A melancholic “yami” song that was a hit in the 2000s. A bittersweet track.
Everyone must have experienced it at least once.
In those moments when you feel like your heart is about to break, a lyric or melody suddenly reaches your ears and, in a mysterious way, resonates with you and lifts you up.
The 2000s in particular were a tumultuous era when the way we enjoyed music changed dramatically.
Amid the shift from CDs to online distribution, countless “yami songs” (songs that grapple with darkness or emotional pain) were born, and they still support many people’s hearts today.
Lyrics you can’t help but relate to, melodies that pierce the chest.
Let yourself sink into that bittersweet feeling, along with the nostalgic memories of those days.
- Breakup songs that were hits in the 2000s
- [Yami Song] A mental breakdown track that sings the true feelings of a melancholic heart
- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
- [Yami Song] Fight darkness with darkness!? Deep tracks that stay close to your pain
- Heart-wrenching Japanese hit songs from the 2000s. Songs that make you cry.
- Tears won’t stop with these sentimental lyrics! Heisei-era tearjerker songs
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Love songs that were hits in the 2000s. Classic and popular Japanese songs.
- [Heisei Love Songs] A carefully selected collection of gem-like love songs that continue to be cherished even in the Reiwa era!
- Ballad songs that were hits in the 2000s
- Top Female Singer-Songwriters and Popular Songs of the 2000s [2026]
- Nothing but iconic hits that defined an era! 2000s classics popular on TikTok
- [Relatable Lyrics] Emo songs to listen to when you're stuck after a breakup or relationship troubles
Yami songs that hit in the 2000s. Heart-wrenching tracks (31–40)
The Edge of the Blue SkyOkuda Miwako
Miwa Okuda’s “Aozora no Hate” (“At the Edge of the Blue Sky”) is a song about the despair of life.
Released in 2003, it was used as the theme song for the drama “Yankee Bokō ni Kaeru” (“A Yankee Returns to His Alma Mater”).
The lyrics depict a state of pain—when everything is hard, you feel utterly alone, and you think life is no longer worth it.
They will likely resonate with those who are going through a similarly difficult time.
Even so, the song ultimately lets you feel a future where light breaks through, suggesting that someday you will surely escape this reality.
If you’re overwhelmed by hardship right now, try lifting your head just a little while letting this song be by your side.
Just… I want to see youEXILE
This is the 19th single by EXILE, the dance and vocal group that leads Japan’s entertainment scene and has won listeners across a wide demographic.
Chosen as the campaign song for KDDI and Okinawa Cellular’s “au × EXILE,” it resonates with its rich vocals and a wistful arrangement.
The lyrics, which mirror the universal feeling of realizing someone’s importance only after parting ways, likely struck a chord with many.
It’s an emotional love song that stands beside those torn between their true feelings and reality.
InfectionOnitsuka Chihiro
When you become aware of your own frailty, this song will surely pierce your heart.
It’s by Chihiro Onitsuka, whose voice is both ethereal and sultry, released in 2001 as her fifth single.
It became a hit after being chosen as the theme song for the drama “Hyoten 2001.” A ballad that blends grandeur with translucence—this is exactly what it means for music to seep into your heart.
Take your time savoring each word of the lyrics.
It’s precisely when you’re unwell or your chest aches that you find yourself wanting to listen to a song like this, isn’t it?
Love songSambomasutā
They made their major debut in 2003.
In 2005, the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Densha Otoko,” titled “Sekai wa Sore o Ai to Yobun da ze,” became a huge hit and boosted their popularity.
Many people have likely been saved by the strongly message-driven lyrics.
This is their 13th single, released in 2009.
Recommended for young people heartbroken and hurting after a breakup.
Endless sorrowHamasaki Ayumi
Debuted as a singer in 1998.
In the early 2000s, Ayumi Hamasaki—well known as a charismatic icon for high school girls—also released some slightly dark songs.
At the time, she wrote all the lyrics herself in Japanese, and the candid, life-sized themes sparked widespread empathy and discussion.
This is her 22nd single, released in 2001.
It was used as the theme song for the TBS drama “Mukashi no Otoko” (An Old Flame).
It’s also worth comparing it with the remix version included on the single CD.
Yami songs that were hits in the 2000s. Heart-wrenching tracks (41–50)
Midnight ExpresswayFlower Companyz
The band was formed in 1989, but they didn’t make their major-label debut until 1996.
Since then, with no lineup changes, this four-man band has continued a long-running career.
This is their 16th single, released in 2004.
In 2009, a tribute album titled “Shinya Kousoku – Ikitete Yokatta no Tsudoi -” was released, featuring 13 artists covering this one song, “Shinya Kousoku,” cementing it as a quintessential youth anthem of the 2000s.
Dedicated to troubled youngsters.
EverythingMISIA
Released in 2000, this is one of MISIA’s signature songs.
It was also used as a TV drama theme song, and I think its unparalleled ballad—with a majestic melody that evokes a wintry sky and a voice that feels beyond what you’d expect from a Japanese singer—is truly exceptional.
It’s a defining song of the 2000s that fully conveys the ache of not being able to see someone you love and the intensity of those feelings.