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 J-Pop tracks (31–40)
as A personKahara Tomomi
Tomomi Kahara’s “as A person” is a song about longing for an unforgettable lover.
Released in 1999, the lyrics were written by Kahara herself as a message to an ex.
It recounts the end of a love that felt like a once-in-a-lifetime romance, capturing a lingering attachment that refuses to fade.
The more deeply you love someone, the harder it is to forget them, leaving you wandering in sorrow.
From this song, you can keenly feel a profound love that cannot be dismissed with the simple word “regret.” If you have a lover you just can’t forget, this song will resonate with your feelings.
Dreaming I was dreamingAmuro Namie
This is Namie Amuro’s 11th single, beloved by everyone as a songstress since her debut in the ’90s.
Her vocals are sultry and beautiful, and this breakup song, sung in slow R&B, carries a mature aura.
It makes sense, since it was produced by Tetsuya Komuro.
As the last song before she went on maternity leave, her short-haired look while performing it was incredibly captivating and memorable.
The poignant emotions of the woman expressed in the lyrics overflowed from Amuro herself in this track.
By the time of the Christmas carolsInagaki Junichi
This is the 27th single by singer-songwriter Junichi Inagaki, who debuted with the catchphrase “Super Pop Vocal” and is active not only as a singer but also as a drummer.
The song was used as the theme for the TV drama Homework.
Although it’s widely known as a classic Christmas song, did you know that the timeline in the lyrics is actually not set in winter? The theme of a couple in a stagnant phase taking some distance and each reflecting on their future is heart-wrenching, even for those who haven’t had such an experience.
With its melancholic melody that evokes vivid scenes, it’s a sentimental number.
Goodbye Busyuzu
Released in 1999, this is Yuzu’s fifth single.
It sings about the feelings of two people parting as they grow distant, woven with the bittersweet, youthful flavor characteristic of Yuzu at the time.
Although it’s a breakup song, it’s a bright, uplifting number.
Oh, Girl (The Sad Screen of My Heart)Sazan Ōrusutāzu
A gem of a ballad crafted by Southern All Stars.
It portrays, from a third-person perspective, a woman who single-mindedly continues to long for someone she can no longer meet.
The metaphor in the lyrics—that her sweet yet painful emotions are projected onto a screen—is truly superb.
This piece is included on the classic album “Southern All Stars,” released in January 1990, and was later featured on the best-of collection “Ballad 3: the album of LOVE.” Keisuke Kuwata’s wistful vocals and melody link exquisitely with the lonely, autumnal atmosphere, making it a masterpiece.