Unrequited love songs by bands. Japanese pop/rock love songs.

bright redMy Hair is Bad

My Hair is Bad – Deep Crimson (Official Music Video)

It’s an impressive rock tune with lyrics that candidly lay bare possessiveness and self-loathing in love.

The band sound shifts from a quiet, narrative tone to an explosive chorus, delivering directly to your ears and heart the feelings of spinning your wheels in the desperate wish to be loved.

The track was included on the single “Hitomebore e.p.,” released in July 2015, and later featured on the major-label album “woman’s.” It can be considered one of the band’s signature songs, having been performed on Music Station in April 2022.

When you’re struggling with the distance between you and someone you like, and feeling down about your own awkwardness, listening to it may powerfully affirm that pain.

mayflyONE OK ROCK

mayfly

A ONE OK ROCK track that portrays the bittersweet feelings of unrequited love, where you can’t be honest even though you care so much.

The song likens the unspoken emotions flickering in one’s heart to a fragile heat haze that seems ready to vanish at any moment.

It conveys the unstable fear of admitting those feelings precisely because you love so much—so vividly that it tightens your chest.

This piece is included on their landmark first full-length album, “Zeitakubyo,” released in 2007.

For anyone struggling with a frustrating love, it’s a song that will gently stay by your side.

NAOHY

SOLIDEMO / NAO（HY cover）

It’s a ballad that pierces the chest with the pain of unrequited love.

The song is included on HY’s 2006 album “Confidence,” by the Okinawa-born mix-genre band, and tells a story created by vocalist Izumi Nakasone based on a close friend’s real experience.

The piece vividly portrays the inner conflict of a woman who knows the person she likes has feelings for someone else and won’t return her affection, yet she just can’t give up.

The clear, airy vocals riding over the piano melody further highlight the sorrow of a love that won’t reach its destination.

It’s a must-listen for anyone who finds themselves empathizing with the urge to cling on, even as they sense the person they love slowly changing.

Ms. Hanako on a high pedestalback number

Back Number – Hanako-san on a High Pedestal

It’s a song about a slightly pathetic guy, starting with a quiet intro where only the strings resonate before a cool band sound kicks in.

The lyrics portray the frustrated feelings of someone with a crush who can’t bring himself to take action.

All he can do is wish for things like “if only it turned out this way,” which, from the sidelines, feels exasperating and pitiable.

Still, it also reminds us that this is a common aspect of unrequited love.

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Unrequited loveGENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE

GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE / Unrequited Love

A coupling track to the debut single “BRAVE IT OUT,” released in November 2012, and also included on the classic album “GENERATIONS.” When you like someone, even the smallest reactions can weigh on your mind, right? This song beautifully captures the heart caught in a frustrating struggle—so wrapped up in the other person that you can’t take that first step.

The fresh vocals from GENERATIONS at the time of their debut also invite empathy, and their pure resonance is truly moving.

If you’re in the midst of a love you can’t confess, this track will stay close to your heart.

The words penned by their senior, EXILE ATSUSHI, gently permeate with the ache of a bittersweet love.

Balloon Bomb (Bang Bang Bang)THE BLUE HEARTS

[THE BLUE HEARTS] Balloon Bomb (Bang Bang Bang)

This is a playful pop-punk number that sings about the frustration of an unstoppable crush and the explosive urges that come with it.

Featured on the classic album TRAIN-TRAIN, released in November 1988, the track is also known for its tie-in with Kadokawa Shoten’s “Hippa Rinda.” Many listeners will likely relate to the lyrics, which depict feelings so heightened they seem ready to burst at any moment.

Fans are also familiar with the behind-the-scenes story that an alternate title was originally considered.

When your feelings overflow and you’re helplessly in love, why not surrender yourself to the song’s vibrant, driving sound? Its exhilarating speed will lift your spirits and leave your heart feeling clear.

My letterZONE

ZONE – My Letter (MV)

A classic by the girls’ band ZONE that captures the frustrating feeling of a crush when you just can’t say “I like you” out loud.

The gentle tone of the acoustic guitar layered with shimmering strings creates a bittersweet yet beautiful sound.

The highlights are the vocal relay that showcases each member’s individuality and their interweaving harmonies.

The pure emotions, expressed in down-to-earth words, sink quietly into the listener’s heart.

Released in October 2003 and included on the album “N,” this song also became familiar as the ending theme of the popular music program “HEY! HEY! HEY! MUSIC CHAMP.” If you’re struggling to convey your feelings to someone important, its delicate melody will tenderly stay by your side—and it just might give you a gentle push forward.