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.
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Bittersweet songs chosen by Gen Z. Music that resonates with the heart (1–10)
I miss youRADWIMPS
Released in March 2021, this song expresses the feelings held at the 10-year milestone since the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Placed at the end of the album “2+0+2+1+3+1+1 = 10 years 10 songs,” it conveys a pure longing to see someone—an emotion only RADWIMPS, who have continued singing for a decade, could capture.
It is a ballad whose quiet, emotive melody seeps into the heart, carrying thoughts for loved ones we can no longer meet.
Beyond being a prayer for those lost in the disaster, it also resonates with the sense of distance and loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving voice to the universal ache of “not being able to see someone.” It’s a song that gently stays by your side when you feel the loneliness of being apart from someone dear.
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.
spin; weave; compose (e.g., a story)tota
Tota’s work is a quiet yet powerful love song, woven as a prayer meant to reach a cherished person in heaven.
Released in February 2023, the song had already drawn major attention since the short version was posted.
Through natural imagery—sky, wind, and clouds—the lyrics express feelings for the departed, where fragility and hope intersect.
Even as tears fall, the protagonist wishes for tomorrow to come, conveying a strength that strives to live on while bearing the sorrow of loss.
It’s a song that gently stays by the side of those who have lost someone dear, and of those who wish to keep moving forward while holding that memory in their hearts.
Bittersweet songs chosen by Gen Z: Music that resonates with the heart (11–20)
SubtitleOfisharu Higedan Dism
A heart-touching ballad that portrays the difficulty of expressing love in words and the fragility of feelings that melt away like snow.
Released digitally in October 2022 as the theme song for the drama “silent,” the song expresses the earnest attempt to convey one’s feelings of love through a delicate, piano-centered melody.
It achieved its first overall No.
1 on Billboard JAPAN’s JAPAN HOT 100, and surpassed 21 million streams.
When you’re frustrated because you can’t put your feelings for someone special into words, this song is sure to be by your side.
waxing; filling up; becoming full; growing (e.g., the moon growing fuller)Fuji Kaze
That even the most brilliant moments must come to an end—and that by letting go of attachment, the heart can be filled.
Released in March 2024 as the theme song for the film “When April Comes, She Will,” this is Fujii Kaze’s first love song.
It gently sings of the futility of love that seeks something in return and the fulfillment that unconditional love brings.
His tender voice, carried by a soft piano melody, teaches us the importance of embracing change.
It’s a song I recommend to those who have experienced parting from someone dear, or who wish to reconsider what it means to love.
Because you are hereUru
With her transparent, crystalline voice that resonates deeply in the heart, Uru released this song as a digital-only single in February 2020.
Written specifically as the theme song for the drama “Theseus no Fune” starring Ryoma Takeuchi, it conveys feelings of love and gratitude toward someone precious.
The lyrics express how having that person by your side makes you stronger and gentler—words that naturally bring tears to your eyes when you think of family, a partner, or someone dear.
Mirroring the drama’s story, it’s a song that gently stays by your side when you want to reflect on the time and bonds you share with those who matter most.
A Naked Heartaimyon
When you’re going through days where love just doesn’t work out, it can feel like you’re the only one being left behind.
The 10th single, released in June 2020, is a warm ballad that gently embraces those bittersweet feelings.
Chosen as the theme song for the drama “My Housekeeper Mr.
Nagisa,” it resonated with many hearts.
Its simple arrangement, centered on piano and pianica, softly wraps unadorned, true-to-life emotions.
It tenderly portrays the feeling of wanting to fall in love again even after repeated heartbreaks, making it a song you’ll want to hear especially if you’ve grown timid about love.
Aimyon’s warm vocals will quietly give you a nudge toward tomorrow.