[Songs for Thinking of Someone You Love] Love Songs That Make Your Chest Tighten—From Unrequited to Mutual Love

I wish I were the one you liked.Te ga kuriimu pan

I wish I were the one you love / Hands Like Cream Bread (Wishing I’m her / tegacreampan) [Official Music Video]

A heart-stirring ballad by Tegami Cream Pan, where earnest feelings and a bittersweet mood are woven together through a clear, transparent vocal.

It gently portrays a woman who carries deep feelings for someone important yet struggles to express them.

Featuring an evocative piano melody, the song was released in April 2023.

Showcasing her delicate expressive power to the fullest, this piece speaks on behalf of girls in love.

It’s a must-listen for those who keep their feelings for a crush to themselves or find it hard to be honest about their emotions toward someone dear.

Surfing JohnnyKuwata Keisuke

Keisuke Kuwata – Surfing Johnny (Full ver.)

A masterpiece has been born—a love story set on a summer seashore, tracing encounters, partings, and the path to renewal.

Riding on a lively rock sound, Keisuke Kuwata’s lyrical vocals resonate deeply.

Overflowing passion, heartrending farewells, and the courage to find love again after loneliness are all woven together with a refreshing melody.

Released in July 2001, the song was also featured in a Japan Coca-Cola campaign and became a million seller.

It was included on the album “TOP OF THE POPS,” drawing a major response.

It’s a perfect track for those yearning for the arrival of the season of love, as they feel the fresh ocean breeze.

Lov UShibuya Subaru

Subaru Shibutani – Lov U (Official Music Video)

A love song included on the fourth full-length album, “Lov U.” It’s a track that reveals a new side of Subaru Shibutani.

The lyrics, which weave in everyday moments of quiet happiness and inner conflict, really resonate.

Released in October 2024, the album also drew attention for Shibutani’s collaborations with a new group of creators.

The chemistry born from working with artists like micca and THE CHARM PARK makes for a compelling listen.

The music video even features his first dance performance in about seven years.

It’s recommended for anyone struggling with love or wanting to express their true feelings—this song is sure to give you courage!

An unfinished love song I’ve been working on foreverHata Motohiro

Motohiro Hata “An Always-Unfinished Love Song” Music Video

Written specifically as the theme song for the film “A Love Letter on Our 35th Year,” this gem of a ballad gently and warmly portrays a love that deepens with the passage of time.

Motohiro Hata’s clear, luminous vocals resonate as if tenderly enveloping feelings for a cherished person.

The track began streaming in February 2025, and a CD single was released in March ahead of the film’s premiere.

The movie depicts a husband who, upon retiring, struggles to write a love letter to his wife; accompanying the protagonist’s emotions, Hata carefully weaves his words like a letter.

It’s a song we recommend to anyone who, in the course of days shared with someone precious, has rediscovered the profound significance of their presence.

AzaleaYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Azalea

A gem-like ballad by Kenshi Yonezu, written as the theme song for the Netflix drama “The Sequel to Goodbye.” Delicately portraying the sorrow of losing someone dear and the unwavering love that remains, the piece blends crystalline piano tones with electronic sounds into a beautiful track.

Released digitally in November 2024, it expresses the drama’s central theme of “the inheritance of memory”—starring Kasumi Arimura and Kentaro Sakaguchi—through striking metaphors such as a flower grown from a cutting and photographs one cannot throw away.

It is a song that gently stays close to the hearts of those who have lost a loved one or carry deep feelings for someone important.

aloeFunatsu Mahiro

Masato Funatsu “Aloe” Official Music Video – Ending Theme Song for the drama ‘By the Irori at Ms. Alice’s House’

This is a song by Masato Funatsu, woven with delicate words and melody, slated for release in January 2025.

It tenderly sings of the frustrating emotions born from a relationship that’s more than friends but not quite lovers—hearts so close, yet unable to draw nearer—wrapped in a gentle vocal delivery.

Also selected as the ending theme for the drama “Alice-san’s Irori Hearth,” the track harmonizes beautifully with the show’s warm portrayal of human relationships.

Love takes many forms, and this song resonates with listeners who find their hearts wavering in ambiguous relationships, offering comfort and empathy to many.

Even though I love you more than anyone else.ACE COLLECTION

ACE COLLECTION – I love you more than anyone. [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

A song by ACE COLLECTION that poignantly yet beautifully sings of the intensity of longing for someone.

It vividly captures the frustration of a love so overflowing it can’t be fully expressed.

The lyrics, skillfully weaving in changing seasons and natural phenomena, are sure to resonate deeply with listeners.

Released in April 2023, the track captivates with lyrics that seem to speak on behalf of those in love and a refreshing melody.

It’s a song that will give you a gentle push when you want to convey your feelings to someone special.