[Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
“Even though I know it won’t be rewarded…” Once you fall in love, it’s not so easy to stop your feelings, is it?
You tell yourself you can’t go on like this, that you have to end it, but when you see them, you just can’t hold back your love.
In this article, we introduce love songs that portray the pain of unrequited love and lay bare those unspoken feelings.
Listen to them when you’re tired of loving.
They’ll gently wrap around you, saying, “It’s tough, I know.”
- Unrequited Love Song: A heartrending love song dedicated to you who are going through a painful romance
- [Songs of Infidelity] A collection of forbidden love songs about unattainable romance
- [Unattainable Love] A love song about two people who feel the same way but can’t be together
- Bittersweet love songs to listen to when the person you like already has a girlfriend or boyfriend
- Tear-jerking unrequited love songs that will break your heart: timeless classics about unattainable love
- Unattainable Love: A Heartbreaking Love Song About Falling for a Married Person
- “I Want to See You”: A love song that makes you cry when you listen to it while you can’t meet
- Songs that depict a teasing, suggestive attitude | Love songs to listen to when you're in unrequited love or a painful relationship
- [Today's Unrequited Love Song] Guaranteed to Make Your Heart Flutter! A Sweet and Bittersweet Love Song
- A heart-wrenching story that tightens the chest! A Showa-era unrequited love song
- [To Those in Love] Relatable Love Songs to Listen to When You’re Crushing Hard
- A classic song about a forbidden love
- A song of forbidden love. A love song about feelings that can't be stopped.
[Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tearjerking Crush and Breakup Songs (151–160)
Love’s Melody and Rainy SkiesAAA
This song depicts the frustration and inner turmoil of having someone you love but not being able to say the simple words “I like you.” Even if you confess, it may not come true; the feelings are so serious that you can’t express them.
People who are in love will surely find this very relatable, won’t they?
the first strong spring windnishina
A song by Nishina that delicately depicts a poignant spring scene.
The warm tones of the acoustic guitar and a melody line that feels somehow nostalgic sink deep into the heart.
The lyrics, woven with everyday scenery and memories, resonate with each listener’s own experiences and evoke empathy.
Released in March 2023, it was featured as a song for a radiko commercial.
Seeing the lyrics that recall a love which ended without ever being confessed may make many people feel as if their hearts are being gently gripped.
waiting in vainrokudenashi
This is a work by Rokudenashi, who began activities in 2021, delicately depicting the emotions of unrequited love.
The subtle shifts of a heart that can’t quite face the other person’s kindness, and the loneliness of being able only to watch them talk with someone else, leave a strong impression.
The vocals woven by Ninjin carry a warmth that feels like it gently heats the heart on a quiet winter night.
Written and composed by Hifumi, the song was released as a single in October 2021.
It’s a track that stands beside those troubled by love, offering empathy and comfort.
For anyone who holds a painful feeling they can’t confess to anyone—their love for someone dear—this song is meant for you.
Goodbye-byeTomioka Ai
A delicate song by Ai Tomioka that sings of a love so pure it almost hurts.
The transparent vocals capture the frustrating feeling of almost closing the distance with someone, yet never quite getting there.
Even while knowing the other person has someone special, the complicated emotions of being unable to let go resonate deeply.
Released in September 2023, it captured many hearts, reaching the Top 10 on Spotify’s Viral charts in six Asian countries.
The song is memorable for its blend of English and Japanese lyrics and its catchy melodic line.
It’s a track that comforts anyone holding onto unspoken feelings for someone they love, or struggling with a love that may never come true.
MELROSE ~A Promise Not to Love~EXILE ATSUSHI
Even after announcing his solo career, ATSUSHI hasn’t slowed down one bit.
He’s also been showing a playful side on variety shows that he usually doesn’t reveal.
The song “MELROSE ~Aisawanai Yakusoku~” is a standout love song released before he went solo.
The lyrics, which candidly depict the world of “having to part ways despite being in love,” are especially noteworthy in ATSUSHI’s own words.
It might bring listeners to tears if they’ve gone through a breakup.
The use of the second-person “kimi,” rather than the more formal “anata,” makes it an achingly bittersweet track.
dearestKOH+
“Saiai,” performed by the unit KOH+ (Masaharu Fukuyama and Kou Shibasaki).
Released in 2008, the song was used as the theme for the film “The Devotion of Suspect X,” in which the two co-starred.
The lyrics portray the bittersweet feeling of not asking for love in return, yet secretly longing for a connection.
Stepping back because you love someone so much, wishing for their happiness even though it hurts—that’s something you do precisely because you truly care.
It’s a song we’d like you to hear if there’s someone you love more than anyone else.
[Unrequited Love] Heartbreaking Love Songs | A Comprehensive Introduction to Tear-Jerking Crush & Breakup Songs (161–170)
What is emotion?This is LAST
The song “#Jō to wa,” which poignantly and beautifully depicts the pain of heartbreak after someone you love leaves, was created by the three-piece rock band This is LAST.
It was also used as an insert song in the romance reality show “Hanataba to Ōkami-chan ni wa Damasarenai,” resonating with many viewers.
While feeling pathetic for being unable to let go of the past, the lyrics don’t express hatred toward the ex-partner; instead, they portray an enduring affection that continues even now.
It’s a track that gently embraces those carrying the weight of a painful love.
