From Freddy Quinn to Hildegard Knef, Sam Smith, and Adele - ballads are ubiquitous. Although they are an integral part of pop culture, they are often dismissed with a smile. From a cultural studies perspective, they have hardly been examined so far. Why is that? Michael Corsten and Volker Schubert explore the peculiarities of this pop musical phenomenon. They demonstrate through relevant ballads what moves and touches people across various styles: voices and sounds enact emotional states ranging from yearning love to deep despair. Thus, a pop cultural archive of moods, attitudes, and narratives is created. The ballad is more than just kitsch - it is an independent social, cultural, and aesthetic phenomenon.