[Songs of Bereavement] Songs about losing someone dear. Tracks to listen to while thinking of a loved one.
A collection of songs themed around the loss of loved ones—partners, family, friends, and others dear to you.
There are songs steeped in deep sorrow, songs that express gratitude for the time shared in life, songs that look back on memories, and even songs told from the perspective of those who have passed away.
Though presented from many angles, all of them overflow with love for the departed and for those left behind.
If you are suffering from a sense of loss, or wish to sort through your feelings for someone precious who has gone on ahead, please give these a listen.
We cannot forget the reality of parting, but as you listen, you will likely find yourself able to look back on the days you spent together with a calmer heart.
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[Songs of Bereavement] Songs for those who have lost someone dear. Tracks to listen to while thinking of a loved one (41–50)
Thank you…KOKIA
“Arigatou…” released in 1999 by singer-songwriter KOKIA, is a song filled with gratitude for a loved one who has been lost.
Sung in KOKIA’s straightforward, warmly resonant voice, its simple yet powerful lyrics convey deep appreciation for someone dear and a resolve to live strongly from here on.
It frees listeners’ hearts from the pain of loss.
Even the “thank you” left unsaid will surely reach them if you keep thinking of it.
Why not listen while looking up at the sky, thinking of the one you love?
[Songs of Bereavement] Songs about losing someone dear. Tracks to listen to while thinking of your loved one (51–60)
Tears of MagnoliaStardust Revue
It’s one of Stardust Revue’s signature songs and a beautifully melancholy ballad.
From the very beginning, Nobuto Nemoto’s slightly husky high-toned vocals convey a poignant sorrow that moves our hearts.
The protagonist in the lyrics is a woman who has lost the man she loved.
Her unfading affection, loneliness, and grief are expressed wonderfully, and for anyone who has ever lost someone dear, this song is sure to become a treasured piece.
Things that have formShibasaki Kou
A song that strings together the words of a woman who is leaving this world, leaving her loved one behind.
It’s a track by Ko Shibasaki, who not only acts but is also active as a serious musician.
We don’t often hear the words of someone about to set off on their final journey, and songs are usually from the perspective of those left behind.
But when you listen to this song, you realize, “Departing while leaving someone you love behind is just as painful as being the one left behind.” Within the lyrics—filled with the sorrow of leaving a loved one and the guilt of having to go—you can feel a steady, genuine love that warms the heart.
Prayer Flower 2020Hirai Dai
Inoribana, released in 2011 as Dai Hirai’s debut single.
This is his self-cover version.
Written in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, it’s a ballad whose gentle vocals and lyrics drew attention for tenderly accompanying people’s wounded hearts.
The 2020 version, arranged on a grander scale than the original, feels like it deepens the song’s message.
It’s a masterpiece that makes you realize there’s someone precious residing deep within your heart.
Missing YouMirei Touyama
Mirei Toyama is a singer-songwriter who is also active in the United States.
Missing You is a project she created jointly with Hiroki Terai, a producer known for promoting therapeutic crying (“ruikatsu”).
The song portrays the sorrow and loneliness of a girl who has lost her beloved mother.
Be sure to watch it together with the “tear-jerking music video” produced by Hiroki Terai—it will help you visualize the scenes depicted in the lyrics more vividly.
Also, since the lyrics don’t specify a particular relationship, listeners can interpret them in various ways and relate it to different people.
Close your eyesHirai Ken
This is a song by Ken Hirai, written specifically as the theme for the film “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World.” The story looks back on memories with a deceased lover, and this track, told from the protagonist’s perspective, also feels like a message addressed to that lost love.
While recalling days spent with a partner who will never return evokes painful emotions, the song conveys a powerful resolve to cherish those memories and live on, carrying the loved one’s share as well.
YC&K
C&K is a vocal duo consisting of CLIEVY, who wields an astonishingly high range dubbed a “super high-tone voice,” and KEEN, whose silky, smooth, and beautiful vocals are their hallmark.
The song depicts parting from a loved one, but as you read the lyrics, many might initially think, “Isn’t this about a breakup between a man and a woman rather than a death?” However, by the time you reach the end, you’ll realize it is indeed a song about bereavement.
A sudden farewell that shatters days of happiness…
The lyrics, which beautifully weave this heartbreaking situation together with everyday scenes, are likely to bring many listeners to tears.