If you’re starting to feel that the love songs you always listen to aren’t quite enough anymore, why not try some hidden gems?
I’m sure you’re very familiar with the songs that make it onto the hit charts.
But what about everything else?
There are surprisingly many songs by artists you know that you just haven’t listened to yet.
So in this article, we’ve gathered hidden masterpieces of love songs that you should hear at least once.
You might just find a wonderful classic you didn’t know before somewhere on this list.
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Hidden gems of Japanese love songs. Recommended popular tracks (1–10)
GIFTNishijima Takahiro
A pop R&B song brimming with Christmas sparkle and a wintry mood.
You’ll be enchanted by a heart‑pounding, exciting story and a romantic atmosphere that are so quintessentially Nissy.
Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a boyfriend like this? It’s a track packed with irreplaceable moments with someone special, a gift for the fans, and a heartfelt wish for everyone’s happiness.
Listening to it fills you with warmth.
A supremely heartwarming number.
Not only is it perfect for a special day—maybe even an ordinary day can feel like an extraordinary gift.
mayflyONE OK ROCK
A ONE OK ROCK number that portrays the inability to be honest about the feeling of love—saying “I like you.” Featured on the album Zeitakubyō, the song likens this self who can’t be straightforward to a wavering “kagerō” (a heat haze or mirage), an existence so unsteady it’s hard to tell if it’s really there.
You truly like them so much, and somewhere inside you already know it, yet you can’t quite admit it because you’re afraid of the reality that awaits once you do.
The lyrics, which capture those unstable emotions precisely because of how deeply you care, are heart-wrenching.
Words of Lovesupittsu
Words of Love, included on their highly acclaimed sixth album Honey, released in 1995.
It’s a hidden gem that apparently was even considered as a single, drawing you in with its beautiful melody and gentle sound overflowing with Spitz’s signature color.
As the days pass, feelings for a lover deepen.
Even if it must one day come to an end, the two cherish each other and find happiness.
It’s a song that makes you want to listen closely.
A love song that feels like it nestles up to everyday life and lets you feel the power of music.
loveNEW!back number
A gem from back number that captures bittersweet, tenderly aching emotions swaying in the limited time before graduation.
The lyrics, which freeze a youthful moment—like following your crush with your eyes from a classroom window—are sure to make anyone overlay their own memories.
Released in March 2012, this song overflows with warmth that gently nudges men who are thinking of confessing on White Day but can’t quite find the courage.
On a night when you want to reaffirm your feelings for someone special, be sure to listen closely.
EsperanzaNishino Kana
Esperanza, a hidden gem among love songs by one of the queens of the genre, Kana Nishino.
The cool, Spanish flair gives it a fresh feel that’s different from her usual sound! The title “Esperanza” means “hope” in Spanish.
The song’s protagonist falls for someone who already has a partner, and the hope she clings to is, of course, that he’ll turn his eyes toward her.
The lyrics convey a frustration-like feeling: what am I lacking compared to his girlfriend, and if I love him more, why won’t he come to me? The lyrics and melody are bolder than Nishino’s usual style, but those who’ve been in the same situation will probably find it highly relatable!
end creditssumika
A track included on the 2020 release Harmonize e.p.
It envelops you in that characteristically gentle sumika feeling.
The subdued first half depicts difficult days, while the swelling second half delivers a wedding-song message: let’s keep doing our best together, the two of us, from here on out.
It’s wonderful when feelings come through, even simply or without words—but perhaps a proposal that only he could make will resonate even more deeply.
A song that will tenderly color the days to come.
For the end credits, you’ll want to be with the person you cherish.
MOONKAT-TUN
A KAT-TUN track with a cool blend of thundering, bass-heavy rock and traditional Japanese instruments.
Included only as a bonus track on the regular edition of the album “Break the Records -by you & for you-,” this song could truly be called a hidden gem.
While accepting an unrequited love, the lyrics voice a heartfelt wish—at least to be loved in dreams, or in another life—creating a poignant contrast to the powerful sound.
It’s a number that perfectly captures KAT-TUN’s cool, mischievous vibe.