[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
- [Adultery Song] A forbidden song about an affair that sings of an impossible love
- [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] Heartbreaking Love Songs | A Comprehensive Introduction to Tear-Jerking Crush and Breakup Songs (21–30)
I like you, but it seems like you don’t really like me.back number
This is a song by back number that candidly expresses the feelings of a bittersweet unrequited love.
The more the narrator thinks about the other person, the deeper they sink into it, singing of the pain of such a love.
You can really feel the ache of wanting to give up—saying “I’m not your type, am I?”—yet being unable to let go.
Released in December 2015, this track is recommended not only for those struggling with unrequited love, but also for anyone who wants to look back on a past romance.
Why not listen to this song and let the feelings you’ve kept tucked away in your heart be set free?
Ah, geez.Saucy Dog
This Saucy Dog song delicately portrays the ache of unrequited love.
Through everyday moments, it vividly expresses the complex emotions of a woman being strung along by someone she likes.
Late-night phone calls that go on for hours, the anxiety of waiting for a reply on LINE—its lyrics capture the push and pull of romance that so many of us have experienced, making it hard not to relate.
Released as a digital single in December 2021 and chosen as the theme song for TV Asahi’s drama “Dekinai Futari,” this track is perfect for anyone grappling with a crush or relationship troubles.
As you listen closely, pay attention to the story of someone who tries to bend themselves to fit another, and then finds their way back to their true self.
Unreachable love songTani Yuuki
This is a masterpiece by Tani Yuuki, whose poignant vocals and melody seep into the heart.
It depicts the painfully real feelings that arise when you realize you don’t exist in the heart of the one you love.
The more you see them, the more you fall for them—yet you come to understand you’re not special to them.
Aren’t there many people who harbor such unrequited feelings? It’s a song I’d love those who, in sudden moments, recall memories that make their chest tighten to listen to.
Released in December 2021.
It’s recommended for times when you can’t recover from the shock of a heartbreak or when you feel like crying alone.
It will surely stay close to your heart.
Lavenderthe shes gone
It’s a love ballad that portrays the pain of unrequited love.
You don’t exist in the heart of the one you love, yet the frustration and heartache of unwaveringly thinking of them tightens your chest.
You can’t help but think about that person… If you’ve ever felt that way, you’ll surely relate.
It’s filled with gratitude for someone special and a desire to cherish the bond you share above all else.
When you’re worn out by an unattainable love, this is a song you’ll find yourself wanting to hear.
Give it a careful listen.
Its gently enveloping melody and message will stay close to your heart.
love-coloredmosao.
A song that delicately portrays the pain of unrequited love.
The lyrics capture that tightening feeling in your chest that grows as your feelings for someone deepen.
You want to honestly say “I like you,” but you just can’t find the courage.
You can feel the struggle of someone in love, right? Released in December 2022, this track also drew attention as a tie-in with the popular manga A Sign of Affection (Yubisaki to Renren).
MosawO’s gentle vocals further highlight the bittersweetness of love, making this an impressive piece that resonates with those suffering from one-sided feelings or troubled by mismatched emotions in a relationship.
It’s best listened to alone on a quiet night.
A Song Dedicated to the Worst YouYuuri
This is a digital release from November 2025 by Yuuri that sings of frustration and self-loathing toward oneself for being unable to escape a sneaky, unfair relationship—even while knowing the other person isn’t serious.
The lyrics pierce the heart as they call the other person “the worst,” yet also reckon with the singer’s own slyness in accepting a convenient role.
Kisses that feel like a gag to hide true feelings, and words that sound like a curse uttered with a sense that the end is near, vividly depict the psychological mind games of a complicated romance.
It’s a song that will resonate with anyone who knows they should walk away but can’t, or who is facing the end while still holding on to lingering attachments.
PrologueUru
Even if it’s an impossible love, Uru’s “Prologue” sings about a heart overflowing with feelings for someone you like.
Released in 2018, the song was used as the theme for the drama “Chuugaku Seishun Nikki” (Middle School Love Diary).
The lyrics portray how, even though you know in your head that happiness won’t come from this love, your eyes can’t help but follow that person, and your emotions only grow stronger.
It was a perfect match for a drama about a romance between a teacher and a student.
Highly recommended for those who are hurting from a bittersweet, painful love.
