Masterpieces that sing of despair. Recommended popular songs.
I’ve put together a generous selection of negative, melancholy songs with the theme of “despair.” Whether it’s heartbreak from unrequited or impossible love, or setbacks in life, the shades of despair vary, with each artist’s individuality and emotions on full display.
When you just want to sink into your feelings, why not listen closely and let yourself fully experience despair, all the way to the very bottom? Some songs even let a glimmer of hope shine through the despair.
Savor that deep despair, then switch gears and get back to enjoying life!
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Masterpieces that sing of despair. Recommended popular songs (21–30)
Stop this nightJUJU
It was released in 2010 as JUJU’s 15th single.
The song was used as the theme for the Kansai TV/Fuji TV drama “Guilty: Akuma to Keiyaku Shita Onna” (Guilty: The Woman Who Made a Pact with the Devil).
Singing about a painful love where you can choose neither meetings nor partings, its heartrending, agonizing lyrics pierce the heart—one of JUJU’s masterpieces.
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.
Masterpieces that sing of despair. Recommended popular songs (31–40).
Stars on EarthNakajima Miyuki
It’s one of Miyuki Nakajima’s signature songs, known across a wide range of generations.
The lyrics are dark and despairing, as if you’ve wandered onto some distant star in the universe, but the grand sound is so dramatic it gives you goosebumps.
The key won’t turn.suitei shoujo
The ending theme of the horror film Ju-on, “Kagi ga Akanai” by Suitei Shoujo.
It’s a perfect song for those who want to feel a calm yet sorrowful atmosphere.
It’s a steadily sung ballad with lyrics themed around loneliness.
If you’ve seen Ju-on, you’ll likely be drawn into the world of this song.
When it was released, the duo were still in their teens, but their vocal ability is remarkable.
If you listen to this song at night in a dark room when you want to sink into your feelings, you should be able to experience a world of deep despair.
painVaundy
This song is imbued with deep insight into the absurdity of life.
It sincerely confronts the meaning of birth and the burdens humans carry, using weighty lyrics to raise probing questions.
Its mellow sound and arrangements that consciously evoke a subtle sense of dissonance make this message-driven track all the more striking.
Released on YouTube in June 2019, this work is Vaundy’s first original song as an artist.
It was also included on a CD released exclusively at a self-organized live show the same year, and was performed at a no-audience solo concert at Shibuya CLUB QUATTRO in August 2020.
It’s a recommended listen when you want to think deeply about how to live and your relationship with society, or when you wish to reexamine the meaning of life.
It gently stays close to the listener’s heart and will evoke profound empathy.
loadTHE toraburyū
A masterpiece released in 1993 that became a hit with over 2.2 million copies sold.
The song is structured into a total of 13 chapters.
Its melody conveys beauty and fragility even in darkness, and the strained, heartfelt vocals of George Takahashi leave a strong impression.
A film was also made based on this song.
I’d rather die.Fuji Kaze
This song sublimates into art an expression of love so deep that everyone has felt it in their hearts at least once.
Included on Fujii Kaze’s 2020 album “HELP EVER HURT NEVER,” it conveys intense affection and bittersweet feelings for another person with a light, buoyant rhythm.
It vividly depicts the fierce emotions toward a loved one—and the regret and self-sacrifice that can arise from them—leaving a powerful impression on listeners.
When it was performed on the 2022 New Year’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen, its dynamic performance drew widespread attention.
It is a touching track that resonates with those nursing the pain of heartbreak or overwhelmed by feelings for someone dear.