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] Heartbreaking love songs for those going through a painful romance (31–40)

Hey,SHISHAMO

SHISHAMO “Hey,”

Hey,SHISHAMO

It’s a refreshingly brisk, quintessential SHISHAMO track.

The melody is bright and the lyrics are upbeat, yet there are moments that suddenly tighten your chest.

Like the protagonist in the song, I imagine many people struggle to find the courage to tell the person they like how they feel.

Even when you think, “Tomorrow I’ll finally say it,” it’s hard to get the words out when you’re actually in front of them.

It’s a song whose relatable lyrics bring a faint tear to your eye while also giving you a gentle push forward.

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NAOHY

NAO – HY (Full)

NAOHY

NAO, sung by HY’s female vocalist, Nakasone.

The title means “thinking of you over and over.” Even after a breakup, you can be thrown off by someone acting just like they used to.

That’s why you can’t give up, and your feelings only grow stronger.

It’s a heartbreaking love song about an unrequited love that can’t come true.

Nakasone’s moving vocals will bring you to tears.

It’s a real tearjerker for anyone who once thought, “There’s no one else but this person!”—and maybe still feels that way now.

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Kado(guchi) Shichigatsu

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So it wasn’t me, huh.riria.

riria. / So it wasn’t me. [Music Video]

So it wasn’t me, huh.riria.

This is an unrequited-love song by singer-songwriter Riria, who rose to fame from self-accompanied performance videos on TikTok and YouTube.

The quiet sound centered on piano and acoustic guitar, along with vocals that feel like murmured expressions of sorrow, leave a striking impression.

Said to be based on real experiences, the lyrics convey a straightforward portrayal of a heart wounded by heartbreak, communicating an unstable emotional state.

Depicting the waves of anger and sadness that come crashing in after a breakup, this work gently stays close to those suffering from one-sided love and wraps them in kindness.

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First loveUtada Hikaru

Hikaru Utada “First Love” (Short Version)

First loveUtada Hikaru

A beautiful love song by Hikaru Utada, the songstress who is the pride of the J-pop scene.

Centered on the theme of first love, it captures all the emotions of a crush—delighting in little moments, getting hurt by little things.

Her crystal-clear voice resounds beautifully over a strings-featured accompaniment, making it an exceptionally lovely track.

If you’re in unrequited love—especially if it feels like a great romance that could be your very first love—this is a song you should definitely listen to.

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I became someone else’s girlfriend.wacci

wacci “I Became Someone Else’s Girlfriend” Music Video

I became someone else's girlfriend.wacci

A message song written for an ex-boyfriend.

The concept of sending words to the person who ended the relationship feels very fresh, doesn’t it? It’s a rare kind of song, but when wacci turns those feelings into music, it becomes dramatic and beautiful, tinged at times with heartbreak.

While wacci is known for their upbeat tracks, these bittersweet ballads are also a pleasure to listen to.

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[Unrequited Love Songs] Heart-wrenching love songs for you who are going through a painful romance (41–50)

First LoveUtada Hikaru

Hikaru Utada – First Love

First LoveUtada Hikaru

“First Love” is a single released by Hikaru Utada in 1999.

It was cut as a single from the album of the same title and became a massive hit.

This classic song expresses the unforgettable feelings of a first love.

It was also used as the theme song for the drama “Majo no Joken” and has been covered by many musicians.

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Unopened LoveLeina

Leina – Unopened Love (MV)

Unopened LoveLeina

A song that resonates with the honest, junior-high-school feelings of a singer-songwriter who was 14 at the time of release.

It straightforwardly sings about the frustration of growing feelings for someone while the distance between you never seems to shrink.

The song is filled with experiences unique to having a crush—like feeling happy just by making eye contact or imagining a development straight out of a shoujo manga.

It’s a captivating track where a mature-sounding voice meets fresh, innocent lyrics.

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