Hidden gem tearjerker songs. Recommended popular tracks
There are times when you just can’t shake off a gloomy mood—even when you know the cause, it still feels hazy and unsettled.
If you’re a music lover, you might choose songs that make you cry and let yourself sink deep into them.
Here, we introduce plenty of “tear-jerking hidden gems”—tracks you’ll want to listen to when you feel that way.
They’re not singles, and they tend to be overshadowed by so-called masterpieces or signature songs.
Is your worry about love? Relationships? Or is it something more vague?
Find the one song that fits your mood.
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Hidden gem tearjerker songs. Recommended popular tracks (11–20)
TearsX JAPAN
It was released in 1993 as X JAPAN’s ninth single.
The song is based on “Tears ~Daichi wo Nurashite~,” which YOSHIKI wrote in 1992 as the theme song for the 43rd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
YOSHIKI has said that he wrote the song in memory of his late father.
I miss youHayashibe Satoshi
It was released in 2016 as Tomofumi Hayashibe’s debut single.
The lyrics were written by Hayashibe himself, and it won the Newcomer Award at the 58th Japan Record Awards.
The song was used as the theme for the 2016 drama adaptation of “Sabu and Ichi’s Detective Tales,” and it powerfully conveys the feeling of “I miss you.”
Wonderful worldindigo la End
Enon Kawatani, now known for his prominent activities in many bands like Gesu no Kiwami Otome and JENNY HIGH, has long been a member of the band indigo la End.
He’s often seen as a musician with eccentric lyrics and tricky compositions that are insanely catchy.
However, their early song “Subarashii Sekai” (“Wonderful World”) is a rock ballad that could change that image for those who don’t know indigo la End.
Savor the bittersweet melody carried by his vocals at least once.
Twenty-nine, thirtykuriipuhaipe
CreepHyp is a four-piece rock band whose raw, true-to-life lyrics—carried by vocalist Sekai Kan’s one-of-a-kind voice—hit you straight in the heart.
From rough, explosive tunes to acoustic ballads sung with just a guitar, every track shakes your emotions to the core.
Their song “Twenty-Nine, Thirty” is a slow-tempo rock ballad that showcases their essence: wonderfully warm lyrics and a beautiful ensemble.
It’s the kind of track that loosens your shoulders and makes you crack a small smile even when you’re feeling a bit down or tired.
Wedge – Kusabi –Oku Hanako
Hanako Oku is a singer-songwriter who sings about heartrending love and has many tear-jerking songs, making her very popular among women.
This song, “Kusabi (Wedge),” also portrays her signature bittersweet feelings of love from a woman’s perspective.
It’s packed with lingering feelings for the man she broke up with—if you’ve ever felt the same, you won’t be able to hold back the tears.
You know in your head that you should move on, but you can’t help thinking about him; your mind becomes completely filled with him.
That helpless feeling is conveyed so vividly that it makes you cry.
The meaning of goodbyeNogizaka 46
It was released in 2016 as Nogizaka46’s 16th single.
The song features Nanami Hashimoto in the center position and was used in a commercial for forTUNE music.
As this was the last song before Nanami Hashimoto graduated from the group, it carries an important sense of a farewell that seems to gently push her forward.
Hidden gems of tear-jerking songs. Recommended popular tracks (21–30)
On the night when the stars disappearedAimer
When your heart feels tired and the stress is piling up, how do you relieve it? Some people talk to someone, others sing their hearts out at karaoke to feel refreshed.
But when you don’t want to see anyone, many turn to listening to music.
In those moments, this song will surely move you to tears—before you know it, they’ll be streaming down your cheeks.
Aimer’s delicate voice feels like someone gently rubbing your back while listening to you, a song that serves as a comforting place for the heart.