[Carefully Selected] Popular Love Songs: Recommended Romance Tracks

Having someone you likeJY

JY 'Have Someone You Like' Music Video Short Ver.

A refreshing love song by JY that delicately captures the subtle stirrings of realizing you’re in love.

Though the protagonist struggles with frustration at not being able to be completely honest, they keep looking forward, believing they can “start over as many times as it takes,” making it a story anyone can see themselves in.

Lively guitar and a dynamic melody line further elevate the feelings of being in love.

Released in August 2016, the song was used as the main theme for a Fuji TV Monday 9 p.m.

drama, and its music video—directed by Mika Ninagawa—also drew attention.

It’s perfect not only for those wrestling with romance, but also for anyone who wants to reaffirm their straightforward feelings for someone they love.

A world that sways around youMarushii

Marcy – The world that sways around you (Official Music Video)

A super-sweet love song by the three-piece band Marcy that captures happy moments with a lover.

It gently sings of feelings that can’t quite be put into words even as you find everything about your partner dear, and of the hopeful anticipation for a future you’ll walk together.

Chosen as the image song for JTB’s “Remote Consultation from Home” campaign, it aired nationwide starting in May 2025, bringing viewers the exciting feeling of travel.

It’s a song we especially want you to hear if you’re nurturing feelings for someone you love, or if you want to reconnect heart-to-heart with someone important.

LA LA LA Love SongKubota Toshinobu with Naomi Kyanberu

LA･LA･LA LOVE SONG

A gem of a love song that captures the unstoppable rush of romance—like a merry-go-round—with sweet, heartrending vocals and sound.

Born from the 1996 collaboration between Toshinobu Kubota and Naomi Campbell, the song became a major talking point as the theme for the Fuji TV drama “Long Vacation.” In its sixth week after release, it topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and went on to sell 1.856 million copies.

It has since been covered by numerous artists.

It’s a song you’ll want to sing with all your heart as you recall happy moments with your loved one.

A devoted girl.Yuika

A single-minded girl. / 'Yuika' [MV]

This piece sets straightforward feelings of love to a bright band sound.

Released in April 2025 with Ryo Hanai handling the arrangement, it vividly captures a fresh page of youth.

Written back in high school, it carefully and realistically weaves words of inner conflict over unrequited love and unwavering devotion.

There’s plenty here that younger listeners will relate to.

If you’re in the middle of a one-sided crush, give it a listen!

DestinyAee! group

Aぇ! group “Destiny” Official Music Video

A gem of a love song that delicately portrays a straightforward devotion, even while harboring clumsy feelings of love.

The Aぇ! group’s intricately woven vocals and deeply emotive melody brilliantly color a bittersweet love story.

Set for inclusion on the album “Chameleon,” slated for release in June 2025, this track has been selected as the theme song for the TV Asahi drama “Musashino Rondo,” starring group member Yoshinori Masakado.

The music video’s world, in which the message of love is conveyed with strength even under the pouring rain, superbly captures a heart buffeted by fate.

It’s a song that stands by everyone troubled by love and gives them courage.

Ti AmoEXILE

EXILE / Ti Amo

A story of forbidden love portraying a bittersweet, mature romance.

EXILE’s earnest vocals beautifully capture the feelings of a woman consumed by her relationship with a married man.

The melancholic love depicted alongside the passionate melody is sure to strike a chord with many listeners.

Released in September 2008, the song was also featured in a commercial for Meiji Seika’s Meltykiss chocolate, and went on to win the Grand Prize at both the 50th Japan Record Awards and the 41st Japan Cable Radio Awards that same year.

The music video, set in 1920s Shanghai, superbly brings the work’s world to life.

It’s the perfect track for a late night in a lounge, gazing at the soft glow of candlelight and dreaming of adult romance.

You’re no longer here.FUNKY MONKEY BABYS

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS "You’re Not Here Anymore"

This is a gem of a ballad that sings of the sweet, aching pain of heartbreak.

The farewell scene on the station platform and the memories the two shared are delicately portrayed and delivered with a melody that pierces the heart.

Among FUNKY MONKEY BABYS’ works, it stands out for its rich emotional expression.

Released in October 2007, it reached No.

8 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It was selected as the ending theme for Nippon TV’s “Otona no Shikaku,” earning broad support across generations.

The song is also included on the album “FUNKY MONKEY BABYS 2,” and has been covered by Mariko Takahashi.

It’s a heartwarming track that stays by your side when you sense the end of a romance or go through a farewell with someone dear.