[Tear-Jerking] Classic and Recommended Love Ballads

Midsummer FruitSazan Ōrusutāzu

Midsummer Fruit

A gemlike love ballad that vividly paints an inner landscape at summer’s end, where bittersweet sorrow melts into luscious scenes.

The lyrics strikingly capture the pain of heartbreak and the lingering passion of a memorable love.

Released by Southern All Stars in July 1990, the song was created as the theme for the film Inamura Jane, directed by Keisuke Kuwata.

It reached No.

4 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and earned Platinum certification.

It resonates especially deeply when you’re holding onto feelings of love or melancholy—and it’s a perfect track for the season when summer draws to a close.

single bedSha ran Q

Sharam Q “Single Bed” (Music Video)

A melodious ballad that poignantly portrays the feelings of a man who, after heartbreak, can’t bring himself to step into a new love.

The single bed etched with memories of his beloved now stands as a symbol of lonely solitude.

The simple, everyday happiness they once shared, and the aching longing for someone who has now become distant, tighten the chest.

Released by Sharam Q in October 1994, this song was used as the ending theme for the anime D·N·A² and is also included on the album “Inferiority Complex.” It’s a song that gently supports those who are trying to move forward while looking back on a past love, and those who have experienced parting with someone dear.

Tears of MagnoliaSutādasuto☆Rebyū

Tears of Magnolia

A love ballad that sings of the profound sense of loss after losing the lover to whom eternal love was vowed.

Using the magnolia—the flower that symbolizes spring—as its motif, it beautifully depicts warm memories with a beloved person and the loneliness felt after their loss.

It was included as the first track on Stardust Revue’s album “SOLA,” released in March 1993, and was later released as a single, selling 150,000 copies.

In 2005, an acoustic version was produced for a Nikka Whisky commercial.

For those who have lost someone precious or who recall bittersweet memories in the spring season, this work will resonate deeply with your heart.

To the seaSenchimirimentaru

センチミリメンタル『海へ』Music Video

Created as an insert song for the animated film “Given: Umi e” (Given: Into the Sea), this piece is a gemlike love song that delicately portrays memories and parting, with lyrics, composition, and arrangement by Centimillimental’s Atsushi.

It weaves together the loneliness of growing distant from someone you love, the bittersweet ache of recalling them, and the desire not to forget—rendered as universal emotions that feel like experiences shared by everyone.

The song is included on the album “for GIVEN,” released in February 2025.

It’s a track that will resonate with anyone who thinks of someone dear and wishes to preserve those memories forever.

freesiaMarushii

Marcy – Freesia (Official Music Video)

A moving rock ballad that delicately portrays the earnest emotions of women in love was released by Marcy in April 2025.

The feelings of a woman who can’t break away even as she’s being strung along by the person she loves are beautifully expressed through flowing strings and a dynamic band sound.

Written and composed by Ukyo Yoshida, the song carefully weaves together, with persuasive vocals, the pain of becoming dependent on a partner and the complex emotions leading up to the decision to part ways.

Having made their major-label debut with the album “Memory,” Marcy enjoys overwhelming support from younger listeners, and the music video for this track features popular actors Mizuki Yoshida and Taisei Sakai.

It strikingly depicts a woman who is elated or dejected by her partner’s every word and action.

This is a song that gently stays close to the hearts of those suffering from heartbreak—one you should definitely listen to.

waiting in vainrokudenashi

Rokudenashi “Left Waiting” / Rokudenashi – Stood Me Up [Official Music Video]

This is a work by Rokudenashi, who began activities in 2021, delicately depicting the emotions of unrequited love.

The subtle shifts of a heart that can’t quite face the other person’s kindness, and the loneliness of being able only to watch them talk with someone else, leave a strong impression.

The vocals woven by Ninjin carry a warmth that feels like it gently heats the heart on a quiet winter night.

Written and composed by Hifumi, the song was released as a single in October 2021.

It’s a track that stands beside those troubled by love, offering empathy and comfort.

For anyone who holds a painful feeling they can’t confess to anyone—their love for someone dear—this song is meant for you.

sympathetic tearsHitoto Yo

Yo Hitoto / Borrowed Tears

A debut work by Yo Hitoto that delicately portrays people’s emotions in our lonely modern society.

Amid an information-saturated daily life, the protagonist searches for a place to belong, gently expressing the warmth of a heart that empathizes with others’ tears and stays by their side.

Its original sound weaves together elements of gospel, R&B, and oriental influences, beautifully harmonizing with her crystal-clear vocals.

Since its release in October 2002, the song reached No.

4 on the Oricon weekly chart.

The following year, it won the Japan Record Award for Best New Artist and was performed on the NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen.

It’s a song I sincerely want to share with those struggling with human connections or those who feel the urge to be there for someone.