Melancholic songs by girls' bands. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks.

Merging into the darknessTogenashi Togeari

melt into the dark

Emotions melt and tear apart in the darkness of night.

This track, which sings that pain straight, is featured on the second album “Toge Nashi” (No Thorns).

Written and composed by Misty mint, its emotional guitars and driving drums capture the turbulence of feeling.

It’s a rock number that stays by your side when you’re burdened with unbearable loneliness or overwhelming emotions.

If you love band-driven sounds, be sure to give it a listen.

AlchemillaRīgaru Rirī

Legal Lily – “Alchemilla” Music Video

A song in which a clear, translucent voice quietly weaves a prayer for sleep and solace.

It is Regal Lily’s first anime tie-in work.

Released in October 2021 as the ending theme for the second cour of the TV anime “86 -Eighty Six-.” Created with a small prayer that people striving to live in a merciless world may at least find peaceful rest, this piece extends a helping hand to those going through difficult days.

untitledtoukyou shoki shoudou

untitled

Opening the EP “pink,” released in March 2024, this track stands out even among the collection of breakup-themed songs.

Written from the perspective of the one who was dumped, the lyrics intertwine a desire to disappear with a desperate wish to remain in the other person’s memory, tightening the listener’s chest.

When the pain of heartbreak feels unbearable, this song is sure to reach out its hand.

H.A.N.A.B.I ~The Summer You Were There~ZONE

H.A.N.A.B.I ~The Summer You Were There~ – ZONE

A summer rock number that blends a driving sense of speed with a poignant ache, as if awakening the faint stirrings of first love slumbering deep in the heart.

The Hokkaido-born girls’ band ZONE released it in 2003 as their 10th major-label single.

Its lyrics, which capture fleeting yet cherished moments of love against summer scenes—fireworks, sunsets, and shrine stone steps—resonate no matter how old you are.

Issued as a strictly limited-edition run of 100,000 copies with six tracks, including solo arrangements for each member, it reached No.

3 on the Oricon weekly chart and was certified Gold.

Though it had no tie-ins, it became a classic on the strength of the song alone, winning over many listeners’ hearts.

It’s a track you’ll want to play when that sudden end-of-summer loneliness hits, or when you feel like remembering who you were back then.

It’ll get stained.Chatto Monchī

Chatmonchy “I’ll Be Dyed” Music Video

A mid-tempo number where the loneliness that drifts through the night city intersects with thoughts of someone special.

Wandering down an unfamiliar street, narrowing their eyes through cigarette smoke, the protagonist’s wavering emotions are vividly captured in lyrics by Akiko Fukuoka.

Eriko Hashimoto’s soaring vocals deliver a stinging blend of bitterness and wistfulness—a song that conveys the complexities of a woman’s heart.

Released as a single in November 2008, it was written as the theme song for the late-night NTV drama “Tonsura.” It also drew attention for being the first time Seiji Kameda served as producer, and it broke into the top 10 on the Oricon charts.

It has become a signature track, repeatedly included on releases such as the album “Kokuhaku” and various best-of compilations.

A song that stays by your side on nights when love leaves you swaying and you want to cherish your time alone.

Moonlight ReverseRīgaru Rirī

Legal Lily – “Moonlight Reverse” Music Video

Released in August 2024 as a pre-release track from the album “kirin,” this song marks a major turning point for Regal Lily.

Having handled their own arrangements until now, the band worked for the first time with an external producer—Seiji Kameda—to create this love song.

While the chorus’s repeated, aching sentiments evoke a distance that feels farther than the moon, the straightforward emotions hit you squarely in the chest.

The sound, where fragility and passion coexist, will resonate not only with alternative rock fans but also with those who seek the lyricism of ballads.

In the music video, actress Hana Sugisaki stars, visualizing the heartache that resurfaces when looking at the moon.

Honoka Takahashi has said that the process changed how she engages with words, making this a work that signals the band’s next stage.

Tomorrow as wellSHISHAMO

SHISHAMO “Tomorrow Too”

This is a song included on the album SHISHAMO 4.

They’re a three-piece girls’ band with outstanding sensibility in both lyrics and melody.

It’s a strongly message-driven work aimed at people dealing with love, work, and studies.

It’s bittersweet and really seeps into your heart.