Classic and popular songs about unrequited love

One-Way Ticket of LoveFUNKY MONKEY BABYS

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS "One-Way Ticket of Love"

It’s an overwhelming one-sided love.

It sounds like a fast-paced, catchy song, but the content is about a guy whose romance isn’t going well, so it’s painful, isn’t it? FUNKY MONKEY BABYS always feature someone who matches the vibe of the CD in their music videos and on the CD jackets, and having Hanako Yamada for this song really feels right.

Sniper.Yuika

Sniper. / “Yuika” [MV]

This is a pop number by Yuika, who has been gaining buzz thanks to dance videos on TikTok.

The song comically portrays a one-sided-crush strategy, treating the person she likes as a “target” and aiming straight for their heart.

The play-by-play, live-broadcast-style lyrics are memorable, and listening to it really makes your heart flutter! Yuika wrote this track when she was a second-year high school student; it was released digitally in April 2024 and later included on the album “Longing for Navy.” With its up-tempo melody and the protagonist’s earnest feelings, it’s a song that sends emotions soaring.

If you’re in the middle of a crush, you might just find yourself unable to sit still when you listen!

YOU… feat. Izumi Nakasone (HY)Kato Miria

Miliyah Kato “YOU… feat. Izumi Nakasone (HY)”

Speaking of collaborations between powerhouse female singers, we can’t forget this song by Miliyah Kato and Izumi Nakasone of HY.

Based on real unrequited-love stories sent in by radio listeners, the two artists co-created this gem of a ballad.

Released in September 2014 as their 30th single, it was also included on the milestone 10th-anniversary album “MUSE.” The frustration of not being able to put your feelings into words, and the emotional wavering as you move toward confessing your love, come through poignantly in the harmony between Kato’s delicate vocals and Nakasone’s warm voice.

Chosen as the theme song for a radio drama, this track just might gently give you the push you need if you’re struggling with a one-sided love.

A Song for Youerica

erica – A Song for You

There aren’t many love songs this heartfelt, are there? It honestly feels like he’s writing a love letter through the song.

Each lyric evokes such clear scenes that many women will probably relate.

The way the track builds and his slightly husky voice make this a highly recommended song.

Unrequited loveGENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE

GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE / Unrequited Love

A coupling track to the debut single “BRAVE IT OUT,” released in November 2012, and also included on the classic album “GENERATIONS.” When you like someone, even the smallest reactions can weigh on your mind, right? This song beautifully captures the heart caught in a frustrating struggle—so wrapped up in the other person that you can’t take that first step.

The fresh vocals from GENERATIONS at the time of their debut also invite empathy, and their pure resonance is truly moving.

If you’re in the midst of a love you can’t confess, this track will stay close to your heart.

The words penned by their senior, EXILE ATSUSHI, gently permeate with the ache of a bittersweet love.

I only know your profileHanbaato Hanbaato

Humbert Humbert – Yokogao Shika Shiranai [Official Music Video]

Set to an acoustic timbre, this unadorned, steadily woven lyric seeps into the heart—a one-sided love song.

Just watching the person you like from afar, knowing only a small part of them… That frustrating, bittersweet sense of distance is delicately portrayed through warm male–female twin vocals.

There are no grand words, yet the protagonist’s awkward feelings come through, and many listeners may find themselves overlaying their own experiences onto it.

This track is included on the folk duo Humbert Humbert’s 15th anniversary album “FOLK,” released in June 2016.

If you listen while harboring a love you can’t bring yourself to declare, you may feel the gentle melody and voices quietly stay by your side.

What is love?Ryokushokushakai

Ryokuoushoku Shakai – “What Is Love?” / Koitte

A number by Ryokuoushoku Shakai that vividly captures the pounding excitement when love begins.

Composed by the keyboardist peppe, the song is striking for its buoyant piano melody and an exhilarating beat that makes you want to clap along.

The lyrics portray the confusion and flutter of liking someone for the first time, and the bittersweet image of hiding your true feelings with a casual “Just kidding,” which may make you reflect on your own experiences.

After being included on the mini-album ADORE released in August 2017, the track was later chosen as the theme song for ABEMA’s dating show “Love’s Coach Is My Ex” in 2021.

It’s a song that gently gives a push to anyone carrying the sweet-and-sour ache of unrequited love.