Love songs sung by idols: from heart-wrenching tracks to ones that make your heart skip a beat!
There are so many love songs among idol tracks, aren’t there?
From cute songs that capture the feeling of first love to heartbreaking ballads that depict bittersweet romance, there are tunes that express a wide range of emotions and stories.
In this article, we’ll showcase a selection of recommended masterpieces from the many idol love songs out there.
We’ve chosen a broad range, from famous songs that even non-idol fans may know to hidden gems known only to those in the know.
Take this opportunity to listen to lots of songs and discover the unique charm each one has to offer!
- A breakup song sung by an idol. A collection of bittersweet love songs.
- An idol sings a mutual-love song. A collection of happy love songs.
- An idol-sung cheer song: A roundup of recommended tracks that lift your spirits when you listen
- [Unrequited Love Song] A Love Anthem to Cheer You On as You Wish for Mutual Feelings
- An emotional song sung by an idol—tear-jerking tracks filled with a range of feelings.
- An idol-sung youth anthem: a roundup of songs celebrating sparkling, radiant days
- A collection of timeless ballads sung by idols—songs that deeply touch the heart
- [Johnny's Classic Hits] Carefully Selected Popular Songs That Are Sure to Liven Up Any Karaoke Session!
- Cool hit songs by Johnny’s (Johnny & Associates)
- Songs to give to your lover or someone you like. Love songs devoted wholeheartedly to your boyfriend or girlfriend.
- Summer songs sung by idols: a roundup of classic hits about the sea and love
- An upbeat song sung by an idol. A recommended track that will lift your spirits when you listen to it.
- Who are the people known as “omaitsu” at idol events?
Love songs sung by idols: from heart-wrenching tracks to ones that make your heart skip a beat! (21–30)
Lost and Found at the Graduation CeremonySKE48
A graduation day, that special day, is something that slips by in the blink of an eye before you even notice.
This song, included as a coupling track to SKE48’s fifth single “Banzai Venus,” released in March 2011, delicately portrays the bittersweet emotions that well up at such turning points.
Set against scenes like a schoolyard with cherry blossoms dancing and the spring breeze, the lyrics touch the heart by using the metaphor of a “forgotten item” to express feelings that were close by yet went unnoticed.
With Jurina Matsui as center and the cross-team Shirogumi members singing, it becomes a universal piece that anyone can overlay with their own experiences.
It’s a song that those who know the hollow emptiness after a graduation ceremony will especially want to hear—one that accompanies your memories of spring.
Dear,Snow Man
Snow Man is an idol group whose members shine across a wide range of platforms, including TV, dramas, and stage productions.
One of the new songs included on their best-of album THE BEST 2020‑2025, released in January 2025, is this track.
Marking the fifth anniversary of their debut, it’s a medium-tempo ballad themed around gratitude and the bond with the fans who have supported them.
The gentle harmonies of the nine voices layering over a warm, piano-and-strings ensemble leave a lasting impression.
The lyrics are filled with countless expressions of thanks for love, quietly resonating in the listener’s heart.
This piece is perfect for graduations and send-off moments, for those who wish to express their appreciation to friends and mentors.
It’s a warmly comforting number that softly encourages those embarking on a new journey.
Graduationsaitou yuki
Although it was released as her debut single in 1985, this classic by Yuki Saito is still loved as a staple of the graduation season.
Written by Takashi Matsumoto and composed by Kyohei Tsutsumi—the legendary duo—the song peaked at No.
6 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and sold about 264,000 copies.
It was also featured in a commercial for Myojo Foods, drawing significant attention at the time.
The lyrics portray a delicate inner conflict between the “expected tears of graduation” and the singer’s true feelings.
Rather than sweet ideals, it strikingly captures the real face of adolescence: moving on to the next season without fully sorting out one’s emotions.
The arrangement, weaving in melodica and saxophone, beautifully evokes the atmosphere of school.
It’s a perfect song for those who feel reluctant to show their tears, or who prefer to greet their departure quietly.
Even though it’s springKashiwabara Yoshie
A bittersweet yet beautiful song about feelings for someone you’ll no longer be able to see after graduation.
Released in January 1983 as Yoshie Kashiwabara’s 14th single, it is one of her signature tracks, written and composed by Miyuki Nakajima.
It peaked at No.
6 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and won the Gold Award at the 25th Japan Record Awards.
The song also led to her first appearance on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
Its worldview—where the brightness of spring cruelly intersects with the pain of parting—strikes straight to the heart.
Rather than going for flashy drama, the piece is memorable for its steady progression, where the melody calmly unfolds and the emotional shadows gradually deepen.
Revisited every graduation season, it continues to be loved across generations.
It’s recommended for moments when, on the cusp of a new beginning, you want to pause and gather your thoughts.
A Lonely Graduation CeremonyAsaka Yui
On the morning of graduation, feelings that end without ever being spoken—here’s a song that Yui Asaka renders with delicate nuance.
Included on the album “Star Lights,” released in February 1987, the record marked a major leap in her career, peaking at No.
8 on the Oricon charts.
This track is a gently paced ballad that carefully sketches scenes of school life—classroom seats, yearbook messages—while quietly tracing the emotions of someone who couldn’t confess their love.
Though not showy, its structure beautifully conveys the spring atmosphere and the subtle flutter in one’s chest.
It’s a number that gently stands beside anyone facing graduation, and anyone carrying feelings they couldn’t put into words.
Graduation -GRADUATION-Kikuchi Momoko
Released in February 1985, Momoko Kikuchi’s fourth single remains beloved as a classic that colors the graduation season.
With lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto and composition/arrangement by Tetsuji Hayashi, this work is a slowed-down ballad whose delicate sound evokes the hazy spring sunlight.
The lyrics sensitively depict universal emotions—not only graduation as a school event, but also parting, the passage of time, and the feeling that there is no going back.
In addition to being featured in a Shiseido “Acne” commercial, it also drew attention as the theme song for a television drama of the same name starring Momoko Kikuchi herself.
It reached No.
1 on the Oricon weekly chart and is included on the album “TROPIC of CAPRICORN.” It’s a song you’ll want to play when you wish to express gratitude to irreplaceable friends and mentors with whom you’ve shared precious days.
It smelled like shampoo.22/7
A 2nd single by 22/7 that portrays a secret longing for an upperclassman at an all-girls school.
Released in April 2018, the song delicately weaves the feelings of a faint, bittersweet crush.
It tells of parting with a senior who is leaving the club, the image of a white blouse turning translucent in backlight, and a gently drifting scent.
While carrying a love that can’t be told to anyone, the story unfolds up to the moment the senior embraces her, tightening the chest with every scene.
This work leaves the ache of an unfulfilled first love, yet also a lingering sense of solace.
It’s a song that quietly stands by those who cannot confide their feelings for someone of the same gender.