[Touching the Heart] Timeless Ballad Masterpieces. A Collection of Unfading Classics and the Latest Songs [2026]

Pluralistic Theory of HappinessCUTIE STREET

Pluralistic Theory of Happiness

This song, released in September 2025 by the idol group CUTIE STREET—who drew major attention with “Is Being Cute Not Enough?”—marks the group’s first ballad.

Riding a gentle melody, it’s an introspective number that sings of the thought, “What if I’d lived a different life?” The message resonates deeply: after wavering between what’s right and what’s kind, and imagining the paths not taken, cherish the happiness that exists here and now.

It’s a piece that stays close to you when you’re uncertain about a choice or want to reflect on the path you’ve walked.

Life TransmutationReoNa

"Arknights" TV Anime Series Completion Commemorative Video | ReoNa "Life Transplant"

This song was specially written as the ending theme for the final episode of the TV anime Arknights [RISE FROM EMBER].

It sings of the heavy themes of loss and legacy, carried by a melody like a prayer.

The ensemble woven from ReoNa’s transparent, crystalline vocals and the magnificent string arrangement by Sachiko Miyano resonates deeply with listeners.

It’s an emotional ballad that mourns the lives lost and powerfully conveys the resolve to carry their will into the future.

Liar MoonYorushika

Liar

This ballad by Yorushika is perfect for autumn, when the hustle and bustle of summer settles down and a certain loneliness sets in.

Delicate piano melodies intertwine with vocalist suis’s clear, translucent voice, seeping deeply into the listener’s heart.

It portrays the loneliness of a protagonist who continues to wait, even as memories of a loved one fade away.

That feeling overlaps with the bittersweetness of summer coming to an end, making it all the more moving.

This beautiful song was produced as the ending theme for the anime film A Whisker Away, released in June 2020, further deepening the story’s emotional afterglow.

On those long autumn nights when you want to reflect on seasons past, it’s a piece to savor alone, slowly and fully.

Don’t disappear.Aina ji Endo

AiNA THE END (BiSH) / Don't Disappear [OFFiCiAL ViDEO]

A ballad that begins with quiet piano notes and unfolds into a grand sound as emotions overflow.

This work marks the origin of Aina The End’s solo career.

She wrote both the lyrics and music, pouring in the earnest feelings she held at eighteen—the desperate wish not to lose someone precious.

The sense of loss—like a world drained of color without you—comes through painfully through her one-of-a-kind husky voice.

On nights when inescapable loneliness strikes, this singing will be there to help you.

periodIkuta Erika

Erika Ikuta “Period” Rec Video

Erika Ikuta captivates many with her overwhelming expressive power.

Released in September 2025, this work is a ballad that portrays the resolve to bring a long-standing romance to an end by one’s own choice, and the bittersweet determination to move forward.

The struggle over whether to continue or to let go is depicted with striking realism, and it really hits home.

If you’ve ever made a major decision in love, you’ll likely feel a deep empathy for that pain.

With delicate piano lines and breath-like vocals that gently nestle close to your heart, it’s a sentimental track.

Love Sky and the Sound of RainAAA

AAA / “Love Sound and Rainy Sky” Music Video

When it comes to love songs for autumn, those slightly melancholic, bittersweet tunes are the classics, aren’t they? This piece is a gem of a love song packed with the frustrating push-and-pull of romance and those hard-to-express feelings.

You want to say “I love you,” but the fear of what might come keeps the words in your throat.

That delicate feeling of first love overlaps with the gentle scene of autumn rain, and it really tugs at the heart.

This track is a single released by AAA in September 2013 and was also featured in an H.I.S.

commercial, so many of you may find it familiar.

The album it’s included on, Eighth Wonder, became the group’s first to top the weekly charts and won an Excellence Award at the 55th Japan Record Awards.

It’s a song that quietly stays by your side in autumn, when the fun of summer has passed and you start to long for someone.

moon bathingYorushika

Yorushika – Moonlight Bath (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

As the clamor of summer recedes and quiet nights grow more comforting, there’s a dreamlike song by Yorushika I want you to hear.

Their music is known for its literary worldview, and this piece is a beautiful ballad through and through, layering the feeling of cherishing what matters as time slips by over scenes bathed in moonlight.

Suis’s clear yet powerful vocals deepen the bittersweet, grand atmosphere even further.

Released in October 2023, the song also served as the theme for the feature anime Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage, so many listeners may have immersed themselves in that world as well.

When you’re reminiscing about a joyful summer and feeling a touch lonely, this song will surely stay gently by your side.