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!
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[Masterpiece!] Tear-Jerking Breakup Songs by Japanese Bands (11–20)
Happy Endingback number
This is the 16th single by the three-piece rock band back number, used as the theme song for the film “My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday.” The sentimental tones of the strings blend with delicate acoustic guitar, perfectly evoking the ache of heartbreak.
The lyrics, which portray the raw emotions of coming to terms with a breakup announced by a loved one, are something many listeners will relate to.
It’s a dramatic number whose harmony between story and arrangement shakes the heart—a tear-jerker you can hardly listen to without crying.
I didn’t want to know, if it meant losing it.atarayo
A four-piece rock band based in Tokyo, Atarayo describes themselves with the tagline “a band that feeds on sorrow.” This track, included on their first album The Moon Remains Silent in the Polar Night, opens with a catchy, lyrical guitar riff that amplifies the sense of heartache.
The idea that some things are happier left unknown, or that you can’t walk away even when you know you’ll get hurt, is a story many who’ve experienced long relationships will relate to.
It’s a breakup song that conveys the difficulty of love, vividly portraying the painful emotions leading up to the decision to part ways.
Magic of a Summer Nightindigo la End
Natsuya no Magic by indigo la End, fronted by Enon Kawatani of Gesu no Kiwami Otome.
The song is included as the B-side to their fifth single, Before I Get Sad, released in 2015.
As the title suggests, “summer nights” have a uniquely special mood.
Maybe it’s the heat and atmosphere of those nights, but this song stirs up memories of past loves.
For anyone who has someone they can’t forget, it’s a sad, deeply moving number.
mutual feelingsthe shes gone
A lover who drifted away because of my own mistakes… you can feel that regret so strongly in this song.
It’s by the three-piece band the shes gone and is included on their 2018 mini-album “DAYS.” The vocalist Maru’s pleasantly relaxed singing matches the ambient, expansive sound, making it easy to unwind.
But it’s still a breakup song.
As the track goes on, your chest tightens.
A love without regret… it’s hard, but it’s what we want, isn’t it?
umbrellaNEW!King Gnu
This is a mid-tempo track that resonates with King Gnu’s signature sophisticated sound, linking rainy scenery with a sense of emotional loss.
Daiki Tsuneta’s wistful melodies intertwine with Satoru Iguchi’s crystal-clear vocals to beautifully portray the helplessness of a love that has ended.
Released in October 2019 and included on the album CEREMONY, the song also drew wide attention as the commercial theme for Bourbon’s Alfort featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi.
The lyrics, which express the loneliness of a man left behind in a room after his partner is gone and the unfillable void in his heart, may be painful for some to hear.
If you listen quietly alone on a sleepless night, the tears you’ve been holding back might begin to flow.
The song that comes afterNEW!back number
back number portrays lingering attachment and regret after a breakup in unadorned, down-to-earth words.
“Ato no Uta,” included on their indie-era album Ato no Matsuri, is a hidden gem released in June 2010.
The lyrics describe the ironic psychology where deliberately avoiding reminders in an effort to forget only makes you more conscious of the other person’s presence.
By refusing to dress up the pain of heartbreak and instead depicting it as traces that remain in everyday life, the song’s words carry a wrenching sense of reality.
It’s a track you’ll want to listen to on nights when the sadness of parting hasn’t healed and memories resurface in unguarded moments.
If you’re standing still, unable to sort out a past love, this song will gently stay by your side.
[Masterpiece!] Tear-Jerking Breakup Songs by Japanese Bands (21–30)
Tokyoichou BOYZ
Even though I should be sad, what I keep remembering are the good times.
It’s a song by the punk rock band Ginnan BOYZ, who led the rock scene of the 2000s.
It’s included on their 2005 album “Kimi to Boku no Daisanji Sekai Taisen-teki Ren’ai Kakumei” (A Third World War-esque Love Revolution Between You and Me).
The lyrics describe how, in the midst of the city, the image of the person you love suddenly pops into your head.
The wrung-out vocals and palpable emotion are irresistibly compelling—an achingly moving work.
Give it a listen when you really want to cry your heart out.