Heart-Touching Unrequited Love Songs: Masterpieces That Sing of Hidden Affections

My cute unrequited loveOtoniriame

My Cute Unrequited Love / Onriame [Official MV]

A song by Onriame that depicts a cute and comical take on romance.

It vividly captures all the classic crush woes—losing sleep thinking about the person you like, fumbling attempts to connect on LINE or Instagram, and feeling jealous of other girls.

The lyrics sparkle with Gen Z–style killer phrases, and the sound draws on J-pop and hip-hop influences.

Released digitally in March 2023, this track is a pep song that sings about the sweet-and-sour feelings of a girl in love.

It’s perfect not only for anyone with an unrequited crush, but also for adults nostalgic for their youthful days.

plus-minusaiko

aiko - “Plus-Minus” music video

Released in November 2015, this song is about feelings toward a former lover.

Among aiko’s songs, it’s highly relatable.

I felt that when many people fall in love, they end up liking someone who’s just a little out of their league, like in this song.

low-grade feverMy Hair is Bad

Binetsu

This song, which showcases My Hair is Bad’s pop sensibilities, depicts that vague “low-grade fever” of emotion you’re not sure you can call love yet.

It’s the third track on the EP hadaka e.p., released in November 2018.

Although it isn’t a single’s title track, it’s performed often live and enjoys enduring popularity among fans.

The lyrics penned by Tomomi Shiiki—blending a frustrating longing for the other person with a touch of bite—are sure to resonate with many listeners.

While it has the driving momentum you’d expect from a rock band, the melody is catchy and very easy to listen to, making it a great recommendation for first-time listeners of My Hair is Bad.

If you’re stuck in the murky space of a one-sided crush or feeling a bit sentimental, this song will gently keep you company.

astronomical observationBUMP OF CHICKEN

BUMP OF CHICKEN “Stargazing”

This is a heartbreak song that reminisces about a former lover, a smash hit by BUMP OF CHICKEN—an artist beloved across generations for their uniquely soulful vocals that resonate with listeners and lyrics that feel familiar and relatable to many.

KissHugaiko

aiko- 『KissHug』music video

This is a hidden gem by aiko, who has created countless masterpieces.

Many of aiko’s songs are easy to sing, and this one is of course no exception.

The lyrics clearly depict the feelings of a girl who has had a long-standing crush on one person, and they make my heart ache with nostalgia for my own youth.

Last Love Lettermoon drop

moon drop [Last Love Letter] Music Video

From an intro that bursts with the sweet tang of youth and sets your heart dancing, this is the quintessential popular number by moon drop.

Many listeners are sure to feel their chests tighten at the lyrics’ worldview, where the frustration of unrequited love and unspoken feelings intersect.

The track is included on their first full-length album, “Kono Tenohira ga Mada Kimi o Oboete Iru,” released in January 2022.

It was also used as a CM song for Honda Cars, broadcast across seven prefectures in the Chubu region, including Aichi and Mie, so plenty of people have likely heard its refreshing melody on TV.

This song sets indecisive feelings toward someone you love and a premonition of love’s end to an easygoing beat.

It’s perfect not only for students swaying with tender crushes, but also for anyone who wants to bask in bittersweet memories from the past.

To Lovers of Late SummerAnri

Anri — To Lovers of Late Summer ~cover

The song “To Lovers of Late Summer” is a slow ballad included on Anri’s album MIND CRUISIN’.

The lyrics are by Yumi Yoshimoto, and the composition is by Anri.

Anri earnestly sings of a woman’s heartrending feelings.