![[Tear-Jerking] Classic and Recommended Love Ballads](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/h-KuoHHjGRs/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)
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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?
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.”
beloved captiveAraki Kazuhito
Singer-songwriter Kazuhito Araki, who has moved many listeners through social media and live performances.
This track was created as an answer song to “April Love Song,” released in April 2021, which drew significant attention.
Taking the perspective of a woman, it candidly expresses the anxieties and attachments of love, as well as the pain that comes from loving someone, in straightforward words.
It gently stays close to the unstable feelings that arise precisely because you care, making it recommended for those troubled by love or for nights when your feelings for someone overflow and you just want to cry.
Its unadorned, earnest vocals will resonate deep within your heart.
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.
In the midst of the trivialHoshino Gen
A little-known gem: Gen Hoshino’s first single as a solo artist.
Having a ballad as a debut song—Gen Hoshino is just too wonderful! As he himself said, “I’d always thought it would be nice if I could convey that feeling without saying ‘I love you.’” The more you listen, the more you somehow end up falling for Gen Hoshino—it’s a mysterious song! It’s a tearjerker I want to listen to with the person I love, soaking in the lyrics that say, “Love quietly dwells in the ordinary.”
366 daysHY
When it comes to a gem of a love ballad that lays bare unwavering feelings for an ex, “366 Days” tops the list.
The song by the hybrid band HY was included on their 2008 album HeartY.
Many may know it as the theme song for the drama and film Threads of Destiny (Akai Ito).
Izumi Nakasone’s soulful vocals, perfectly matched with the band’s slow-tempo performance, are deeply moving.
It’s a sweeping love ballad that embraces the feeling of “I can’t help but think about that person all the time.” Give it a listen on a night when you just want to have a good cry.
One more time, One more chanceYamazaki Masayoshi
One of Masayoshi Yamazaki’s signature songs, and a timeless tear-jerking ballad, “One more time, One more chance” has been loved for years.
It’s also famous as the theme song for the film “The Moon and a Cabbage,” in which Yamazaki himself appeared, as well as the animated film “5 Centimeters per Second.” The lyrics, which feel like they’re chasing after the image of a former lover who lingers in the heart even after a breakup, can move you to tears even without a similar experience.
Released in 1997, time has passed, but it remains a beloved classic.
