Mutual love, unrequited love, familial love... classic songs that sing about affection

selling oneselfRosu

selling oneself

Set in a red-light district, this narrative song portrays a courtesan bearing an aching love for a man she adores.

With delicate wording, it weaves the emotions of a woman wavering between her unrequited feelings for someone who won’t even meet her gaze and the reality of living as a courtesan.

Ros’s protean vocals vividly express the poignancy and sorrow.

Released digitally in March 2022 and included on the album “Yoru no Shito,” the piece has also been tied to projects such as the drama series “My Beautiful Man.” It will resonate deeply not only with those suffering from impossible love, but with anyone who knows the bittersweet ache of loving someone relentlessly.

senpainozomi

Noashi (Noa) – Senpai [Official Music Video]

An unforgettable song that delicately captures wavering feelings for an older upperclassman.

Told from the perspective of a younger student tossed about by their senior, it portrays the anguish of love.

While captivated by every little gesture—the red lipstick, swaying earrings, and pale fingertips—the narrator is painfully torn by the fear they might be nothing more than a way to pass the time.

Released in August 2023, this self-produced work was entirely handled by Noshi, from lyrics and composition to arrangement.

It’s a song that speaks for your heart—highly recommended for anyone who has fallen hard for someone much older, or who’s stuck in the haze of not knowing how the other person really feels.

just a littleIgarashi Haru

Haru Igarashi – A Little (Official Music Video)

A song whose heartrending, soul-stirring vocals move every listener.

With delicate wording, it weaves a poignant love swayed by the whims of fate—encounters that come at the wrong time.

Haru Igarashi is a singer-songwriter with the unusual background of being a former police officer.

Released in March 2024, this work has drawn major attention, topping the Billboard JAPAN Heatseekers Songs chart for two consecutive weeks.

The line about pretending to like what the other person likes just to stay by their side is so earnest it tightens the chest.

Drowning loveDomura Riu

Drowning Love – Riu Domura (Official Music Video)

A heart-stirring song by Riu Domura that candidly captures the anxiety and loneliness born from thinking of someone, carried by a melodious sound.

It delicately portrays the fear of parting and the instability of emotions that arise precisely because of deep love for the other person.

Even while being conscious of the inevitable farewell that will come someday, the pure feeling of being unable to stop thinking about them pierces the heart.

Released in December 2020, the track later appeared as a remixed version on the album “Yakei,” and has been cherished as one of Riu Domura’s signature songs.

It’s a song that stays close to your heart when you can’t be honest about your feelings of love, or when your feelings for someone precious become so overwhelming that it hurts.

homeKiyama Yusaku

Yusaku Kiyama - Home

A song of love from a father to his child.

Yusaku Kiyama’s gentle, embracing voice blends with a heartwarming melody to vividly portray the bond between parent and child.

Through its calm tone, it conveys a parent’s feelings as they stay close to their child’s growth and the importance of cherishing the small joys of everyday life.

Released in February 2008, it was used as the ending theme for Nippon TV’s “Uta-Suta!!” and Yomiuri TV’s “Joho Live Miyane-ya,” and later that year Kiyama performed it at the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.

Beloved at important life moments such as graduations and weddings, this song is a perfect choice when you want to express gratitude to someone special or deepen your family bonds.

An unfinished love song I’ve been working on foreverHata Motohiro

Motohiro Hata “An Always-Unfinished Love Song” Music Video

Written specifically as the theme song for the film “A Love Letter on Our 35th Year,” this gem of a ballad gently and warmly portrays a love that deepens with the passage of time.

Motohiro Hata’s clear, luminous vocals resonate as if tenderly enveloping feelings for a cherished person.

The track began streaming in February 2025, and a CD single was released in March ahead of the film’s premiere.

The movie depicts a husband who, upon retiring, struggles to write a love letter to his wife; accompanying the protagonist’s emotions, Hata carefully weaves his words like a letter.

It’s a song we recommend to anyone who, in the course of days shared with someone precious, has rediscovered the profound significance of their presence.

StoryAI

AI – Story

A signature work by AI released in May 2005, known for its gentle, comforting melody and striking lyrics that portray life’s precious moments.

It’s a warm song that honestly expresses gratitude to a loved one and the joy of walking together.

The simple melodic line and heartfelt lyrics create a calm atmosphere, making it a tune you’ll want to hum along to with someone special.

It’s also perfect for karaoke—singing it together naturally brings out smiles from everyone.