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 (41–50)
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!
Promise of SunflowersHata Motohiro
A deeply heartwarming ballad that touches on the warmth of someone who cherishes you and inspires you to return those feelings in kind, “Himawari no Yakusoku.” Chosen as the theme song for the animated film STAND BY ME Doraemon, it moved audiences of all ages.
At first glance the lyrics might sound like a love song, but if you read them closely, you’ll see they sing of a broader, more universal love.
It’s often performed as a graduation song, and it’s also popular at karaoke as a tune that suits singers of any gender.
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.
I don’t want to let go.T‐BOLAN
Hanashitaku wa Nai is a song that expresses the feeling of not really wanting to part, but having no choice.
It was created by the rock band T-BOLAN.
I’m sure many of you have heard it before—it’s a timeless classic loved across generations.
Arashi Moritomo’s husky yet powerful vocals really hit you in the heart, don’t they? By the way, some listeners may have had the experience of revisiting the song after a long time and feeling that the lyrics were different from what they remembered.
That’s because part of the lyrics differ between the single version and the album version.
I hope you enjoy comparing those differences as well.
Pray[Alexandros]
![Pray[Alexandros]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HqUqiF-fz8Q/sddefault.jpg)
It’s a grand, emotional rock ballad.
Performed by the four-piece rock band [ALEXANDROS], it was released as a digital single in 2019.
It drew attention for being selected as the Japanese theme song for the film “Godzilla: King of the Monsters.” The lyrics convey feelings that could be called pure love for someone precious.
It carries a moving, heart-stirring message.
1.15 Million Kilometers of FilmOfisharu Higedan Dism
Official HIGE DANDism drew sudden attention with their 2019 love song “Pretender.” The track appears on their 2018 album “Escaparade” and was also featured in ROHM’s “electric landscape” commercial.
This heartwarming love song likens the length of a life walked with a loved one to a roll of film.
Naturally, it’s a popular choice for wedding videos as well.
It’s a supreme ballad that vows eternal love to 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.