Bittersweet songs chosen by Gen Z. Music that resonates with the heart.
Poignant lyrics spinning around inside your ears.
A melody that holds your heart on nights when tears are about to fall.
Songs that move Gen Z have the power to cry with you anytime and help you face forward, step by step.
The feeling of “setsunai”—that tender ache—may not change even as times do.
Still, there must be lyrics that only those living in the present, Gen Z, can truly relate to.
There are many tracks that speak for that ache—about life, about love, and more.
In this article, from songs trending on social media, we’ll introduce one that stays close to your heart.
Bittersweet songs chosen by Gen Z. Music that resonates with the heart (1–10)
HeavenMrs. GREEN APPLE
Released in May 2025 as the theme song for the film “I Will Tell You the Truth,” this track makes a striking impression with its structure: it shifts from a quietly sacred opening to an unpredictable development.
The lyrics gaze equally at the light and shadow, the beauty and ugliness inherent in humanity, hinting at a new depth in Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s expression.
The unusual promotion—available only within the film—also became a major topic on social media.
Different from their usual brightness, the layered, heart-wrenching melody is sure to resonate deeply with you.
JANE DOEYonezu Kenshi, Utada Hikaru
This collaborative song, the first time two of Japan’s leading singer-songwriters have joined forces, serves as the ending theme for the theatrical anime film Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc.
Its lyrics capture a longing for someone lost and the fragility of memory.
Written and composed by Kenshi Yonezu, the track features Hikaru Utada’s clear, airy vocals that sweep through like the wind.
Set for release in September 2025, it will come out as a double A-side single, IRIS OUT / JANE DOE, in multiple CD editions, with the cover illustration newly drawn by Yonezu himself.
It’s a song that offers deep comfort to those who have experienced parting from someone dear or who are tormented by indelible memories.
evening primroseNovelbright
This work portrays a poignant state of mind: unable to forget a once‑beloved person, the protagonist can’t help but keep chasing their lingering shadow as memories of days gone by well up.
Vocalist Yudai Takenaka’s delicate high-tone voice gently envelops the pain of a protagonist who cannot accept the breakup.
The grand sound centered on piano and strings is another highlight.
It’s a song to listen to when you want something to stay close to the pain of heartbreak, or when you can’t take a step into a new love.
maybeYOASOBI
Released in 2020, this song portrays the raw emotions of a couple facing a breakup.
It captures the cool composure of saying goodbye without tears, alongside the lingering attachment buried deep inside.
The protagonist’s attempt to tell themselves “it can’t be helped” without finding anyone to blame resonates with aching poignancy.
Set to a mid-tempo melody, the lyrics trace the complex feelings of trying to accept the separation while still wishing they could go back to the past.
Included on the album THE BOOK, it reached No.
15 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.
It’s a song that gently accompanies those struggling in a relationship or those who have experienced parting with someone dear.
I love youback number
Written as the theme song for the NHK morning drama series “Soar High! (Maiagare!),” this track by back number was released digitally in October 2022.
Through everyday, modest scenes, the lyrics gently prompt us to reflect on our feelings for someone precious.
The pure, self-questioning desire—how can I bring more smiles to someone important?—is something almost anyone can relate to.
It’s a perfect number for those thinking of someone far away or wanting to reaffirm what truly matters amid the busyness of daily life.