A collection of timeless ballads sung by idols—songs that deeply touch the heart
When people think of idol songs, many might imagine bright, energetic tracks.
However, there are also many idol groups that sing beautiful ballads that truly touch the heart.
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of wonderful ballad songs performed by idols.
We’ve chosen tracks that portray a variety of emotions and stories.
Be sure to read the lyrics as you listen, find your favorites, and take your time savoring their unique worlds.
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Ballad songs sung by idols: A collection of timeless, heart-touching masterpieces (31–40)
Love letterHey! Say! JUMP
This is a ballad that captures the frustration of being unable to take that first step in love, alongside the pure feelings you hold for someone.
Its structure—passing the vocals along over delicate piano and strings—seems to carefully trace the subtle shifts of a wavering heart.
Many listeners will likely feel a tightening in their chest at the image of someone entrusting their overflowing feelings to a letter, lacking the courage to speak directly.
It’s the coupling track included on the standard edition of the single “encore,” released in May 2025.
While the title track drew attention as a TV drama theme, this song quietly won fans over as a hidden gem.
It’s a piece that stays close on nights when you want to keep thinking of someone in silence.
For anyone experiencing a one-sided love and finding it hard to be honest, this is a work you should definitely hear.
Confession Heart RateSKE48
SKE48, based in Sakae at the heart of Nagoya, continue to captivate audiences with their energetic performances.
This work, the group’s 33rd single title track, is a fast-paced dance number that portrays the pounding heartbeat of a fateful first encounter.
Even before knowing anything about the other person, you’re drawn to them beyond reason… That uncontrollable feeling of falling in love is expressed through choreography inspired by a racing pulse.
Released in October 2024, the song shines with Haruka Kumazaki at its center—her long-awaited first time in the spotlight nearly 10 years after joining the group.
It’s the perfect track for anyone ready to take a step toward confessing their feelings.
iNumber_i
This song, included on the 2024 release “No.O -ring-,” is a ballad that carries a message of savoring the small happiness close at hand without being greedy—saying that as long as I can be with you, just a handful of happiness is enough.
Alongside those warm lyrics, its mid-tempo progression and the inclusion of brass create a charming, blissful atmosphere.
The song was used in 2025 for SEKKISEI’s commercial “i Bright.
Clearer than snow.” The three members of Number_i also appear, dressed in pure white outfits, and their walk through a snowy landscape leaves a striking impression.
Only bots / Nothing but botsfantomu shiitaa
The eighth digital single, released in November 2025, is a Showa disco-style dance tune from Phantom Theta, a retro-horror-themed idol group produced by Ado.
It portrays the anxiety of falling in love with an ideal partner while not knowing whether they’re genuine or a fake, alongside a heartfelt yearning to be loved by someone anyway.
Set to a retro-pop sound, the song expresses the protagonist’s struggle to seek pure love in a world full of knockoffs.
Written and composed by Sasaki Kissa, it captures a world where cuteness and horror coexist, showcasing Phantom Theta’s multifaceted appeal in its most catchy form.
It’s the kind of track you’ll want to listen to when you’re struggling with online communication or craving a genuine connection.
That is a fairy.Boku ga mitakatta aozora
Debuting in 2023 and winning the Best New Artist Award at the Japan Record Awards in just one year, Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora are set to release their 7th single in December 2025.
The title track is a classic winter first-love song with lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto and music by Daisuke Shirai.
It tells a poignant story of a boy who is captivated by a girl he glimpses by chance on a train platform, and, seeing her as delicate like a fairy, keeps searching for her every morning.
Vivid scenes—winter uniforms, scarves, and crowded trains—tug at the heart, and it’s impossible not to empathize with the protagonist, who senses the love may never be fulfilled yet still engraves the feeling of “I truly fell in love.” The music video, featuring Ami Kanazawa in the center playing a transfer student, has drawn attention for its direction that shifts between reality and imagination.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to revisit a softly bittersweet page of youth.