![[Tear-Jerking] Classic and Recommended Love Ballads](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/bM7BLk2Ew1g/maxresdefault.webp)
[Tear-Jerking] Classic and Recommended Love Ballads
This is a playlist that spotlights ballads among love songs—nothing but love ballads.
These ballads are filled with tender, heartrending emotions unique to romance, from sorrowful love to songs that gently draw you in.
There are nights when you just want to dive into love ballads and have a good cry, right?
We’ve gathered a wide selection, from recent hits to timeless classics.
Even when they describe happiness, they somehow bring tears—so immerse yourself in these exquisite love ballads and let it all out.
[Tearjerkers] Classic and Recommended Love Ballads (1–10)
for a very, very long timeNEW!FANTASTICS from EXILE TRIBE
Here is a pure-love ballad that warms the winter chill and seeps deep into the heart.
The lyrics, which capture the growing feelings of love through everyday, fleeting moments and the frustration of being unable to say “I love you,” tighten the listener’s chest.
Released as a single in December 2025, this song was chosen as the theme for the film “Romantic Killer,” starring member Sota Nakajima.
The delicate timbres of piano and strings intertwine with twin vocals, unfolding dramatically toward the chorus—another point of allure.
If you’re stuck in a one-sided crush and can’t quite take that first step, listening to it might gently nudge you forward.
Why not savor it slowly while thinking of someone special?
blinkback number
Mabataki, which was chosen as the theme song for the film The 8-Year Engagement: A True Story, was released in 2017 by back number, a rock band indispensable when talking about J-pop love songs.
The band’s sound resonates with the addition of beautiful string tones.
It portrays a couple supporting each other, and Iyori Shimizu’s straightforward, passionate vocals move listeners to tears.
It’s a warm song filled with the desire to be a source of strength precisely when a loved one is going through pain or hardship.
Why not listen to it while thinking of someone you love?
PreciousNEW!Itō Yuna
A ballad imbued with a strong determination to believe wholeheartedly in your loved one and overcome any hardship together.
Sung by Yuna Ito, a Hawaii-born vocalist with overwhelming vocal prowess, this piece is a grand love song that will move listeners to the core.
Released in May 2006 as her third single, it was chosen as the theme song for the film “Limit of Love: Umizaru” and became a major hit.
The beautifully interwoven string melodies and her expansive, resolute voice are sure to inspire deep emotion.
Consider choosing it for a scene where you vow eternal love to the partner with whom you’ll walk through life, or as end-credits BGM to grace an emotional finale.
StoryAI
A love ballad released in May 2005 that’s synonymous with the Japanese songstress AI.
Its lyrics, which sing of a universal “love” that applies not only to lovers but also to married couples and siblings, resonate no matter the situation in which you listen.
Her sweet, gentle, enveloping middle register showcases the vocal prowess AI honed through rap and gospel.
It’s perfect for those moments when you want to listen closely, thinking of someone special, and take in the message: “Cherish this very moment.”
It’s nothing.makaroni enpitsu
A love song dedicated to “you,” who gave someone like me—who has nothing to brag about—an ordinary, commonplace kind of happiness and love.
The piano melody that evolves throughout the track is beautiful, isn’t it? In the memorable chorus, you can really feel the straightforward message from Hattori, the vocalist who wrote the lyrics.
It’s a love so strong that putting it into words almost feels crude, and I think it resonates in the hearts of everyone who listens.
Even the faint throat-clearing from Hattori right before the singing starts conveys raw emotion—and it’s enough to make your heart skip a beat.