[For when you want to cry or feel sad] Tear-jerking masterpieces that make you cry when you listen
Even when you feel like crying, it’s not as easy to shed tears as it was when you were a child once you’ve grown up.
In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of songs perfect for when you want to cry—from tear-jerking melodies to moving masterpieces.
These are all tracks you can listen to alone at home and really let the tears flow.
We’ve gathered everything from classics to the latest hits: songs that help you free the part of yourself that can’t cry, and songs that stay close to your pain and lift you up.
Find that one song that speaks to your heart—and let yourself have a good, cathartic cry.
- Crying songs, tear-jerker tunes. A request of tears dedicated to you.
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- The lyrics are profoundly good. The more you listen, the more it sinks in. Masterpieces of Japanese music, recommended popular songs.
Songs That Make You Cry: Tearjerking Masterpieces to Listen to When You Want to Cry or Feel Sad (11–20)
MetronomeYonezu Kenshi
A fantastical work that poetically depicts feelings passing each other by.
It’s a song by the popular singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu, known for tracks like “M87” and “Uma to Shika,” included on his third album Bremen, released in 2015.
The step-by-step rhythm and the gentle tones of piano and strings feel beautiful on their own—they’re truly moving.
Be sure to listen to it together with the animated music video drawn by Kenshi Yonezu himself.
AnswerIkuta Rira
Lila Ikuta delivers a heartwarming medium-tempo ballad that gently stays close to the anxieties and uncertainties of one’s future.
Amid a grand, dramatic arrangement, its warm melody stands out—offering the courage to take a step forward toward tomorrow while facing loneliness and pain.
It’s an encouraging song that softly nudges those who are unsure of their path.
Released in March 2021, the piece was also featured as the CM song for Tokio Marine Nichido Anshin Life’s “Disability Income Insurance,” resonating with many listeners.
It’s a moving, tear-evoking track we hope those searching for their own way, or spending days without clear answers, will hear.
StoryAI
AI is popular across generations for her vocal prowess and emotionally resonant voice.
Among her many songs, “Story” can be considered one of her signature tracks.
It served as the Japanese ending theme for the Disney movie Big Hero 6, making it a highly recognizable song known by both children and adults.
Depending on the listener, the situation or the person it evokes may differ, but it’s a track that strikes a chord with anyone who hears it.
Even if you’ve heard it many times, take a moment to really listen—it’s a moving masterpiece that can bring you to tears.
One more time, One more chanceYamazaki Masayoshi
When it comes to Masayoshi Yamazaki, many people probably think of this song.
“One more time, One more chance,” released in 1997, is famous both as the theme song for the film “The Moon and a Cabbage,” in which Yamazaki himself starred, and later, in 2007, as the theme song for the animated film “5 Centimeters per Second.” From the very first guitar notes in the intro, it’s already brimming with tear-jerking elements, and the song’s theme—“the person you can never forget”—truly resonates.
If you’ve experienced heartbreak, it’s a song you can deeply relate to, one that will move you to tears.
Letter to TomorrowTeshima Aoi
A heartwarming ballad gently portraying people looking ahead in life with both hope and unease, framed by the motif of a letter from the future.
Aoi Teshima’s translucent voice resonates deeply alongside the beautiful arrangement of piano and strings.
First released in July 2014 on the album “Ren’dez-vous,” the song drew renewed attention in February 2016 as the theme for Fuji TV’s Monday 9 p.m.
drama “Someday I’ll Remember This Love, and Surely I’ll Cry.” The piece won the Best Theme Song Award at the Tokyo Drama Awards 2016.
When you find yourself pausing on the path toward your dreams, or when you want to be close to your feelings for someone important, why not listen quietly? It will surely become a tear-jerker of a song for you.
pendulumUru
Feeling the hardship of living—perhaps that is what it means to be alive.
This is a song by Uru, a singer who rose to fame through her online activities, released as a single in 2020.
It was written as the theme song for the film “The Voice of Sin.” Uru’s crystal-clear vocals blend perfectly with the grand sound arrangement to create a poignant ballad.
The lyrics, which drift through thoughts of one’s everyday life and days gone by, are crafted in a way that anyone can relate to.
Why not take a moment to look back on your own life with this song?
"When You Want to Cry / When You're Sad" — Tear-Jerking Masterpieces That Make You Cry When You Listen (21–30)
Happy Endingback number
Back number is a band that has released many tear-jerking love songs.
Among them, their breakup songs are especially memorable—each one is aching, tender, and packed tight with overwhelming emotions.
This song is certainly one of those.
It depicts the moment a certain couple parts ways, and the most moving point is the heroine’s bravado.
She doesn’t actually want to break up; she still loves him deeply.
But instead of telling him that, she stages a clean, nonchalant farewell.
Watching her swallow her lingering feelings and try to accept the breakup he’s initiating is so heartrending that it brings you to tears.
