Sad songs I want to sing at karaoke
Here are some classic and popular sad songs recommended by our studio staff for your karaoke picks.
This is a sorrowful playlist whose heartrending melodies will capture the listener’s heart.
- Classic and popular love songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke
- Heal your heart with love ballads: A collection of pure love and heartbreak songs.
- Popular songs that are easy to sing at karaoke. Recommended classics and hit songs.
- [I want to sing out loud] Songs that feel great to belt and are fun for karaoke
- Bittersweet songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: recommended masterpieces and popular tracks
- Classic and popular karaoke songs to sing when you’re feeling lonely
- Tear-jerking songs I want to sing at karaoke
- Breakup songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke. Heart-healing songs about parting ways.
- A ballad that will definitely make you cry at karaoke
- [Karaoke] Classic and Popular Ballad Songs You’ll Want to Sing at Karaoke
- Breakup songs that are easy to sing at karaoke. Recommended classics and popular hits.
- A masterpiece that sings of loneliness. Recommended popular songs.
- A poignant ballad song. A tear-jerking masterpiece of Japanese pop music.
Sad songs I want to sing at karaoke (1–10)
Tears Flowing EndlesslyNatsukawa Rimi
This is a signature song by Rimi Natsukawa, whose title in the Okinawan dialect means “tears falling in drops.” The lyricist’s personal feelings for a brother who passed away at a young age may resonate with listeners’ own memories of someone dear to them.
Woven by Natsukawa’s crystal-clear voice, the yearning for someone you can no longer meet evokes the profound sorrow of people torn apart by the tragedies of war and reminds us of the preciousness of peace.
Originally written in 1998 for Ryoko Moriyama, the song became a major hit with Natsukawa’s 2001 cover, which stayed on the Oricon charts for 157 weeks.
In 2006, a film inspired by the song was also released.
balladKetsumeishi
A love ballad from Ketsumeishi that offers a different flavor from their usual cheerful image.
It’s a tear-jerker that gently yet poignantly sings of unfulfilled feelings for someone special, carried by a tender, aching melody.
With rap kept to a minimum and piano and strings that seep into the heart, this piece also surprised longtime fans as a bold departure.
Released in January 2011 as one half of a double A-side single and included on the classic album Ketsunopolis 7, it was also used as the theme song for Nippon TV’s information program Sukkiri!!.
If you sing it softly at karaoke—where upbeat tracks usually steal the show—its contrast will draw everyone in.
Why not showcase a new side of yourself with this hidden gem?
wedgeOku Hanako
A signature ballad by Hanako Oku that depicts undying feelings for someone you can’t forget.
The delicate piano tones express the unfillable hollow and sense of loss after parting from a lover.
Hanako Oku’s crystal-clear voice gently sinks into the heart, doesn’t it? Sung since her indie days, this piece was released as a 10th-anniversary single in July 2015 and is also included on the album Prism.
Despite having no tie-ins, it resonated online and became a hidden gem, amassing a total of 15 million video views.
It’s a heartbreak song, but perfect for creating a moving, mellow atmosphere.
With few key changes and easy emotional delivery, why not choose it as a song to touch the heart of someone you care about?
Sad songs I want to sing at karaoke (11–20)
Stop this nightJUJU
It was released in 2010 as JUJU’s 15th single.
Chosen as the theme song for the Kansai TV/Fuji TV drama “Guilty: The Woman Who Made a Pact with the Devil,” it became a hit.
It’s a poignant, sorrowful song that deeply resonates with those experiencing unrequited or unattainable love.
The Last RainYasushi Nakanishi
Released in 1992 as Yasushi Nakanishi’s second single.
It was used as the theme song for Nippon TV’s “Hitachi Ashita P-KAN Kibun!” and has been covered by many artists.
The song poignantly portrays a man’s lingering heartbreak, with the rain amplifying the sadness.
Blue amberback number
This back number song gives you such an indescribable feeling, doesn’t it? I think Iyori Shimizu is a genius at creating a sense of heartbreak.
The harmonies in this track are mostly in the chorus.
It’s basically an upper harmony, but the way the ends of phrases drop an octave and other clever choices in the harmonizing really amplify the bittersweet vibe.
In the final chorus, there’s a key change and the pitch goes up, so I think it’s good to sing a bit louder in falsetto so you don’t get overshadowed by the lead vocal.
A lot of people sing back number, so be sure to add these harmonies to your repertoire!
GlassKawamura Ryuuichi
This was Ryuichi Kawamura’s second single, released in 1997.
Including his time with LUNA SEA, it became his first million-selling song.
It was used as the ending theme for “Beat Takeshi’s TV Tackle,” and its somewhat heavy, sorrowful sound combined with the overwhelming vocals makes for a deeply moving track.