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

Like this tonightaimyon

Aimyon – Stay Like This Tonight [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

This is a song by Aimyon that portrays a helpless night where you dissolve your true feelings into the bubbles in your glass and surrender yourself to an ambiguous relationship.

Wishing for no more than a modest trigger to feel fulfilled evokes emotions akin to the resignation of unrequited love.

Released in November 2018, the song drew attention as the theme for the drama “We Can’t Become Beasts,” and has been streamed over 100 million times.

If you’ve ever been unable to tell someone how you really feel and felt like you might as well just go with the flow, you’ll surely understand the protagonist’s pain.

Doesn’t it feel like this song gently stays close to a heart burdened with feelings that have nowhere to go?

Winter and Springback number

back number – Winter and Spring

Back Number is a three-piece band formed in 2004 in Gunma Prefecture.

Their song “HAPPY BIRTHDAY,” the theme for the drama A Story to Read When You First Fall in Love, is a heartrending track about unrequited love.

Released in February 2019, it conveys the feelings of a male protagonist spending his birthday alone.

While he expresses a desire for the woman he loves to celebrate his birthday, the lyrics also portray his awareness that his love will never be fulfilled.

Set to a rock ballad with signature Back Number strings, the arrangement amplifies the poignancy of the lyrics.

shutterYuuri

Yuuri 'Shutter' Official Music Video

A heartbreak song whose bittersweet vocals and striking phrases linger in your mind.

Throughout the track, you can feel the painful turmoil of thinking about a loved one while still carrying the regret of not being able to express your feelings honestly.

The song was released digitally in July 2021 and later as a single on January 12, 2022.

It was written by Yuuri for JUN MIYASAKA, the cameraman for the official “Yuuri Channel,” and was released in response to fan requests.

It’s recommended for those who can relate to the pain of a broken heart or who want to convey their feelings to someone important.

Hey,SHISHAMO

SHISHAMO “Hey,”

“Hey,” is an unrequited love song marked by its sweet-and-sour yet heartrending lyrics.

Unable to find the courage to confess to the person they like, the narrator can only keep holding those feelings inside.

It portrays that frustrating limbo and the anxiety that one day the feelings might never be conveyed.

Released in June 2018 and featured in a Calpis Water commercial, the song showcases SHISHAMO’s signature catchy melodies and down-to-earth lyrics.

It has gained broad support, especially among teens and people in their twenties who struggle with love.

After listening, you might just feel like saying a single word—“Hey,”—to share your feelings.

First loveUtada Hikaru

Hikaru Utada – First Love

A signature ballad by Hikaru Utada that conveys endless feelings for a parted lover through gentle piano and a crystal-clear vocal.

From the faint bitterness felt in a goodbye kiss flows the protagonist’s emotions—filled with the sadness and resignation of the one left behind.

Yet it’s not mere lingering attachment; there’s a realization that they learned “how to love” from the person they broke up with, and a quiet strength in accepting that this romance will forever hold a special place in their heart.

Released as a single from the March 1999 album First Love, it was used as the theme song for the TV drama Majo no Jōken (Forbidden Love).

It’s a song that gently embraces anyone who has someone they’ll never forget, or who keeps thinking of a former lover even after parting.

A triangular lovesaji

saji – “Triangular Love” MUSIC VIDEO

A saji song that portrays the pain of unrequited love with a heart-wrenching voice and delicate words.

The aching feelings of being unable to hold back one’s love are expressed with striking directness.

Many listeners will inevitably relate to the narrator’s position—unable to become a lover yet continuing to harbor unwavering affection.

Included on their second mini-album Hanabi no Uta, released in September 2020, the track became a hit through TikTok.

The arrangement, featuring live strings, further enhances the song’s appeal.

It’s a piece that offers solace to anyone who has experienced heartbreak or unrequited love—or is struggling with it right now.

not enoughwacci

wacci 'Tarina i' Music Video

This is a heartbreak song overflowing with poignancy, capturing the emotional turmoil of trying to sever lingering feelings for an ex.

Featured on wacci’s 2019 album Empathy, the track stands out for its lyrics written from a woman’s perspective.

Though she still has feelings, the protagonist’s struggle to choose a clean break in order to move forward is deeply affecting.

Positioned as a side story to “Betsu no Hito no Kanojo ni Natta yo,” a one-take recording was also released in 2020.

It’s a must-listen for anyone who’s gone from mutual love to one-sided, or who wants to move on but can’t quite bring themselves to do it.