[For when you want to cry] A ballad love song. A heartbreaking love song.
Here are some ballad songs we’d love you to listen to when you feel like crying.
We’ve gathered recommended tearjerkers and full-on sob songs, including popular love songs.
If you’re hurting from love, can’t forget an ex, or you’re feeling lonely and looking for songs to listen to, this is for you.
These are all ballads that will quietly stay by your side while you cry alone.
Find the one song that matches how you feel right now, and let yourself cry as much as you need.
Crying might help you sort out your feelings, or even give you the push you need to move forward.
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[When You Want to Cry] A ballad love song. Heart-wrenching love songs (1–10)
balladKetsumeishi
When it comes to love songs by Ketsumeishi, their classic has to be “Ballad,” right? The song tells the story of a love that can’t come true despite how deeply they care, packed to the brim with heart-wrenching emotion.
Because of its lyrics, it’s a popular ballad among those with unrequited love or a secret relationship they can’t tell anyone about.
If you’ve been through something similar, you might find yourself overwhelmed with empathy and tears.
It really makes you think, why couldn’t we have met just a little earlier…
Dried flowersYuuri
Singer-songwriter Yuuri, whose song “Kakurenbo” became a huge hit mainly on social media.
While “Kakurenbo” is a breakup song from the perspective of a man who’s been dumped, “Dry Flower” tells the story from the woman’s perspective—his ex-girlfriend’s point of view.
Yuuri’s vocals alone can bring you to tears, and the poignant lyrics add a realism that makes your chest tighten.
There’s no sense of being forced; it flows in naturally, and before you know it, you’re crying—such a song.
Unfit to be a loverKoresawa
This is a self-cover by Koresawa of a song she originally wrote for singer-songwriter Miyuhan.
Miyuhan liked Koresawa’s song “Tabako” (“Cigarette”), asked her to write an answer song, and this track was the result.
The lyrics lament that, to the ex-girlfriend, he was weak and unfit to be a boyfriend.
But back then, there’s no doubt she was the one who mattered… The feelings after breaking up with someone—when it’s too late to say or think anything—are something anyone can relate to.
[When You Want to Cry] Ballad Love Songs: Heartbreaking Romance Songs (11–20)
Because I fell in loveaimyon
Unrequited love is something that tangles your feelings into a messy jumble, isn’t it? Aimyon’s “Koi wo Shita Kara” is a song that expresses the pain of thinking only of someone you love one-sidedly.
Her expressive vocals further heighten the sense of heartbreak.
If you’re experiencing unrequited love, there will surely be many parts you can relate to.
Song of PointillismMrs. GREEN APPLE feat. Inoue Sonoko
Moments spent with someone you have feelings for are so fun they feel like they pass in an instant.
This track was featured as an insert song in the film “Ao-Natsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-Nichi” and is a duet with the hugely popular Sonoko Inoue among junior and high school students.
This love ballad, swirling with the emotions of being in love and the wishes directed toward an unrequited crush, naturally brings tears to your eyes.
KanadeJUJU
“Kanade,” one of Sukima Switch’s signature songs.
It’s also famous as a love song and often heard as a tie-in track for various media.
JUJU covered this song and included it on her 2020 album “Ore no Request,” which features covers of songs originally by male artists.
When a woman sings a song originally performed by a man, you often discover new facets and charms—and “Kanade” is no exception, revealing a wonderful new side.
That said, whether you listen to either version, it never fails to move you to tears.
Love StoryAmuro Namie
This is “Love Story,” one of Namie Amuro’s signature songs.
She debuted at the young age of 15 and, under the production of Tetsuya Komuro, quickly rose to stardom.
Although she enjoyed nationwide popularity, she made a shocking retirement after her 25th debut anniversary, leaving many fans yearning for more.
It’s a ballad especially beloved by women who find themselves in tears as they reminisce about past relationships.