[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.
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- [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 (1–10)
ArikaMarushii
Marcy is a band that’s especially popular with Gen Z.
Released digitally in January 2023, this track is a gem of a ballad that was later included on the album Candle.
The word “Arika” in the title symbolizes the protagonist’s aching search for where happiness truly resides.
If you’ve ever found yourself looking for traces of someone even after a breakup, you’ll likely relate deeply.
Like the music video released in January 2023 featuring Nagi Hasegawa, it’s a song you’ll want to listen to alone on a winter night.
For those who can’t help but wish to go back to those days, it may stay close to your heart and offer a cleansing release through tears.
The first winter without youKobayashi Tōya
Kobayashi Tōya’s major-label debut song straightforwardly sings about the biting cold of the first winter after a breakup and the lingering feelings that remain.
Its warm acoustic tones and emotionally rich vocals resonate in the heart, offering comfort to anyone who wishes they could go back to those days.
Released in November 2021, the track also drew attention as an insert song for ABEMA’s dating show “My Younger Prince: 100 Princes Edition.” It was later included on his first album, “Hiiragi,” and has garnered widespread empathy.
Listen to it on nights when the loneliness of being by yourself feels overwhelming.
It’s sure to gently melt your frozen heart.
First loveUtada Hikaru
A signature ballad by Hikaru Utada that conveys endless feelings for a parted lover through gentle piano and a crystal-clear vocal.
From the faint bitterness felt in a goodbye kiss flows the protagonist’s emotions—filled with the sadness and resignation of the one left behind.
Yet it’s not mere lingering attachment; there’s a realization that they learned “how to love” from the person they broke up with, and a quiet strength in accepting that this romance will forever hold a special place in their heart.
Released as a single from the March 1999 album First Love, it was used as the theme song for the TV drama Majo no Jōken (Forbidden Love).
It’s a song that gently embraces anyone who has someone they’ll never forget, or who keeps thinking of a former lover even after parting.
[Old Love Songs] Love songs that recall a finished romance (11–20)
Love PhotosOtsuka Ai
Ai Otsuka’s 13th single, released in 2006.
Chosen as the theme song for the film “Heavenly Forest” (Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru), this piece is a poignant love song that expresses pure feelings for a past lover.
It’s a piano- and string-driven ballad in which the melody leaps in the chorus as if pouring out pent-up emotion, stirring a heart-wrenching sensation.
There’s even an anecdote that the song influenced the film’s title, which speaks to the power of its words.
The feeling of still loving someone after a breakup, and the inability to forget the happy moments locked in memory, is something many of us have experienced at least once.
It’s a song that brings tears with its pure, heartfelt longing for the one you love.
Above the setting sunKawasaki Takaya
A poignant love song by Takaya Kawasaki that strikingly portrays a person who appears calm and quiet yet harbors passionate feelings deep inside.
Released in July 2024 as the ending theme for the TV Tokyo drama “Hidamari ga Kikoeru,” the song delicately weaves in imagery of wind, scents, and scenery to express unspoken feelings and the ache of missed connections.
It’s a recommended track for anyone who carries a faint crush yet struggles to put it into words, or for those who wish to look back on the dramatic, bittersweet trajectory of a romance.
petalback number
A heartbreaking breakup song that overlays the fleeting memories of love with cherry blossom petals.
The lyrics delicately portray how memories with a lover linger everywhere in the city, turning even everyday scenes into amplifiers of pain.
While still holding on to love, the reality is that they will never meet again.
This song carries a message that gently embraces that hurt.
Released in April 2011, it was featured as the ending theme for JAPAN COUNTDOWN.
It is sure to resonate deeply with anyone who has experienced a painful romance.
Side DishShimizu Shota
This is a song that wraps the frayed edges of love in a bittersweet yet warm melody.
Shota Shimizu’s smooth voice brings the emotions to the surface and stirs the listener’s heart.
The lingering attachment to someone unforgettable comes through quietly, yet powerfully.
Released in July 2021, the track is included on the album HOPE.
Depicting the tangles and heartache of love that anyone might experience, this song is recommended as one that gently accompanies lingering feelings.
It’s a must-listen for those nursing the pain of heartbreak or wishing to revisit a past romance.