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

Romance and LoveSandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu

Sandaime J Soul Brothers from Exile Tribe / Koi to Ai

A gem of a ballad by Sandaime J SOUL Brothers from EXILE TRIBE, told from a male perspective about the resolve to part ways.

Included on the album “FUTURE,” released in June 2018, the song was also used as the theme for Nippon TV’s “Sukkiri” and in commercials for the job site Baitoru NEXT.

It portrays the adult, heartrending choice of parting ways because of the difficulty in moving from infatuation to true love, and the feeling that one cannot make the other person happy.

Even though his feelings haven’t faded—in fact, precisely because he cares—he chooses to leave, and his emotions resonate deeply.

A beautiful piano- and strings-driven melody is layered with the heartfelt vocals of Ryuji Imaichi and Hiroomi Tosaka, moving listeners to tears.

It’s a piece that offers comfort to anyone who has experienced parting from someone dear.

IenaiSoala

Soala – Ienai [Official Music Video]

A standout track featuring lyrics that portray a bittersweet love and a pop-inspired melody.

Soala’s clear, airy vocals deepen the expression of the struggle to communicate one’s feelings.

Released in August 2022 and included on the album “LOVE,” this song resonated with many listeners and saw its streaming numbers grow.

It conveys the heartache of being treated as a one-sided crush or a mere pastime, and the pain of not being someone’s “number one,” making it a song that supports those struggling with love.

It’s especially recommended for moments when thinking about someone you like makes your chest ache, or when you’re carrying feelings you can’t put into words.

Your happinessUru

[Official] Uru "Kimi no Shiawase wo"

Uru is a Japanese singer-songwriter known for her enveloping vocals and profound expressiveness.

“Kimi no Shiawase wo,” digitally released on November 22, 2023, portrays one-sided love, the yearning to know the other person’s true feelings, and the loneliness and ache of realizing that wish won’t come true.

While finding happiness in the other person’s smile, what is truly desired is a bond where hearts genuinely connect… Yet in the end, the way the protagonist chooses to act by putting their loved one’s happiness first deeply resonates with listeners.

It’s a highly recommended song for anyone in love who feels their feelings aren’t returned, and for all who sincerely wish for someone else’s happiness.

SparkleIkuta Rira

Rira Ikuta “Sparkle” Official Music Video

Lila Ikuta is a singer-songwriter from Tokyo who is also popular as ikura, the vocalist of YOASOBI.

This song, Sparkle, was released as a digital single on January 17, 2022.

It was used as the theme song for ABEMA’s popular dating show Today, I Fell in Love: Mikan Edition, and it portrays the fleeting brilliance of romantic moments.

The song beautifully expresses the desire to grasp love’s brief spark, the pain and joy it brings, and the journey toward realizing what that love means to oneself.

Lila Ikuta’s gentle voice offers comfort and lifts your spirits.

PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism

Official HIGE DANDism – Pretender [Official Video]

It’s a song about someone who’s in unrequited love, knowing they’re not the one the other person wants—yet wondering, what if we felt the same way? In the imagined scenario, I’m honest, and I end up hugging them because I care so much.

If I could do that, I wouldn’t be brooding and agonizing.

Even after heartbreak, they still look beautiful to me, and I can’t help loving them to the very end.

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yellowback number

back number – Yellow

Back number’s “Yellow” is a painful yet beautiful number that sings of feelings that can’t reach their destination.

Embraced as the theme song of a dating reality show, it has become a track that gently accompanies many hearts.

Shimizu Iyori’s heartrending vocals perfectly convey both a pure heart wishing happiness for the one they love and the frustrating emotions hidden beneath.

With its heartwarming melody and powerful lyrics, it brings back feelings that everyone wants to keep tucked away somewhere, whether they’ve experienced heartbreak or not.

Combining strength and tenderness, this song is a recommended love ballad best listened to quietly.

You, him, me, and herBreathe

You, him, me, and her

An R&B ballad in which BREATHE delicately sings about those wavering feelings of “I thought we were just friends, but I fell for you.” Set within a love square where both parties already have partners, it portrays the conflict between newfound feelings and moral hesitation through scenes like late-summer rain and sharing a single umbrella.

Released in May 2014 as the B-side to the single “Tomorrows,” it was also used as an ending theme for the TV Tokyo anime FAIRY TAIL.

The lyrics were written by Kiyoshi Matsuo, and the harmonies of Satoshi Miyata and Kazuya Tada bring the nuances of emotion to life.

It’s a song that will resonate with anyone torn between friendship and romance or carrying feelings they can’t put into words.