’s easier to jump the ship; you decide"
I felt like someone or something was trying to send me a message. Corny, but true! 
“Desperado” by the Eagles.
Radiohead
a) The Bends
b) Ok Computer
Not me, except that it is music that keeps me sane on a day-to-day basis.
My brother-in-law, however, was on the fast track to hell when in high school. Drugs, violence, etc. Then he auditioned for and got a part in the school musical–and never looked back. He has since taught music, owned a music store, and currently manages and plays in a Gamelan. He almost certainly would have ended in jail and quite possibly would have died young but for music.
Weirdly? When I was in my Freshman year of high school, I gained a suicidal bent on my views. One fine saturday in early spring, I had planned on ending it. Before doing so, I sat down with my brother’s record collection and took out a Queen album. Never listened to them before.
As corny as it sounds… Bohemian Rhapsody was such a beautiful tune I spent the entirety of it weeping, and felt much better afterwords.
merry, i’ll steal from you and nocoolusername; i LOVE blue bell knoll, and it helps keep me steadied when the going gets rough. (carolyn’s fingers, in particular)
The Greatful Dead song ‘Touch of Grey’ has given me a more positive outlook when things seemed very bleak, indeed. It’s a good “hit bottom, only place to look is up” type of song.
Back in high school, it was the Who and Pete Townshend’s solo work.
“Desperado” by the Eagles.
When I was 16 I rolled a car and got a DUI. My parents were out of town so I had to spend the night with my Mom’s minister. I sang “Desperado” to myself about 20 times and fell asleep, rather than sneaking out the window and running away to Los Angeles.
“Dirty Work” by Steely Dan.
I spent too long in an affair with a married woman. This song finally helped me break out.
Right now I’m getting over a break up. I’m listening to Fiona Apple’s “Sleep to Dream” and “Shadowboxer”. Not a life-saving situation, but it still helps and describes what I did wrong and what I need to do to get right.
whistlepig.
Seconding OK Computer by Radiohead. Also Massive Attack and UNKLE comes to time. Particularly “Lonely Soul” by UNKLE.
Bob Mould. In particular, the “hubcap” album and Workbook. Just listening to someone so willing to be honest about himself makes me feel not so alone. During some really dark times living by myself, I sometimes felt like he was my only friend.
Hell, I have quiet a few of those albums. The The’s Soul Mining. Nick Cave’s The Boatman’s Call. Some particular Elvis Costello songs, such as “I Want You,” “All This Useless Beauty,” and “Tramp The Dirt Down.” There are more, but these are some of the ones I turn to most when I feel completely lost.
The Wall.
Some, many, actually, would say that the album is depressing enough cause suicides. It prevented mine.
My last semester of college, I had a massive depressive episode. Spent weeks in a fetal position in bed, only getting out to go to choir rehearsal and my part-time job. I probably should have gotten professional help. Instead, I listened to Peter Gabriel. I owe him, uh, big time for that.
Allow me to answer with a reference of my own.
In the new Ben Folds CD (“Songs for Silverman”), he sings, in the song Late, “The songs you wrote got me through a lot/Just want to tell you that.”
He’s singing about Elliot Smith.
I say it about Ben Folds.
When I was 26 (This was the last week of 1999…God, was I ever 26? I mean, shit, I’m almost 33 now), I was engaged. Over the course of a seven-day span, I lost:
So, needless to say, I was devastated. I listened to Ben Folds Five pretty much non-stop. Specifically, I listened to certain tracks, like:
About a year (maybe a little longer) after all that happened, he released his first solo album (Rockin’ the Suburbs, which features a song called Gone, in which Ben says, “I thought I’d write, I thought I’d let you know/That the year since you’ve been gone, I’ve finally let you go[…]I know that you went straight to someone else, while I worked through all this shit here by myself.”
The Counting Crows played a big part, too, but Ben has a way of writing that just makes you say, “Shit! He’s verbalizing what I’m feeling, but can’t say nearly as well as he did.”
“You’ve got a friend” - Cat Stevens
Yeah, Carolyn’s Fingers was one of my favorites for dancing to. So ethereal and light and floaty and peaceful, but with this vague element of stand-alone “screw you” as well.