[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.
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[Tearjerkers] Masterpieces and Recommended Songs of Love Ballads (131–140)
Beyond the goodbyeMatsushita Kohei
Kohei Matsushita, who is active both as an actor and a singer, is truly multi-talented.
His song “Sayonara no Mukō ni” is perfect for times when you’re feeling emotionally drained.
It’s a love ballad featuring a heartbroken man as the protagonist, vividly portraying how he’s crushed and loses his willpower.
But it doesn’t end there—the song also depicts him standing up again and beginning to walk toward the future.
If you listen when you’re feeling down, it will surely encourage you.
The gentle, jazz-tinged melody that warmly envelops you is another highlight.
I won’t fall in love anymore.Makihara Noriyuki
A gem-like ballad that delicately portrays the pain of heartbreak and the hope of taking a new step forward.
Noriyuki Makihara’s gentle vocals tenderly envelop the protagonist’s complex feelings as they struggle to accept a breakup with their lover.
While carefully depicting the loneliness and confusion felt in everyday life, it also resonates with the positive resolve hidden behind the words “I won’t fall in love anymore.” Released in May 1992, the song was used as the theme for the drama “After the Children Are Asleep,” reaching No.
2 on the weekly Oricon chart and No.
7 for the year.
It’s a song that stands as emotional support, accompanying you through the healing process of a broken heart.
Sentimental KissShio Reira
A gentle ballad by Reira Shio that delivers bittersweet feelings on a warm acoustic sound.
The lyrics delicately portray the distance between lovers after a breakup and the emotions wavering between heart and body, resonating deeply.
Her voice weaves memories of a feverish love and a faint lingering warmth with novel-like beauty, tenderly embracing the kind of heartache everyone has felt at least once.
Released in March 2022, the song was also used as background music for ABEMA’s dating show “He and the Wolf-chan Won’t Deceive.” It’s a track that will stay by your side on nights when you want to bask in memories of someone special, or when you need someone to hear the feelings you can’t hold inside.
An unfinished love song I’ve been working on foreverHata Motohiro
A poignant song that gently portrays the love of a couple who have spent many years together.
Released digitally in February 2025, it drew attention for its storytelling and heart-stirring harmonies.
Written specifically for the film “A Love Letter in the 35th Year,” the piece conjures the image of a husband who, after retiring, learns to write so he can put his feelings for his wife into words—allowing the bond between the two to come through.
Motohiro Hata’s warm vocals and the delicate melody are truly wonderful.
It’s a supreme ballad, overflowing with love.
AzaleaYonezu Kenshi
A song by Kenshi Yonezu written as the theme for the Netflix drama “Sayonara no Tsuzuki.” Reflecting the story of meeting a stranger who has inherited the heart of a lost lover, it portrays the sorrow of losing someone beloved and the hope that life carries on nonetheless.
Blending delicate piano melodies with electronic elements in a modern ballad style, it was released in November 2024.
In step with the drama’s narrative, it centers on themes of inherited memories and unwavering love, resonating with the sentiment embodied in the white azalea’s language of flowers: “fulfilled love.” It is a gentle companion for those who have lost someone dear or wish to heal the pain of heartbreak.
Versailles – Versailles –ayaka
The theme song of the theatrical anime The Rose of Versailles captivates with its sweeping, moving melody and heartfelt lyrics.
Ayaka’s powerful yet delicate vocals elegantly express the emotions of characters who confront fate in pursuit of love and freedom.
Written specifically as the theme for The Rose of Versailles, released in January 2025, the song masterfully captures the film’s world through music.
The dazzling orchestral arrangement and crystalline vocals weave a harmony that further elevates the movie’s majestic atmosphere.
It’s a perfect choice for singing with thoughts of someone dear, or when you want to perform with heartfelt emotion in a calm, intimate mood.
waltzieiri reo
It’s a ballad that gently weaves a bittersweet love.
Leo Ieiri’s clear, translucent voice tightens your chest.
Beautifully singing about memories of a love that has ended, it also drew attention as the theme song for the drama “Miss Target.” It was released digitally in April 2024 and as a single in May.
The lyrics, which offer comfort to those who’ve experienced heartbreak, are especially striking.
It’s a mellow song you’ll want to listen to alone on a quiet night.
A recommended track for anyone struggling with love.