[Melancholy] For when you want to sink all the way. Masterpieces that depict various kinds of gloom.
Sad events and days when nothing goes right can happen to anyone.
At times like that, isn’t it music that saves us?
When you’re feeling down, you might immerse yourself in what you love or just take it slow and rest.
On top of that, listening to music that matches your feelings can bring a deep sense of calm.
It’s great to get energy from bright, upbeat songs, but we’re also drawn to darker, more serious atmospheres and lyrics that seem to speak for us.
Here, we’re featuring songs that stay close to a melancholy mood.
Some of them let you feel a light shining in the darkness.
If it’s tough to listen to cheerful music when you’re low, or if you want to let yourself sink all the way down and then reset your feelings, please use this as a reference.
- Songs that hit home when you're feeling blue: masterpieces of Japanese music
- [Dark Songs] A carefully curated selection of deeply dark tracks and heartbreaking songs that accompany you in tough times
- [Yami Song] A mental breakdown track that sings the true feelings of a melancholic heart
- [Yami Song] Fight darkness with darkness!? Deep tracks that stay close to your pain
- Masterpieces that sing of despair. Recommended popular songs.
- [Songs to Listen to When You Want to Die] I want to disappear... A song to support you who feel that way
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Hidden gems of yami songs. Recommended popular tracks.
- [Relatable Lyrics] Emo songs to listen to when you're stuck after a breakup or relationship troubles
- Masterpieces that sing about loneliness: J-pop to listen to when you're alone
- [For when you want to cry or feel sad] Tear-jerking masterpieces that make you cry when you listen
- [Bereavement Song] To you whom I can no longer meet... Tear-jerking songs about death
- [When You're Lonely] A Collection of Songs That Resonate With Those All Alone
[Melancholy Tracks] For when you want to sink all the way. Masterpieces depicting various kinds of gloom (11–20)
I’d rather die.Fuji Kaze
A song by Fujii Kaze that sings of a bittersweet form of love.
Its emotive vocals and light, airy melody resonate deeply.
In fact, the “you” that appears in the lyrics doesn’t refer to a lover or someone you like, but rather to an ideal version of yourself.
Included on the 2020 album HELP EVER HURT NEVER, the track exploded in popularity on TikTok in 2022—going especially viral in Thailand—and also drew attention on Spotify.
If you’re struggling with your sense of self, why not listen to this song and take a moment to face your feelings?
scissor standRADWIMPS
A song that seeps deep into the heart, this track showcases RADWIMPS’ musicality to the fullest.
Included on the single “Dreamers High,” released in March 2013, it drew attention for a level of polish that hardly feels like a B-side.
The lyrics deftly portray complex emotions and human relationships, resonating powerfully with listeners through themes like lost love and the foreboding sense of parting.
With Yojiro Noda’s poetic expressiveness on full display, the words read like a short story.
It’s a perfect recommendation for those struggling with heartbreak or relationships, and for anyone seeking music that stays close to the heart.
The seasons die one after another.amazarashi
This song sings of the changing seasons and the fragility of life.
Released as a single in February 2015, it was amazarashi’s first single.
It was also chosen as the ending theme for the TV anime Tokyo Ghoul √A.
With profound lyrics and a distinctive worldview, it resonates deeply with listeners.
While confronting past pain and the harshness of reality, it conveys a desire to find the strength to move forward, questioning the meaning of living.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you’re struggling in life and want to face yourself.
Lend an ear to the lyrics that speak to the heart.
I bear a grudge.Nakajima Miyuki
It’s a classic heartbreak song that captures the feelings of a woman who harbors resentment after being betrayed in love.
Written by singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima—known for numerous hits like “Ride on the Silver Dragon’s Back” and “Ito”—the track appears on her seventh album, “Ikite Itemo Ii Desu Ka,” released in 1980.
Some listeners might be surprised by the straightforward title and lyrics, and you can feel the passion in the way she sings.
Naturally, it’s highly recommended as a song to listen to after a breakup.
An Anthem to Encourage the Talented and TroubledBUMP OF CHICKEN
This song by BUMP OF CHICKEN carries a profound message for those struggling with talent.
It features a driving rock sound and distinctive, imaginative lyrics.
Included on the album “orbital period,” released in December 2007, it has no tie-in promotions, yet remains beloved by fans.
The song emphasizes the importance of trusting your own sensibilities and originality, and it can feel as if it were sung just for you.
It’s a track that stands by those troubled by talent or recognition, or who feel close to losing their sense of self.
Because it resonates with each listener’s personal experiences, I encourage you to give it a listen.
Why you are hereRie fu
Rie fu, with her beautiful singing voice and Western-pop-like melodies, is truly wonderful.
“Anata ga Koko ni Iru Riyuu” (The Reason You Are Here) is a track released in 2014, arranged by Masanori Sasaji, known for producing artists like Spitz.
At first glance, its bright tone may not feel melancholic, but it carries a gentle warmth that seems to reach out a hand—standing by those who are wrestling with self-questioning or environmental issues.
It’s a song that makes you feel that while there are times to sink deeply into melancholy, breaking free from it is also one of music’s great charms.
[Melancholy] For when you want to sink all the way. Masterpieces depicting various kinds of gloom (21–30)
HeavenMrs. GREEN APPLE
This is a deeply moving song written as the theme for the film “I Will Tell You the Truth,” starring vocalist Motoki Omori.
It begins in a sacred stillness, unfolds dramatically, and then ends abruptly—an unpredictable structure that defines the track.
The work portrays not only human beauty but equally the ugliness that lies behind it, seeming to reflect complex emotions such as despair and inner conflict in the face of an inescapable reality.
Released in May 2025, this song gently stays by your side and resonates deeply when you’re weighed down by helplessness or a sadness too difficult to put into words.