Recommended breakup songs for women in their 50s: classic and popular Japanese tracks

I can’t say it.Gō Hiromi

Hiromi Go - I Can't Say It

Speaking of Hiromi Go’s bittersweet love songs, the famous one is “Ienai yo.” Although it’s a male ballad, Hiromi Go’s voice is so high—almost like a woman’s—that it’s relatively well-suited for women to sing at karaoke.

Mary AnnTHE ALFEE

Mary Ann THE ALFEE

One of the hit songs from the prime of the “rock band” The Alfee, it’s actually a heartbreak song with a chorus melody that really sticks in your head.

Their exquisite three-part harmony remains unchanged even now, and their youthful playing and vocals—despite being over 60—are something few can emulate.

I look forward to their continued success.

High School LullabyImokin Torio

Imo-Kin Trio – High School Lullaby

A super idol born from Kin-chan’s TV show.

It’s a smash hit created by the ultimate duo of Takashi Matsumoto and Haruomi Hosono of YMO.

The song is so poppy—perhaps because the character’s image is so strong—that you almost forget it’s actually a heartbreak song.

It’s irresistibly cute and catchy.

The one I still love even after we’ve broken upRosu Indiosu & Shirubia

Los Indios & Silvia - Even If We Break Up, I Still Love You / LOS INDIOS & Silvia Wakaretemo Sukina Hito

When it comes to male-female duet breakup songs, this one is a must.

Or rather, it’s more like a “want to get back together even after the breakup” song—the lyrics keep hammering home the phrase ‘my ex [so-and-so],’ overflowing with a very straightforward sense of lingering attachment that really sticks in your head.

It’s a sad color, isn’t it?Ueda Masaki

Masaki Ueda - Kanashii Iro Yane ~ Osaka Bay Blues.mp4

It’s a woman’s heartbreak song with a wonderfully gritty blues feel that deepens the sadness.

When a male singer voices a woman’s feelings, it can be surprisingly moving—perhaps many people have admired that, haven’t they? And the Kansai dialect adds a down-to-earth familiarity to the track.