Masterpiece! Tear-jerking breakup songs by Japanese bands
Introducing a carefully curated selection of tear-jerking breakup songs from Japanese bands!
Love is fun in any era, but once you experience a breakup, even the happy memories can become painful to recall.
Not many people choose band songs when they’re heartbroken, but I’ve gathered some recommendations—so take this chance to give them a listen.
I focused on popular artists to make the picks easy to enjoy, even for those who don’t usually listen to band music.
You might even find that song you’ve been curious about!
[Masterpiece!] Tear-Jerking Breakup Songs by Japanese Bands (1–10)
somedaySaucy Dog
Itsuka, a song included on Saucy Dog’s first mini-album Country Road.
It’s a heartbreak song that sings of the pain of being unable to accept that someone dear is no longer by your side, with nothing but regret swirling around.
As time passes, even the places tied to precious memories fade away, and while the singer feels the reality of being left behind, the ending of the song conjures an image of someone desperately trying to face forward.
piercingreGretGirl
Pierce, a track from reGretGirl’s 2018 album take.
Have you ever gotten matching piercings with your partner? This song is a bittersweet breakup ballad about how that very piercing ends up becoming the only remaining link to the person you loved after you part ways.
Maybe the moment you take the piercing out is the moment you bring your own love to an end.
tear(s)KANA-BOON
It’s a fast-paced yet bittersweet guitar rock number.
The song is by KANA-BOON, also known for tracks like “Massara” and “Full Drive,” and it’s included on their 2017 album NAMiDA.
The lyrics are packed with memories of a former lover that resurface every time the singer cries.
Still, thanks to the classic, easy-to-listen-to arrangement and catchy melody line, you’ll likely feel re-energized and ready to look ahead by the time the song ends.
Even if you went and became somebody’s damn girlfriendtensai bando
It’s precisely because of this choice of words that the message hits home.
This song by Tensai Band, a group formed by popular musicians, is included on their 2014 album Ein to Stein.
Even if you become someone else’s girlfriend, I’ll always have feelings for you… I bet many people can relate to that sentiment.
It’s a moving breakup number that sets an unfulfilled wish and steadfast devotion to a straightforward sonic palette.
It makes you want to listen while taking a walk outside.
SolaninASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
One of the signature songs by the rock band ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, “Soranin,” was written specifically as the theme song for the film of the same name.
The lyrics were penned by the original author, manga artist Inio Asano.
The words, which convey relationships and a kind of resignation toward oneself, are deeply relatable.
They remind us of important things we tend to forget as we simply go about our lives.
If you watch the movie or read the original manga before listening, you’ll likely appreciate the song’s appeal even more—highly recommended.
I got a boyfriend/girlfriend.My Hair is Bad
A heartbreak song by the rock band My Hair is Bad, which has exploded in popularity especially among younger generations.
In the lyrics, the male protagonist gets a new girlfriend, but he still hasn’t gotten over his ex.
He says things like “We can’t see each other anymore” and “I hope you’ll be happy,” suggesting he’s trying to move forward with his current partner, yet hints of lingering feelings slip through his words.
The mid-tempo track and the husky vocals of Tomohito Shiiki amplify the sense of helpless melancholy.
me me sheRADWIMPS
This is RADWIMPS’ breakup song “me me shi,” included on the album RADWIMPS 4: Okazu no Gohan.
The title is pronounced “Me-me-shee.” “me me shi” is a message to a precious person you can’t forget even after parting, and it also feels like a declaration of resolve to oneself.
The steady, understated vocals over a simple melody are deeply heartrending.
If you can’t forget someone you love, give it a listen.
PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism
This is “Pretender” by Official HIGE DANDism, which also became a hot topic as the theme song for the film Confidence Man JP.
It’s a heartbreak song in which the narrator feels they’re not the one who should be by the person they love, and so they say goodbye.
How painful and difficult must it be to end your own love by choice? The feelings of loving the other person and truly not wanting to part come through with heartbreaking clarity.
BYE BYESHISHAMO
A bittersweet yet somehow bright rock tune that depicts the state of being down after a broken heart.
When you get your heart broken, you can feel like you can’t trust anything anymore.
You might even snap and just say “to hell with it!” The song also voices the desire to say goodbye to the version of yourself that’s still stuck in the past, and SHISHAMO’s sound and vocals give you courage.
Partings are sad, but they’re also the next step, right? After you have a good, cleansing cry with this song, a new you is sure to be waiting.
You’ve got this!
Impersonationkuriipuhaipe
CreepHyp’s “Monomane,” released digitally in 2020.
This song also served as the theme for the animated film “A Whisker Away,” and CreepHyp produced the music for the film as a whole.
At first listen it might seem like a fun, happy love song, but it’s actually a breakup song, looking back and weaving through various feelings after the relationship ends.
In fact, the track is a sequel to CreepHyp’s 2009 release “Boys END Girls.” While “Boys END Girls” is a love song about a happy couple, “Monomane” is sung from the perspective of someone left alone after the breakup.
Be sure to listen to “Boys END Girls” as well.
