A song of forbidden love. A heartrending, sorrowful love song.
A forbidden love you can’t tell anyone about.
If you’re reading this article, perhaps you’re experiencing a similar kind of love.
If so, there are probably many painful moments.
I’ve gathered some songs I want you to hear.
They capture the pain of falling for someone who already has a lover or partner and feeling lost, or knowing it won’t come true yet being unable to give up.
When things are tough, try finding one song that stays close to your feelings.
Like when someone listens to you, it might make your heart feel just a little lighter.
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A forbidden love song. A heartrending, sorrowful love ballad (71–80)
I love you, but goodbye.CHIHIRO
CHIHRO’s heartrending song gently accompanies those struggling with unrequited love.
It delicately portrays the inner conflict of a woman who chooses to part ways despite still being in love.
Released in October 2017, the track was also used as the theme song for a romance program on AbemaTV, resonating with many listeners.
It’s a song that supports those suffering from an unattainable love or those who have decided to end a relationship.
Crying your heart out while listening might help you take a step toward a new love.
DesireDo As Infinity
For those agonizing over a forbidden love, I want you to listen to Do As Infinity’s “Desire.” Love isn’t something you do alone, right? When you fall in love, there’s always someone else involved, and if you’re in a relationship, it’s two people sharing their feelings.
The same goes for an affair.
Even when you know it’s wrong, you keep going.
That’s not just one person’s problem—it exists because there’s someone on the other side accepting that relationship.
This song captures the unstoppable, forbidden “desire” of two people.
I just had a love sadder than anyone else’s.Flower
A song about ending an impossible love by your own choice: Flower’s “I Just Had a Sadder Love Than Anyone Else.” It’s a supportive song for people who are thinking of ending a painful relationship.
She loves him desperately, but the woman in the song lets go so that the man can choose his other love.
She lines up excuses and soothes the man who is crying and clinging to her, but isn’t it true that she wants to cry, too? She must have been waiting for the moment she’d be loved the most… It’s heartbreaking.
Happinessback number
Rather than evoking an affair, this song centers on the theme of an “unattainable love.” It poignantly expresses feelings that make you wonder whose “happiness” the title refers to.
It feels like witnessing the person you love loving someone else, and it tightens your chest.
Can’t Stop Fallin’ in Loveglobe
Released in 1997, this is a poignant ballad by globe—known for many hit songs—that sings of an unrequited love.
It portrays a love that can’t be stopped, no matter how hard one tries.
The song captures the heartache of a woman who has fallen for a man who already has a partner.
While she knows she must give up at some point, she doesn’t want to lose the one she loves.
It’s a classic that conveys the anguish of an unattainable love.
Street Loveindigo la End
This is a love song by indigo la End about a finished romance that must not be known by anyone.
It’s included on their 2019 album “Nureyuku Shōsetsu” (My Soaking Novel).
The song feels like a letter addressed to an ex-lover, conveying lingering attachment and frustration—though they’ve broken up, the feelings remain.
It says, no matter what happens, I want to keep loving you, but knowing those feelings won’t reach you anymore makes it all the more heartbreaking.
Depicting pure love and the painful outcome of a difficult relationship, it’s a breakup song recommended for anyone experiencing an unrequited love.
A triangular lovesaji
A saji song that portrays the pain of unrequited love with a heart-wrenching voice and delicate words.
The aching feelings of being unable to hold back one’s love are expressed with striking directness.
Many listeners will inevitably relate to the narrator’s position—unable to become a lover yet continuing to harbor unwavering affection.
Included on their second mini-album Hanabi no Uta, released in September 2020, the track became a hit through TikTok.
The arrangement, featuring live strings, further enhances the song’s appeal.
It’s a piece that offers solace to anyone who has experienced heartbreak or unrequited love—or is struggling with it right now.