A lovely friendship song

More Than Friends, Not Quite Lovers: A Collection of Love Songs About That Delicate In-Between

Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

“We’re closer than just ordinary friends, but we’re not lovers either…” Have you ever experienced that in-between relationship—more than friends, less than lovers?

If you both care for each other but just haven’t expressed your feelings yet, it might be a happy relationship.

But sometimes it can also be an unhealthy situation that just drags on without direction.

In this article, we’ll introduce a collection of songs that capture the complexity of that more-than-friends, not-quite-lovers dynamic.

You’re sure to find stories that mirror your own experiences and songs that resonate and move your heart.

Be sure to read the lyrics and listen while taking in each song’s story.

[More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers] A Collection of Love Songs Depicting Delicately Ambiguous Relationships (91–100)

tracing (picture)Aragaki Yui

Yui Aragaki – Utsushie [Yui Aragaki ver.] @60fps

tracing (picture)Aragaki Yui

Yui Aragaki’s “Utsushie” portrays the feelings of being close yet unable to put emotions into words.

Released in 2009, the song reached No.

10 on the Oricon Weekly Chart.

With her gentle voice, Aragaki paints the bittersweet emotion of “we both feel the same, but we can’t say it.” While the song is filled with a sense of yearning, it mysteriously warms the heart as you listen.

Blending the tension of unrequited love with the sweetness of mutual affection, it resonates with anyone who knows the frustrations of romance.

Its vocals and melody, brimming with the flutter of a pounding heart, are sure to send ripples through yours as well.

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I can’t get used to itYOAKE

YOAKE “I Can’t Get Used To It” Official Music Video

I can’t get used to itYOAKE

YOAKE is a band project gaining attention for changing vocalists and musical genres with each track.

Their digital-only single “Fuanarenai,” released on March 19, 2021, features a clear, refreshing ensemble highlighted by a lively piano sound that lingers in your ears.

The lyrics, which express feelings that can’t be contained despite recognizing a more-than-friends-but-not-quite-lovers relationship, may particularly resonate with teens, whose romances often begin as friendships.

It’s an exhilarating pop tune marked by lyrics sprinkled with striking, memorable phrases.

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Hoshino Takashi

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In conclusion

Through these various works, perhaps they reminded you of those complex emotions that everyone has felt at least once. The subtle sense of distance and the aching feelings depicted in the songs may be stories that are unfolding in someone’s heart even at this very moment. I hope the tracks introduced in this article stay close to your heart and give you the courage to move forward.