Hidden gems of love songs. Recommended popular tracks.

Hide-and-seekYuuri

Yuuri “Kakurenbo” Official Music Video

Yuri’s debut work, which likens a bittersweet unrequited love to a game of hide-and-seek, is a moving ballad that delicately portrays loneliness and the pain of parting.

In a room left behind after his live-in girlfriend has gone, a man’s emotions—surrounded by items that still evoke her presence—are spun through a gentle, translucent singing voice.

Released in December 2019, this song was created after the breakup of the rock band THE BUGZY and emerged from his street performance activities as a wholehearted effort.

The warm tones of the acoustic guitar closely accompany the man’s earnest feelings.

It’s a track you’ll want to play on a night drive or while sipping a drink in a quiet room—highly recommended for anyone looking to soothe the ache of heartbreak.

My friend’s lover is the person I used to date.Ren

REN 'My Friend’s Lover Is My Ex' Official Music Video

This song is packed with a poignant, aching love.

It vividly portrays the protagonist’s inner turmoil in a complicated situation where their friend’s partner is actually the protagonist’s ex.

While feeling irritated watching the happy couple, they’re overwhelmed by complex emotions they can’t put into words.

REN’s powerful vocals and straightforward lyrics resonate deeply with listeners.

Released in January 2024, the track fully expresses REN’s one-of-a-kind worldview.

Give it a listen when you want to feel the complexity and bittersweetness of love—you’re sure to find something you can relate to.

Fall in LoveKobayashi Akiko

Fall in Love - Koibito ni Ochite by Akiko Kobayashi

Akiko Kobayashi also had a massive hit in 1985.

That song was “Fall in Love,” which has become a timeless classic depicting mature romance.

It sold 540,000 copies and ranked third for the year—an impressive record.

I think even young people today will find it deeply moving.

I’m sorry to you.GUMI

【GUMI】I'm Sorry to You【PV】

The melody is very bright and cute with a chiptune feel, but the lyrics express the heavy and bittersweet emotions of love.

GUMI-chan’s voice amplifies that desperate feeling even more, making it a song that almost makes you cry.

I want you to listen to it when you’re experiencing unrequited love.

Meltryo

Hatsune Miku "Melt"

It’s one of the most famous Hatsune Miku songs—almost a guaranteed classic.

The song’s imagery evokes a date scenario, and the melody seems to match that image, giving it a slightly bittersweet feel.

Because the atmosphere resonates with themes of romance, it’s a song that has many PVs and parodies.

ContrastTOMOO

TOMOO – Contrast [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

A heartwarming song that honestly weaves together the sweet, wistful emotions of youth.

Released in January 2024 by TOMOO as the ending theme for the second cour of the TV anime “Blue Box,” the piece beautifully captures the contrasting feelings in love—joy and melancholy, closeness and distance.

Its emotive vocals over a comfortable melody that fuses piano and pop leave a strong impression.

Created by layering teenage experiences with the artist’s current perspective, the song blends pure emotions with the reflections that come with adulthood.

It’s a perfect track for those who can’t quite be honest about their feelings of love or who struggle with the distance between themselves and someone important.

MIOaimyon

MIO

This song gently and simply portrays the delicate nuances of emotions in love.

It quietly sings of a woman’s feelings as she earnestly seeks true love, even as she grapples with everyday anxieties, loneliness, and confusion over subtle changes in her partner.

Written by Aimyon when she was 15, the piece captures the pure sensibilities of adolescence and beautifully expresses the universal joys and heartaches of love.

Included as the B-side to the single “Ai wo Tsutaetai da toka,” released in May 2017, it features a simple arrangement centered on guitar and vocals.

Its calm, supportive melody closely follows the wavering heart of a woman in love, making it a song I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone wrestling with matters of the heart.