Beautiful tear-jerking songs / songs that make you cry your eyes out

Unrequited Love Song: A heartrending love song dedicated to you who are going through a painful romance

Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

When you have an unrequited crush and feel like “it hurts, I want to cry,” you want to listen to songs that share those feelings, right?

In this article, we’ll introduce “tear-jerking unrequited love songs” we recommend just for you.

From the latest hits to timeless classics, every track is a gem with heartrending lyrics that sink deep into your heart.

“If I confess, we can’t go back to how we were.” “I know I should give up, but I still like you.” “We broke up, but I can’t bring myself to hate you.”

If you’re hurting from unrequited love in any of these ways, please give these songs a listen.

[Unrequited Love Songs] Heart-wrenching love songs for you who are going through a painful romance (131–140)

Song of the Eternal NightKami wa saikoro o furanai

God Does Not Play Dice “Yoru-Naga Uta” [Official Lyric Video]

Song of the Eternal NightKami wa saikoro o furanai

The song “Yoinagauta” portrays a heartrending state of mind—tears welling up as you recall an unforgettable love.

The melody alone can move you to tears, but the lyrics, which lay bare the longing to touch the one you love just once more, are truly painful and sorrowful.

There are many ways to interpret how the lovers part, so I think it will resonate with many people who are currently experiencing unrequited love.

While it is a heartbreak song in the sense that you can no longer meet the person you love, it’s a track I’d recommend to anyone who can’t give up on their love.

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I can’t bring myself to hate (you/it).ren

Ren – Can't Bring Myself to Hate You (Music Video)

I can’t bring myself to hate (you/it).ren

A singer-songwriter representing Gen Z, Ren, sings a song about an unattainable love.

Released in September 2021 as their first original work, it portrays a painful level of fixation—unable to sever the heart even after being betrayed.

Even knowing it’s a lie, clinging to the slightest kindness conveys a desperate feeling that makes you lose yourself.

You know you’ll never be together, yet you can’t walk away on your own.

Haven’t you ever put on a brave face to cover up those feelings that have nowhere to go?

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The holeKing Gnu

King Gnu – The hole

The holeKing Gnu

A ballad that gently accompanies those carrying loneliness, loss, and wounded hearts.

It begins with a serene piano melody, then unfolds into a deeply poignant soundscape woven from strings and reverb-laden drums.

The lyrics, crafted by Daiki Tsuneta, express profound empathy for people bearing emotional scars and a powerful desire to protect the ones they love.

The music video, directed by filmmaker Takuya Uchiyama, beautifully portrays the shifting dynamics of a couple’s love.

When you want to take time alone to face yourself, or when your heart feels unsettled, this work offers quiet healing along with deep resonance.

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The Land of LoveKato Miria

Miliyah Kato “Land of Love” Music Video

The Land of LoveKato Miria

This is a ballad that delicately portrays the feelings of a man and a woman consumed by a fleeting relationship.

It carefully depicts the heartrending emotions of two people drawn to each other within an inescapable affair.

Written and composed by Miliyah Kato, it is a wholehearted piece included as the B-side to the single “Saikou na Shiawase,” released in December 2016.

It is a song that will resonate with those lost in love with no exit in sight, and those suffering because they cannot be honest with their own feelings.

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DarlingSuda Keina

Keina Suda – Darling (Music Video)

DarlingSuda Keina

An emotional song by Keina Suda that powerfully portrays a fleeting yet earnest longing for love.

It expresses one-sided devotion, the pain of not being accepted, and feelings of self-denial, all conveyed through an addictive melody and delicate vocals.

Released in January 2023, the music video—created in collaboration with illustrator Avogado6—garnered attention for its innovative visual beauty that blends animation with live action.

It’s a song that gently resonates with those struggling with dependency and inner conflict in love, or with the heartache of not being accepted by the one they care for.

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to cry innocently; to weep with a childlike airAKASAKI

[AKASAKI] Adokenaku / Innocently Crying (Lyric Video)

to cry innocently; to weep with a childlike airAKASAKI

This song resonates with the heart through its tenderness that tries to embrace a pure soul holding back tears, and the bittersweet ache of feelings that aren’t returned.

AKASAKI’s delicate portrayal of emotion and straightforward expression of love are deeply moving.

Released as a single in January 2025, it became a hot topic after being selected as Kiss FM KOBE’s recommended Japanese track for the month.

The intertwining of the desire to protect someone and the loneliness of unfulfilled devotion evokes empathy as an emotion many have experienced.

It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone striving to move forward while carrying feelings for someone dear.

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The strong and fleeting onesCocco

Cocco “The Strong and Ephemeral Ones” Music Video

The strong and fleeting onesCocco

This song portrays a poignant love that sets out on a difficult journey to build something precious for a beloved, only to be confronted with the reality of betrayal.

It depicts, with striking clarity, both the strength to fight for love and the fragility and weakness inherent in being human, while Cocco’s translucent voice resonates deeply.

Released in November 1997, it was featured as the theme song for JAL’s Hawaii campaign commercial.

It’s a piece that offers solace to those who resonate with the turmoil between wanting to protect someone dear and facing an unyielding reality, as well as to those struggling with unrequited love.

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