Recommended ballads for men: classic songs about love, encouragement, and youth.
When you’ve had your heart broken, reached a turning point in life, or are struggling with something…
In times like these, many people want to listen to a touching ballad that stays close to the heart, or belt one out at karaoke, don’t they?
But even when we say “ballad,” there are all kinds: songs with lyrics about love, ones that feel like an anthem cheering on your life, and others that evoke youthful days.
The musical styles vary too—pieces featuring the beautiful tones of piano and strings, rock ballads with a full band sound, and acoustic numbers with just a guitar and voice.
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of ballads—picked from among the many out there—that we especially recommend for men!
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Recommended ballads for men: classic songs about love, encouragement, and youth (21–30)
caramelmosao.
This song is a superb ballad that beautifully captures the sweet yet bitter emotions of love.
Its wistful lyrics and soothing melody resonate deeply with listeners.
Released on November 22, 2021 as the opening theme for the drama “My Beautiful Man,” Mosa’o’s delicate vocals vividly convey the work’s worldview.
This track accompanies those who harbor one-sided affections or complex feelings.
It’s recommended for times when you want to heal the pain of heartbreak or when you find yourself wanting to think of someone special.
I want to take only you away just like this.DEEN
This is the debut single by DEEN, a two-member band formerly associated with the Being label that sparked a major boom in the 1990s.
Used in an NTT DoCoMo commercial, the song became DEEN’s signature track and, despite being their debut, remains their best-selling release.
Its lyrics give voice to a man’s true feelings atop a heartrending melody—singing it while remembering an unforgettable lover might even bring you to tears.
It’s a ballad made for belting out at karaoke after a devastating breakup, to let all your emotions out.
Recommended Ballads for Men: Classic Songs About Love, Encouragement, and Youth (31–40)
The Last RainYasushi Nakanishi
A single released in 1992 by Yasushi Nakanishi, its popularity is evident from the many artists who have covered it.
The sound and vocals are striking, beginning with a calm atmosphere and building powerfully, conveying the sense of emotions that can no longer be contained.
The lyrics come across as a straightforward heartbreak song, with detailed depictions of the scenes of a breakup and a powerful expression of unforgettable, cherished feelings and regret.
It’s a poignant track that conveys the inability to accept the end of a relationship.
And I Love You SoAK-69
There are surely many men who feel this way, and many women who want to be thought of this way.
It’s a track by AK-69, a hip-hop MC from Aichi Prefecture, included on his 2009 album “THE CARTEL FROM STREETS.” The desire to stay with the one you love forever comes through in the unpretentious words that capture everyday life.
If couples or spouses listen to this song together, it will remind them of how important their partner’s presence is.
It might even make a great musical gift.
Broken RadioTokunaga Hideaki
Japanese people usually pronounce “radio” as “rajio,” right? But in the song Kowarekake no Radio, the word “Radio” is pronounced “reidio.” Thinking about that, it really feels like a powerfully influential ballad.
The lyrics—written by Tokunaga himself—depict the happiness, love, and anxieties about the future that everyone experiences while growing from a boy into an adult.
When Tokunaga, with his husky voice, sings a ballad, it can really bring a tear to your eye.
It’s a masterpiece among male-sung ballads—one I hope will be cherished for decades to come!
White LoversKuwata Keisuke
If you can sing this song, I don’t mind it being winter all year round.
It’s Shiroi Koibito-tachi, released in 2002 by Keisuke Kuwata, the singer-songwriter best known as the frontman of Southern All Stars.
One of Kuwata’s signature solo tracks, it’s also famous as a winter love song.
The song poignantly reflects on memories of an unforgettable person from the past.
It’s recommended for times of heartbreak or when you can’t let go of an old romance.
Belt it out soulfully, just like Kuwata!
single bedSha ran Q
This is the sixth single by Sharam Q, a rock band centered around Tsunku♂, who is now active as a producer.
The song was used as the ending theme for the TV anime “D·N·A²: They Were Just Like That Somewhere,” and its bittersweet melody and soul-stirring, plaintive guitar make it a track that sets your heart ablaze.
The lyrics, which vividly convey a poignant, heartrending mood, are painfully relatable for any man who has just gone through a breakup.
It’s a song you’ll want to sing while thinking of someone who was important to you—a perfect number to belt out at karaoke after a heartbreak.