[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
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- [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 (51–60)
I want to see you.sawada chikako
It weaves in memories of a lover who passed away suddenly, and it feels quite real.
In the chorus, it lists the promises with the lover that will never come true, and it’s tear-jerking.
I think this song will especially resonate with those who, like the protagonist, have gone through a painful farewell.
wailing in griefKudō Shizuka
This was the theme song for the Monday 9 p.m.
drama “Ano Hi ni Kaeritai,” which aired in 1993.
Miyuki Nakajima wrote the lyrics for several of Shizuka Kudo’s hit songs, and she also penned the lyrics for this track, vividly capturing the feelings of someone whose beloved has fallen for another woman.
Long before the term “yami song” even existed, this could be called a quintessential ‘90s yami song.
He was alive, wasn’t he?aimyon
This is a gem of a song that confronts the heavy theme of suicide and quietly questions the weight of life.
Released in November 2016 as Aimyon’s major-label debut single, it was used as the opening theme for the TV drama “Is Kichijoji the Only Place You Want to Live?” and has continued to move many listeners ever since.
Carried by a simple yet powerful melody centered on acoustic guitar, it carefully portrays the earnest feelings of someone who tried hard to live but ultimately could not help choosing death.
The song faces the hardships of modern society and resonates deeply with those who have experienced the loss of someone dear.
Write it as “regret,” read it as “future.”mafumafu
A rock ballad by Mafumafu that gently resonates with the hearts of those carrying sorrow and despair.
Through delicate lyrics and an emotional melody, it portrays the inner cries of a protagonist tormented by anguish so deep they wish for death, yet lacking even the courage to end their life.
Released in January 2021 and included on the album “Yoaiseki Universe,” the song was written for the smartphone rhythm game “Project SEKAI COLORFUL STAGE! feat.
Hatsune Miku.” It is a track that tenderly embraces those who are exhausted by living or burdened by pain they cannot share with anyone around them.
[Relatable Lyrics] Depressing Songs to Listen to When You’re Stuck in Heartbreak or Relationships (61–70)
Changing seasonsren
Ren is a singer-songwriter who rose to fame on social media, earning overwhelming support from her generation for lyrics that feel real and relatable.
Her song “The Changing Seasons” is a love song so resonant that anyone who’s been heartbroken will be moved to tears.
Not limited to heartbreak, it captures that universal feeling we all know when we’re down—thinking “the world might as well end”—and expresses it in words that are simple yet beautiful.
The pain of feeling left behind comes through vividly: the seasons change, everything around you keeps moving on, and yet you alone remain standing still.
I don’t want to see you; I want to see you.Ueno Yūka
A ballad by Yuuka Ueno that sets painfully bittersweet scenes of heartbreak—so vivid they make your chest ache just remembering—against a simple, piano-led melody.
Six months after the breakup, the protagonist’s heart is still tangled in conflicting emotions born from being unable to forget their former lover: aching to see them, yet not wanting to.
Included on the January 2019 album “Sukina Hito wa Anata datta” (“You Were the One I Loved”), this song is sure to resonate deeply with anyone who has gone through a breakup and still hasn’t sorted out their feelings.
When they suddenly come to mind in a quiet moment, why not listen to this track and face your true feelings?
The Refrain Is ScreamingMatsutōya Yumi
It’s a song that feels like it could make your tears burst when you listen to it after breaking up with someone you truly loved.
From the very beginning, its dramatic and serious tone pulls you in.
It’s something you can relate to when waves of regret hit you—like wishing you’d been kinder back then if this is how it was going to turn out.