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 (11–20)
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.
Cinderella BoySaucy Dog
Written from a female perspective, this song is a heartfelt love ballad that portrays unrequited feelings and the turmoil of betrayal.
Paralleling the story of Cinderella, it poignantly captures the moment when, like magic fading after midnight, she notices her lover’s true self beneath the idealized image.
Self-deception in turning a blind eye to betrayal, and the complex emotions of anger and dependence, are conveyed over a wistful melody.
Included on the mini-album “Lazy Sunday,” the track was released digitally in August 2021.
It debuted on Music Station in 2022 and ranked second in the annual karaoke charts.
It’s a must-listen for anyone struggling with one-sided love or feeling hurt by a complicated relationship.
CorrectRADWIMPS
As you stand before graduation, a major turning point in life, everyone asks themselves at least once: “Was this really the right path?” This song, included on RADWIMPS’ 2018 album ANTI ANTI GENERATION, was written as the theme for NHK’s “18 Fes.” School tests have model answers, but in life there’s no single correct one.
That’s exactly why this track gives you the courage to keep searching for your own answer, even while you’re lost.
Its arrangement—woven from piano melodies and a student choir—strikes a chord, and it’s often sung at graduation ceremonies.
I hope those taking a new step forward or struggling with life’s choices will listen to it as a gentle anthem that nudges you onward.
LeoYuuri
Let me introduce a ballad that reminds us how irreplaceable our everyday, ordinary moments truly are.
Included on Yuuri’s album “Ichi,” released in January 2022, this song tells the story of the bond between a dog and its owner.
As the owner grows up and spends more time with a romantic partner, the lyrics tenderly convey the lonely feelings from the pet’s perspective.
The music video, directed by Mai Sakai and starring rising actress Rin Kataoka, became a hot topic as a tear-jerking MV.
Singing about the importance of the “ordinary” that we often only recognize after it’s gone, this song will gently accompany you when you want to reflect on the time you share with family or pets.
In conclusion
Among Gen Z, the word “setsunai” carries both nuances unique to our era and timeless human feelings.
The pure emotions that lie deep in people’s hearts resonate across generations.
By encountering songs that gently accompany your feelings, you may find new hope even within that sense of poignancy.
I hope the songs introduced here become a support for your heart and a chance to take a step forward.