[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] For when you want to sink all the way down. Masterpieces depicting all kinds of gloom (31–40)
PAPARAZZI — *This story is a work of fiction.*RADWIMPS
This song delivers a sharp critique of media ethics and paparazzi culture.
Included on the album “ANTI ANTI GENERATION,” released in December 2018, it drew attention for its strong social message.
The story unfolds from three perspectives—a child, a father, and Yojiro Noda of RADWIMPS—highlighting the problems inherent in paparazzi behavior.
Confronting contemporary issues such as dependence on the media and violations of others’ privacy, the work sharply questions today’s society.
It’s a track for those who want to think deeply about the role of the media.
GamblingShiina Ringo
This is a song whose dark tone and profound lyrics resonate deeply.
It’s included on Ringo Sheena’s live album Zecchoushu released in September 2000, and it portrays loneliness, inner conflict, and an earnest longing for a loved one.
Vivid metaphors and symbolic expressions stimulate the listener’s imagination, and its unique worldview—treating life and love as a “gamble”—is especially captivating.
The energetic live vocals and performance are stunning, delivering an overwhelming sense of presence.
It’s perfect for times when you’re feeling down or want to sort out your emotions, so give it a listen.
painVaundy
This song is imbued with deep insight into the absurdity of life.
It sincerely confronts the meaning of birth and the burdens humans carry, using weighty lyrics to raise probing questions.
Its mellow sound and arrangements that consciously evoke a subtle sense of dissonance make this message-driven track all the more striking.
Released on YouTube in June 2019, this work is Vaundy’s first original song as an artist.
It was also included on a CD released exclusively at a self-organized live show the same year, and was performed at a no-audience solo concert at Shibuya CLUB QUATTRO in August 2020.
It’s a recommended listen when you want to think deeply about how to live and your relationship with society, or when you wish to reexamine the meaning of life.
It gently stays close to the listener’s heart and will evoke profound empathy.
Only on nights when I want to dieAina ji Endo
This is a heartwarming song that delicately portrays how the smile of someone precious comes to mind in moments when your heart feels like it might break amid an unremarkably passing everyday life.
Aina the End wrote and composed the song, with production by Shingo Sekiguchi of Ovall.
Her quietly companionable husky voice blends exquisitely with the warm acoustic sound.
Written in February 2020 as the ending theme for the MBS/TBS drama “Shinitai Yoru ni Kagitte” (“Only on the Nights I Want to Die”), Aina the End—who was a fan of the original work—carefully captured the story’s worldview.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you feel lonely, hopeless, or on the verge of breaking.
The presence of someone dear, and the warmth of shared memories, will surely become a source of support for your heart.
Participation prizesoredemo sekai ga tsuzuku nara
This song weaves emotions that well up from deep within the heart into its lyrics.
It’s one of the signature tracks by Soredemo Sekai ga Tsuzukunara, included on their major-label debut album “Boku wa Kimi ni Buki wo Watashitai,” released in September 2013.
The lyrics, which portray everyday pain and inner conflict, resonate deeply with listeners.
The emotional vocals and punk-tinged sound further accentuate the inner turmoil.
It’s a perfect song for those who feel life is hard or want to boost their self-esteem.
Recommended for times when you want to reexamine your sense of purpose.
[Gloomy Tunes] For when you want to sink all the way. Masterpieces depicting various melancholies (41–50)
EccentricKeyakizaka46
A powerful, emotionally stirring piece that boldly sings of the resolve to live true to oneself.
It’s a song by the idol group Keyakizaka46, included on their first album, “Masshiro na Mono wa Yogoshitakunaru,” released in 2017.
A cool, dance-oriented track with a mature, striking vibe, it deepens the impact of the lyrics’ message.
Give it a listen when you’re struggling with changing your words, actions, or thoughts just to fit in with those around you.
Our FailureMorita Doji
This is a song by Doji Morita, a singer-songwriter who was active mainly in the 1970s.
It became a hit after being used as the theme song for the 1993 TV drama “High School Teacher.” Although the arrangement gradually feels brighter, it carries a mysterious atmosphere that pulls you in.
Perhaps because of her style that conceals her true self and her consistent artistic world, you can sink into the whispered words and lyrics, which I think match a melancholic mood.
In 2020, actress Elaiza Ikeda covered it on “CDTV Live! Live!,” offering a different but equally lovely interpretation.
