Unrequited love songs recommended for college students: classic and popular Japanese tracks

KissHugaiko

aiko- 『KissHug』music video

A perfect song for women who’ve fallen for a close male friend.

It’s by aiko, a singer-songwriter often called a spokesperson for women’s love, and it was also used as an insert song in the film Hana Yori Dango F starring Mao Inoue.

This love song portrays two people who shared feelings but ultimately didn’t end up together.

The lyrics capture a woman’s single-hearted love for a man, squeezing your chest with their poignancy.

It’s a song for every woman in love who’s afraid to move forward for fear of breaking the relationship.

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sasashina

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KoiAndrop

androp – “Koi” Music Video, theme song for the film “Until I Meet September’s Love”

Speaking of androp, they’re a four-piece rock band known for two charms: refreshing, quintessential J-rock guitar tunes and beautiful ballads that incorporate piano, like this song.

If you’re a high schooler who loves Japanese rock, there’s a good chance you know them.

Also, this track was used as the theme song for the film “Until I Meet September’s Love,” so even people who don’t usually listen to bands might have heard it.

The lyrics, which portray a straightforward love that continues to cherish one person no matter how difficult the circumstances, grip us listeners by the heart.

It’s a beautiful masterpiece with a melody line that really hits you in the chest.

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Hane Keisuke

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cotton candyback number

back number – Watagashi (full)

A three-piece rock band with a superb worldview that grabs listeners and won’t let go—through vivid, heated lyrics that paint scenes in your mind and irresistibly catchy melodies—back number’s sixth single.

Chosen as the opening theme for the music show COUNT DOWN TV, this track leaves you with lyrics that truly evoke a high school summer festival.

Its ultra-realistic imagery and slightly humid melody and tone are sure to set many high schoolers’ thoughts spinning.

It’s the perfect number to listen to when you’re about to ask out someone you like.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Ms. Hanako on a high pedestalback number

back number – Takane no Hanako-san (full)

The eighth single by back number, a three-piece rock band known for realistic psychological portrayals and wistful melodies.

The situations and emotions—ones many of us likely experienced in our youth—really hit home.

Meanwhile, the refreshing sound, in contrast to the heartrending lyrics, evokes the atmosphere of student-era romance and draws you even deeper into the song’s world.

A highly relatable unrequited love song, especially recommended for high schoolers in love.

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Hoshino Takashi

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You don’t listen to rock.aimyon

Aimyon – You Don’t Listen to Rock [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

It’s a song whose vivid, scene-rich lyrics and striking melody truly resonate.

The lyrics portray the protagonist’s bittersweet feelings with realism, capturing the emotions of those in love.

Released in September 2017, it became a hot topic, receiving heavy radio rotation.

It has also become a major hit, surpassing 100 million streams.

It’s a track that feels like a snapshot of youth—one that anyone who has ever had a crush, or fallen for someone, can relate to.

Even if you don’t share the same musical tastes as the person you like, listening to this song will surely help your hearts connect.

It’s a song that will cheer on your feelings of love.

Because I fell in loveaimyon

Aimyon “Because I Fell in Love” Studio Recording Scene

Loved across generations, Aimyon is especially popular among young women.

As the title suggests, her song “Koi wo Shita Kara” (“Because I Fell in Love”) poignantly expresses the feelings of a woman in love.

Love songs suit Aimyon perfectly—likely because her own experiences and genuine emotions are reflected in her music, and that sincerity comes through clearly to listeners.

This track, too, powerfully conveys the emotions of being in love and the many things that become visible because of that love—so vividly you can almost reach out and touch them.

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utatane

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I wonder why.takayan

I wonder why.

It’s a song that gently embraces the bittersweet feelings of unrequited love.

Takayan’s soft vocals carefully weave together the delicate emotions of someone in love.

The lyrics vividly convey the pain and heartache of not being able to express your feelings to the person you like.

Released in June 2024, this piece feels as if it’s speaking on behalf of the hazy emotions tucked away in your heart.

It’s the perfect track for anyone struggling with feelings for someone they see at school or work.

How about listening to this song to help sort out your feelings?