A heartbreak song that was a hit in the 90s. Classic and popular tracks in Japanese music.
When you’re heartbroken, many people listen to breakup songs to soothe the sadness or find someone who shares their pain.
When you hear a song that matches how you feel, it’s strange how it can make your heart feel lighter.
In this article, we’ll highlight breakup songs specifically from the 1990s.
We’ve selected songs that share your feelings, songs that grieve alongside you—tracks that gently stay by your side when you’re hurting from a broken heart.
When times are tough, lean on the power of music to help heal your sorrow, even just a little.
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Breakup songs that were hits in the ’90s. Classic and popular Japanese songs (1–10)
Poem of SunlightLe Couple
This is a breakup song by the unit group Le Couple, known for their gentle vocals and soothing melodies.
It was also featured as an insert song in the drama “Under One Roof 2,” and thanks to the show’s popularity, the track became widely known and turned into a long-selling hit.
Though it’s a breakup song, it has a mysterious charm that moves many listeners to tears just by hearing it.
Many women likely resonated with the lyrics about having lost a romance, yet feeling that the time they were loved was warmly wrapped in sunshine.
Before you become a memorysupittsu
A four-piece rock band, Spitz’s seventh single overall, which was chosen as the theme song for the lifestyle information program “Motto Suteki ni!” Released as a re-cut single from their fourth album, “Crispy!,” it became Spitz’s first song to enter the Oricon charts and a hit number.
The lyrics, which conjure images of a lover who is about to part ways and the memories they shared, are likely to resonate with many who have experienced heartbreak.
With a poignant high-tone vocal that makes the scenes even more vivid, it stands as a classic 1990s heartbreak anthem.
I want to see you.sawada chikako
This is the eighth single by singer-songwriter Chikaco Sawada, who, together with pianist Atsushi Oonoza, has been energetically holding “Song Therapy Live” concerts nationwide.
The track was used as the ending theme for the TV infotainment program Tonight and is known as Sawada’s biggest hit.
Its lyrics, which recount memories and promises with a lover who will never return, resonate deeply, enhanced by a poignant melody.
It’s a major hit from the 1990s that portrays the sorrow of a heartbreak beyond one’s control.
Breakup songs that were hits in the '90s. Classic and popular J-Pop songs (11–20)
single bedSha ran Q
This is the sixth single by Sharam Q, a four-member rock band fronted by musician Tsunku♂, who has launched numerous idol groups as a music producer.
The song was used as the ending theme for the TV anime D·N·A²: They Were 11—That Guy’s Another One, and became Sharam Q’s first million-selling smash hit.
Its lyrics, which portray a delicate male heart, paired with a melancholy melody, evoke a deeply sentimental mood.
Since its release, it has become a staple heartbreak song beloved beyond the realm of anime music.
Silent EveKarashima Midori
Back in the ’90s, this sad breakup song was always playing at Christmastime.
It became the theme song for the hugely popular drama “Christmas Eve” and is one of her signature tracks.
The lyrics, which turn what should be a happy Christmas into a sorrowful day, resonated with women going through the same experience, linking perfectly with the drama.
Karashima Midori’s hymn-like voice pairs beautifully with the holy atmosphere of Christmas, heightening the sense of poignancy.
As a breakup song that shows the sorrow behind someone else’s happiness, it’s a true classic.
DEAR…againHirose Kōmi
This is a heartbreak song by Koumi Hirose, who produced many hits in the ’90s with her powerful vocals.
While she’s best known for her winter love songs, this track is also a Christmas song and was used in the ski commercial for Alpen.
It tenderly portrays a girl’s yearning to see the one she loves by Christmas, resonating with women who have felt the same way.
The longing is so palpable in Hirose’s voice that you can’t help but wish the song ends with a happy ending.
OverMr.Children
A song included at the end of Mr.Children’s album Atomic Heart, released in September 1994.
Though it was not a single, it was selected for their 2001 best-of album and has endured as a beloved breakup song.
The vivid, true-to-life depictions—like recalling a former lover’s small gestures or the atmosphere of a room—strike a chord.
The contrast between the unvarnished language that doesn’t hide loss and lingering attachment, and the friendly, light melody, is superb.
It’s not merely sad; it carries a message of gradually facing forward and beginning to walk on, even while holding pain.
It’s a song that gently gives you a push when you find yourself standing still at the end of a romance.