Breakup songs by Japanese bands: recommended classics and popular tracks

PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism

Official HIGE DANDism – Pretender [Official Video]

This is one of Official HIGE DANDism’s signature ballads, sung over a dramatic melody about the end of a heartrending love.

The protagonist deeply loves the other person yet realizes they are not meant to be, and their inner struggle is heartbreaking.

Holding an impossible wish—if only in another timeline—and ultimately stepping back while praising the other’s beauty, the lyrics are impossible to hear without tears.

Released as a single in May 2019, it became widely known as the theme song for the film “The Confidence Man JP.” Pouring your feelings into it at karaoke will surely lighten the burden on your heart.

A song that heals the pain of heartbreak and helps you gradually look forward, this masterpiece gently stays by your side in the season of farewells.

GraduationMy Hair is Bad

My Hair is Bad – Graduation (Official Video)

A track by My Hair is Bad that tells the story of two people sensing changes in their relationship amid the bustle of a station and the cityscape.

It was included on the EP “Jidai o Atsumete,” released in May 2016, and was produced as a kind of sequel to the previous song “Makka.” From the perspective of a timid, awkward young person, the song vividly portrays the growing distance between former lovers.

Its theme is a farewell as a rite of passage—putting a period on a relationship and moving on to the next stage.

Driven by a fast-paced 8-beat and dynamic arrangement, Tomomi Shiiki’s husky voice conveys the ebb and flow of emotion.

It’s a song that stays with you when you want to put an end to an ambiguous relationship with an ex and need the courage to face forward and start walking.

The Night Before Goodbyeyayuyo

Yayuyo “The Eve of Goodbye” MV

A love song playing from an earphone with the left side silent, the wavering feelings of a protagonist facing farewell at an evening station.

It’s rare to find a song that captures the bittersweetness residing in such small, everyday moments so vividly.

Written by Riko, the vocalist of Yayuyo, as the first song she ever composed, it was released as a single in December 2019 and was later included on the following year’s mini-album “Yayuyo.” After surpassing one million views on YouTube, this track quickly spread the band’s name far and wide.

While it sketches the premonition of parting over a buoyant rhythm, it also subtly reveals the protagonist’s strength as they try to look ahead.

With its driving guitar-rock energy and approachable melody, it’s a song I especially want those who are hurting from heartbreak yet determined to move forward to hear.

tear(s)Marushii

Marcy – Tears (Official Music Video)

A love ballad that portrays the ache of heartbreak in stark contrast to the dazzling summer sun.

It’s a work released in August 2025 by the rock band Marcy, known for down-to-earth lyrics that resonate.

Memories of love told in the past tense and words detailing feelings that will never reach their destination shake the listener’s heart.

Skillful metaphors—like the pain of memories lingering as sensations in the body and a future that was never opened—reflect the protagonist’s earnest emotions and are sure to bring tears.

The song is slated to be included on their third original album, set for release in November 2025, which will also feature Aozora, the theme song for the film “Youth Gestalt Collapse.” It’s a track you’ll want to listen to quietly on nights when you want to immerse yourself in unforgettable memories of love.

rendezvousshaitoopu

rendezvous

The rock band Shytone, which rose to prominence after a viral hit on social media, released a signature track in April 2023 that sings of a man’s searing emotions after a breakup.

Unable to accept parting from someone he loved deeply, he longs for an impossible reunion; the loneliness of his lover’s traces fading from everyday life is expressed through vocalist So Sasaki’s superb word choices—so moving you might be brought to tears.

The song is also known for surpassing 100 million total streams in November 2023 and is included on the album “Hors d’œuvre.” Why not entrust your heart to its somehow comforting melody that stirs up those bittersweet feelings?

A lie in the mirror smiles.T-BOLAN

The lie in the mirror smiles — T-BOLAN

This is the track included as the B-side to the million-selling single “Bye For Now,” released in November 1992.

It portrays the frustration and self-loathing in romance that make you act contrary to your true feelings.

Many listeners will feel a tightening in their chest at the scene where the self in the mirror smiles as if mocking one’s own lies.

The word choices—unusual for the time—also leave a strong impression.

The irresistible charm lies in the gap between the breezy pop-rock sound and the heartrending lyrics.

Moritomo Arashi’s soaring high notes in the chorus feel like the protagonist’s inner scream, stirring the listener’s emotions.

It’s a song you’ll want to hear on nights when you’re hiding your true feelings.

Crimson-colored sunsetFujifaburikku

Fujifabric – Akane-Colored Sunset

A masterpiece by Fujifabric with a wistful melody that really hits home.

Its profound lyrics make you think and instantly conjure vivid scenes—there’s something about it that seeps into your heart.

Vocalist Shimura’s slightly ennui-tinged voice resonates with an uncanny sense of realism.