[Old Love Songs] Love songs that recall a love that has ended
There are loves that are still ongoing, and loves that have ended but can’t be forgotten.
In this article, we’re introducing “songs of past love.”
They’re songs that make you remember and feel nostalgic about old romances—sometimes even bring you to tears with a passion that hasn’t cooled.
We’ve gathered a variety, from bright, breezy tracks that feel completely refreshed to bittersweet love songs where the wounds still don’t seem to heal.
If you’re looking for love songs that bring back memories of past relationships, be sure to give these a listen.
Take your time and lose yourself, alone, in the memories of a nostalgic love.
- [Once More…] A lingering-attachment song: a song about a love you can’t forget
- [No Going Back] A Love Song About Regret
- [Lingering Feelings and Regrets] A Love Song for You Who Can’t Forget Your Ex-Boyfriend
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- Bittersweet love songs to listen to when the person you like already has a girlfriend or boyfriend
- A love song that reminds those in their 60s of a forgotten romance
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- A heartbreak song that resonates in the chest of a man in his 60s: memories of youth woven by classic Showa-era masterpieces
- Bittersweet feelings come rushing back! Recommended love songs for the Yutori generation
- [Remembering the Pain of Love…] Breakup Songs Recommended for People in Their 60s
- From bittersweet tracks to heart-wrenching tunes! Heisei-era unrequited love songs
- Recommended heartbreak songs for women in their 70s. A collection of classic Showa-era breakup masterpieces.
[Old Love Songs] Love songs that recall a finished romance (81–90)
contact lens caseSaucy Dog
This song portrays a bittersweet emotion that anyone who has experienced a breakup can relate to.
Featured on Saucy Dog’s second mini-album, Salad Days, it stands out for its delicate lyrics and melodies that resonate deeply.
The protagonist, unable to throw away their ex’s belongings even after the breakup, will feel all too familiar—almost like your own story.
Released in May 2018, the track captured the hearts of many listeners along with its music video.
It’s a recommended song for those nursing the pain of heartbreak or looking back on a past relationship.
Fall in love with me againYUTORI-SEDAI
When it comes to songs overflowing with pure feelings for a precious person you’ve parted ways with, “Mou Ichido Suki ni Natte” comes to mind.
Created in 2021 by YUTORI-SEDAI, a three-piece rock band popular especially among young people, it depicts the aching heart that can’t forget even after a breakup.
Many listeners may relate to the moments when memories suddenly resurface—like the places you went on dates or the matching items you wore.
It’s a rock ballad with a gentle guitar tone that resonates over a slow tempo.
Let the tender voice of Kin-chan, which stays close on lonely, anxious nights, bring you comfort.
Regretsumika
When you’re feeling stuck on lingering feelings of love, that’s exactly when you crave songs with a sense of speed, right? The perfect pick for times like these is “Regret.” It’s included on “I co Y,” released by the rock band sumika in 2014.
The track features an upbeat band sound that wraps around lyrics portraying sentimental emotions.
It’s a warm song that brings back happy moments with a lover from everyday life.
A refreshing song about lingering attachment, it’s one I recommend to anyone who “can’t help thinking about that person no matter what they’re doing.”
I want to forget.wacci
This is a song by wacci that poignantly captures the lingering presence of an ex-lover etched into the heart.
While wishing to “forget,” the protagonist is tormented by memories that resurface in unguarded moments, depicted through delicate lyrics.
Released in July 2024, this track is the third installment in wacci’s 2024 love song series.
Actress Aju Makita appears in the music video, enriching the song’s world even further.
It’s a piece that comforts those enduring the pain of heartbreak or holding on to past love.
It might be nice to listen alone on a quiet night and take a moment to face your own feelings.
avocadoyonige
A heartbreak song by yonige steeped in lingering attachment.
The lyrics vividly capture the pain, regret, and bittersweetness of past love, leaving a strong impression.
It portrays the emptiness after a breakup and the way memories keep replaying, striking deeply at listeners’ hearts.
Included on the mini-album “Coming Spring,” released in August 2015, the song is said to be based on vocalist Arisa Ushimaru’s real experiences, and its raw emotions resonate with many.
It’s a recommended track for anyone carrying the pain of heartbreak or looking back on a past relationship.
Night of Osmanthuskinoko teikoku
You know how a certain smell can trigger a memory? In this song, the scent of fragrant olive (osmanthus) brings back memories of a former lover.
Since it blooms pretty much everywhere in autumn, it’s bittersweet in a way… There are just too many triggers that remind you of the person you broke up with—their favorite ice cream, their phone number—making it all the more heartrending.
That’s the kind of song this is.
[Old Love Songs] Love Songs That Recall Past Relationships (91–100)
Unfit to be a loverKoresawa
A song that portrays the regret of parting with a former lover and the aching realization that lost love cannot be reclaimed.
Set to the warm sound of acoustic guitar, Koresawa’s gentle vocals seep into the heart.
The lyrics candidly confess self-reproach for failing to fulfill the role of a lover and the immaturity of not being able to empathize with the other’s feelings—sentiments that many will relate to.
Released digitally in June 2019, the track drew attention as a self-cover of a song originally provided to Miyuhan.
It’s a recommended listen for those nursing the pain of heartbreak or looking back on a past romance.