[Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks

Cold fireworksKami ga nokoshita yume o kuu.

“Aiso Hanabi” — Devouring the dreams left behind by the gods. Official Music Video

This song is a heartbreaking breakup ballad that overlays the dazzling burst of fireworks with a love coming to an end.

Though they stand side by side, their hearts no longer connect.

That frustrating relationship is portrayed against the backdrop of a late summer night.

The emotional vocals convey the painfully raw feeling of wanting to cling to memories while knowing there’s no going back.

It resonates deeply with anyone carrying an unforgettable love.

DarlingSuda Keina

Keina Suda – Darling (Music Video)

An emotional song by Keina Suda that powerfully portrays a fleeting yet earnest longing for love.

It expresses one-sided devotion, the pain of not being accepted, and feelings of self-denial, all conveyed through an addictive melody and delicate vocals.

Released in January 2023, the music video—created in collaboration with illustrator Avogado6—garnered attention for its innovative visual beauty that blends animation with live action.

It’s a song that gently resonates with those struggling with dependency and inner conflict in love, or with the heartache of not being accepted by the one they care for.

Moon Song[Alexandros]

[Alexandros] – Moon Song (MV)

Moon Song by [Alexandros] is about feelings for a loved one who has gone somewhere out of reach.

Included on their 2016 album EXIST!, the track was also used as background music for the USJ attraction Hollywood Dream – The Ride.

The lyrics depict someone suddenly left alone after an inevitable goodbye, reminiscing about the person they love and the happy days that won’t return.

It’s a song for those who carry a love with nowhere to go for someone they can no longer meet.

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SAKI

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lingering loveKitatani Ruki

Ruki Chatan “Koinokori” Official Music Video

A song by Ruki Chatan that brings the ache of heartbreak pressing against your chest.

Released in January 2023, it sparked a huge response on social media.

The delicate lyrics portray lingering attachment and regret after a breakup, as well as the pain of memories that won’t fade.

A pop-based melody is layered with a simple yet emotive vocal, highlighting the bittersweet feeling of carrying the remnants of a love that still lingers.

It’s a track that stays close to those suffering from heartbreak or looking back on a past romance.

Cherished by fans as a classic, it stands as an important work symbolizing Chatan’s growth.

loveOku Hanako

love

This is a song by Hanae Okumura that conveys feelings toward a beloved person who chose to be with someone else, as well as the pain of not being chosen.

The sound is composed solely of piano throughout, highlighting the vocals and delivering the anguish with stark directness.

The lyrics pierce the heart with a straightforward depiction of love’s pain—the reality that no matter how deep your feelings are, they may never reach the other person.

Even knowing it won’t come to fruition, the lingering love that can’t be discarded and the suffering it brings are portrayed from start to finish, making it a track filled with lingering attachment and regret.

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kappamaki

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PerfumeEito

Perfume / Eito (Official Music Video)

Although it was released in 2019, this song became a big hit in 2020.

Its distinctive melody line over a simple acoustic guitar accompaniment leaves such an impression that it sticks in your head after just one listen! The lyrics, said to be based on Eito’s own real-life experience, were apparently improvised during a jam session with his friends.

The story follows a reunion with a former lover, where the scent of her perfume triggers memories and lingering feelings from the past—yet, despite it all, they can’t get back together.

That bittersweet regret runs through the song.

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Hane Keisuke

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camouflageFujita Maiko

camouflage

Here’s a heartbreakingly tear-jerking song by singer-songwriter Maiko Fujita from Nagoya: “Camouflage.” The love songs Fujita writes and composes always carry a touch of sadness, no matter whether you listen from the perspective of the one in love or the one being loved.

This track, too, portrays a love triangle, but in the end it’s the protagonist who’s left out.

Even while being in the position of “the person I love already loves someone else…,” she bravely protects her own feelings—enough to make a whole film out of it.

I’m sure anyone in the same situation will end up in tears!