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 those going through a painful romance (161–170)

dear personShio Reira

Leila Shio / Ito Shii Hito [Official Music Video]

dear personShio Reira

This song focuses on the different readings of the kanji for “love,” portraying the misalignments in how love is expressed and received.

Released in August 2024 as the lead track of the 1st EP “No one,” it also drew attention for being featured as background music on ABEMA’s dating show “He and the Little Wolf-chan Won’t Deceive You.” If you’ve ever struggled with the weight of the word “love” or felt unsure about how to interpret someone’s feelings, you’ll find it impossible not to relate.

You can really feel the kindness of someone trying to accept their partner’s clumsy way of showing love.

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Don’t appear.rikon densetsu

Divorce Densetsu – Don’t Appear (Official Music Video)

Don't appear.rikon densetsu

While lingering memories of sweet kisses and hugs remain, this song by Rikon Densetsu delicately portrays the complex emotions of a woman unsettled by her partner’s ambiguous behavior.

The lyrics, which wish “let’s never meet again” even as she still yearns for them, convey a poignant mix of lingering attachment and resolve.

The nostalgic, mellow sound and Ayumu Matsuda’s clear, translucent vocals further heighten the sense of wistfulness.

Released digitally in January 2024, the track was also performed at their solo show at Zepp Shinjuku, captivating the audience.

It’s a song that empathizes with those trying to put an end to a past romance and gives them the courage to take a new step forward.

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Why feat. Emimi NodaTakase Tōya

Takuya Takase / Why feat. Emi Noda (Official Music Video)

Why feat. Emimi NodaTakase Tōya

A heartbreak ballad distinguished by a beautiful, soul-stirring melody.

Toya Takase’s emotional vocals and Emi Noda’s clear voice brilliantly capture the bittersweet feelings after a breakup.

Released digitally in January 2022 and included on the album “13-gatsu 1-nichi” (The First Day of the 13th Month), this song resonated with many listeners who relate to the joys of love and the pain of parting, drawing attention on charts across Asia.

It’s a track I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who feels the loneliness that deepens at night or the emptiness of losing someone dear.

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monologueOmoinotake

monologue

monologueOmoinotake

It’s a mid-tempo ballad with an oriental atmosphere, created by the band Omoinotake and released digitally in April 2025.

It was selected as the ending theme for the second cour of season 2 of the anime The Apothecary Diaries.

With its beautiful sound arrangement and Leo Fujii’s soaring vocals, it conveys sorrow and a sense of loss for one’s dearest person.

It’s a song I especially recommend to those who cherish the feelings they keep in their hearts.

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Sunday’s Maison desfuri

Furi (from “Aitsu no Kanojo”) / Sunday’s Maison des

Sunday's Maison desfuri

A heart-wrenching song that portrays a colorful yet bittersweet longing for love.

Born from a collaboration between the music project “Nichiyoubi no Maisonde” and Weekly Shonen Sunday, it was released in April 2025.

Former TUYU vocalist Rei delivers a clear, translucent voice that vividly conveys the pain and sadness of a forbidden love.

It’s a delicate and beautiful love song that offers solace to those who resonate with the complex emotions of romance or who are suffering from unrequited love.

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Love even your melancholyKoresawa

Koresawa “Love Even the Melancholy” [Music Video]

Love even your melancholyKoresawa

A heartwarming pop tune by Koresawa that delicately portrays the feelings of a girl living with the negative emotions everyone experiences.

Released in August 2020, this first single is a re-recording of a song long regarded as a legendary hidden gem.

Set to a gentle, acoustic guitar–driven sound, it conveys the strength to move forward while harboring vague anxieties and loneliness—and learning to accept them.

It’s the perfect track for anyone who resonates with the stance of not denying any feeling but choosing to love them, or for those who want to keep looking ahead even while carrying a touch of melancholy.

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remainingYoshizawa Kayoko

Kayoko Yoshizawa 'Left Behind' MUSIC VIDEO

remainingYoshizawa Kayoko

A track overflowing with Kayoko Yoshizawa’s signature style, produced by Tomohiko Gondo, who has also worked on songs for AAA and Kyoko Koizumi.

The lyrics—“Even after a breakup, it feels like you’re everywhere, and I can’t stop thinking of you day after day”—hit painfully close to home for anyone nursing a broken heart.

It might help clear your mind if you listen when you really want to cry your heart out.

Since its 2017 release, the video has surpassed 5 million views and continues to steadily climb.

The music video, which finds a certain beauty in a chaotic cityscape, is a must-see.

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