A famous song about first love. Recommended popular songs.
That bittersweet “first love” that only happens once in a lifetime.
In this article, we’ve gathered songs that capture that very first love.
People often say “first love doesn’t last,” but how was it for you?
Some married their first love, some didn’t see it blossom, and some might be in the midst of their very first love right now, overwhelmed by feelings that only grow stronger.
Pure, straightforward, fleeting… emotions that make you blush to remember now.
But at the time, it was just a desperate, all-consuming first love.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of songs—from those about being in the throes of first love to those that look back on it nostalgically.
Give them a listen.
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A classic that sings about first love. Recommended popular songs (41–50)
The Raindrops of First LoveKarashima Midori
This is a first-love ballad by singer-songwriter Midori Karashima, known for the hit “Silent Eve.” With her signature piano-and-vocal style, she richly expresses the youthful feelings of a love that can’t be candid and the heartache of being apart.
A literary piece that will draw you into Karashima’s beautiful voice.
Fortune Cookie in LoveAKB48
When it comes to Japanese idols, AKB48 is well-known, and this is a love song sung by such idols.
It’s an encouraging anthem that cheers you on—your feelings may still be unrequited, but the future is bright! It’s a song we especially want people wrestling with unrequited love or experiencing their first romance to listen to.
Boyfriend Part IICrystal Kay
Crystal Kay, a rare authentic R&B singer in Japan, sings about memories of her first boyfriend.
With a soft, smooth vocal delivery, she casually sings about her first love, which conversely makes the emotions come through even more.
The arrangement is sophisticated as well, with prominent bass and effective programmed sounds.
Love Dial 6700Fingā 5
A song performed by a mixed-gender Japanese pop idol group that was active mainly in the 1970s.
The phone number in the title became so famous at the time that it even sparked a trend of prank calls.
The lyrics poppily capture the excitement of wanting to confess one’s love to that special someone over the phone.
First loveFunaki Kazuo
Kazuo Funaki is a Japanese singer and television personality.
Alongside Yukio Hashi and Teruhiko Saigō, he is known as one of the “Gosanke” (the Big Three).
This song exudes the refined sentiment of the Showa era—a tasteful piece that arranges a man and woman’s encounter and the beginning of their romance into a beautiful story, with a loveliness reminiscent of reading poetry from an old text.
First Love ButterflyHKT48
When it comes to bittersweet first-love songs, “First Love Butterfly” comes to mind.
As the title suggests, the lyrics carry the wish to flutter over to the one you love like a butterfly.
Wanting to be near your crush but feeling too shy to approach them is such a classic first-love experience, isn’t it? This song is recommended for those who want to fondly look back on a timid first love.
First loveNakajima Mika
This is a song sung from a male perspective by the accomplished singer Mika Nakashima.
The lyrics tell of someone who has lived strongly while continuing to think of his first love from long ago.
Lyrics that could easily be misconstrued as the monologue of a stalker are rendered into a beautiful ballad by Nakashima’s voice.