[Relatable Lyrics] Emo songs to listen to when you're stuck after a breakup or relationship troubles
Heartbreak, relationships, work, school—sad and painful things can happen in so many parts of life.
You might find yourself hating someone, lamenting your bad luck, or even feeling self-destructive at times.
Here are some “dark” songs to listen to in those moments.
Because these lyrics are written and sung by artists who have been through a lot, they’re raw and real enough to sit with your feelings—and I’m sure you’ll relate.
I’d be happy if listening to the songs I’m about to introduce helps lift your spirits, even just a little.
- [Melancholy] For when you want to sink all the way. Masterpieces that depict various kinds of gloom.
- [Yami Song] Fight darkness with darkness!? Deep tracks that stay close to your pain
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- [Yami Song] A mental breakdown track that sings the true feelings of a melancholic heart
- [For High School Students] Melancholy Songs That Stay Close to Your Feelings [Tough Times]
- [Dark Songs] A carefully curated selection of deeply dark tracks and heartbreaking songs that accompany you in tough times
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- [Trash Songs] A carefully curated selection of tracks about the lowest, worst kind of loser—and hidden gems!
- My heart aches with bittersweet pain! Breakup songs I’d recommend to Gen Z
- [Female Heartbreak Song] A soul-stirring song dedicated to you, who loved with all your heart.
- A breakup song with great lyrics. A beautiful message that lingers in the heart.
- For When You Need a Good Cry: Soul-Soothing Tearjerker Classics — Life, Love, and Work
- Gently staying close to a wounded heart… A Reiwa-era heartbreak song
[Relatable Lyrics] Depressing Songs to Listen to When You’re Stuck in Heartbreak or Relationships (61–70)
I don’t have an umbrella.Inoue Yosui
It talks about incidents happening in society, but in reality, one’s own day-to-day life is what truly matters.
To be honest, I’m only interested in myself.
It’s a song that satirically portrays such postwar modern people.
Though it’s a Showa-era song, doesn’t it fit perfectly with the present day as well?
Best-before date of lovetuki.
While sensing the end of love, they still can’t let go of their affection for the other person.
This song by tuki.
portrays that contradictory heart with painfully raw realism.
Frustrated by miscommunication over social media, yet feeling happy just to be by their side—the protagonist’s feelings will inevitably tighten the listener’s chest.
Released in September 2024, exactly one year after the striking debut “Bansanka,” this work is an answer song.
With other tracks featured in PlayStation 5 commercials, tuki.’s unique world continues to captivate many.
If you’ve ever experienced the aching loneliness of a relationship slowly cooling, you’ll surely resonate deeply.
On nights when you’re bewildered by love that’s changing, why not quietly align your heart with this song, alone?
Fruit of SandNakatani Miki
This is a Japanese cover of Ryuichi Sakamoto featuring Sister M’s “The Other Side of Love.” Miki Nakatani’s fragile, slightly unsteady vocals leave a strong impression.
Since the original was the theme song for a TV drama about a stalker, a dark inner world is laid bare.
Revolveryonige
A song that has moved past sadness, regret, and self-loathing, and is trying to move forward steadily, little by little, using a past love as nourishment.
Even after the breakup, it feels like the narrator is cheering themselves on while wishing that the other person is doing well somewhere.
The “revolver” in the title refers to a gun’s trigger, but it’s unclear whether the protagonist is pulling that trigger to shoot something down, or if the barrel is pointed at themselves.
together; along with; bothWANIMA
This is a WANIMA song that has continued to be loved as an anthem for life.
Its uplifting message and energetic sound blend beautifully, powerfully moving everyone who listens.
While facing painful experiences from the past and uncertainties about the future, the lyrics are filled with the courage and hope to keep looking forward and moving on, resonating with many hearts.
Released in August 2016, this meaningful track also carries the band’s feelings for their hometown of Kumamoto, which was struck by an earthquake.
I wholeheartedly recommend it to those who are trying to move forward despite setbacks and anxieties, and to anyone who wants to express gratitude to someone important.
The holeKing Gnu
A ballad that gently accompanies those carrying loneliness, loss, and wounded hearts.
It begins with a serene piano melody, then unfolds into a deeply poignant soundscape woven from strings and reverb-laden drums.
The lyrics, crafted by Daiki Tsuneta, express profound empathy for people bearing emotional scars and a powerful desire to protect the ones they love.
The music video, directed by filmmaker Takuya Uchiyama, beautifully portrays the shifting dynamics of a couple’s love.
When you want to take time alone to face yourself, or when your heart feels unsettled, this work offers quiet healing along with deep resonance.
PrimroseFLG4
A poignant melody that expresses warped love and inner anguish is layered with a powerful yet delicate vocal performance in FLG4’s track.
Born from encounters with people in minority communities and released in April 2021, this work beautifully captures the aching feeling of harboring emotions no one understands, yet still being unable to stop longing for someone.
Coupled with a worldview where fiction and reality intersect, it becomes a piece that evokes deep empathy.
It’s a song that gently stays close to the hearts of those who struggle with loneliness and self-denial.