A selection of classic love ballads, from the latest hits to timeless favorites.

Among people who enjoy listening to music, many especially love listening to love ballads that depict love in its many forms, don’t they?

In particular, when you’re nursing a crush or going through a heartbreak, it’s common to find comfort in lyrics that mirror your own feelings.

In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of classic love ballads that sing about a wide range of situations and emotions.

From bittersweet songs about unrequited love or breakups to joyful tracks portraying couples who are happily close and supportive, we’ve chosen broadly—so try finding the one song that perfectly matches your state of mind.

Playlist

A selection of classic love ballads, from the latest hits to timeless favorites.
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	If you call it loveUru		A heartwarming ballad that portrays Uru's love and bonds
2	Tracing That Dream (Ballad Ver.)YOASOBI		YOASOBI's moving ballad song
3	Unrequited loveAimer		Aimer’s moving lyrics and melodies
4	First love is cryingaimyon		A masterpiece by Aimyon that sings about the end of first love
5	EnchantedSaucy Dog		A soothing love song that portrays feelings for a lover
6	Aino Katachi feat. HIDE (GReeeeN)MISIA		An inspiring love song by MISIA and GReeeeN
7	MetronomeYonezu Kenshi		A heart-touching love ballad by Kenshi Yonezu
8	love letterEvery Little Thing		A timeless masterpiece: a gentle ballad that soothes the heart
9	I long to see you now.MISIA		The longing to meet a loved one across time
10	Partneryuka		A catchy song that portrays Yuka’s love life
11	Happy Endingback number		A poignant movie theme song by back number
12	shutterYuuri		Yuuri’s digital single, a song brimming with a sense of loss.
13	rainbowSuda Masaki		Masaki Suda offers a poem of love as a movie’s theme song
14	mysteryHoshino Gen		Gen Hoshino’s 12th single, a heartwarming song used as a TV drama theme
15	Love SongUru		Uru’s new song, a heartwarming track used as a TV drama theme
16	KanadeSukima Suichi		Sukima Switch’s poignant love masterpiece
17	365 daysMr.Children		Mr. Children’s signature love-song ballad
18	PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism		Official HIGE DANDism’s hit song “Shukumei”
19	beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)aiko		Aiko’s signature song “Kabutomushi,” a bittersweet love ballad.
20	First LoveUtada Hikaru		The moving impact of Hikaru Utada’s “First Love”
21	Let’s become a familyFukuyama Masaharu		A moving song that portrays love and gratitude for family
22	crescent moonayaka		Ayaka’s fourth release, a long-distance love song
23	NAOHY		An inspiring ballad by the Okinawa-based band HY
24	Love ForeverKatō Miriya × Shimizu Shōta		An inspiring song by Miliyah Kato and Shota Shimizu
25	Don’t disappear.Aina ji Endo		A heartfelt longing for someone precious I don’t want to lose
26	MAYBETomioka Ai		A love ballad that sings of Ai Tomioka’s hope for the future
27	AitaiKato Miria		Depicting the bittersweet emotions of unrequited love
28	Last LoveKato Miria		A masterpiece that expresses the pain of heartbreak with a transparent voice
29	Love is…Kato Miria		An inspiring classic that vows eternal love
30	WHYKato Miria		A heartfelt song that expresses the pain of love
31	YOU… feat. Izumi Nakasone (HY)Kato Miria		Hit ballads by Miliyah Kato and HY
32	LONELYKatō Miriya feat. LANA		A poignant song about loneliness by Miliyah Kato and LANA
33	snow moonYamada Ryosuke		A bittersweet love story on a winter night
34	heartbeatFukuyama Masaharu		A heart swayed by an unexpected love and the singing voice of Masaharu Fukuyama
35	Love KnotNovelbright		Love Song 'Ai Musubi' by Novelbright
36	Ballad of a SingerSaitō Kazuyoshi		A warm, classic song that sings of the universality of love
37	DestinyAee! group		Aぇ! group’s bittersweet love song
38	Precious LoveEXILE ATSUSHI		A wedding song by EXILE ATSUSHI themed around love
39	Unrequited loveSUPER BEAVER		A bittersweet love ballad by SUPER BEAVER
40	Hide-and-seekYuuri		A ballad that likens a breakup with a live-in partner to a game of hide-and-seek
41	Why did I end up falling in love with you?Tōhōshinki		A ballad that portrays the poignancy of heartbreak and love
42	SymphonyHirai Dai		Dai Hirai’s movie theme song love ballad
43	LA LA LA Love SongKubota Toshinobu		Toshinobu Kubota’s R&B signature ballad blockbuster hit
44	You are here—that’s everything.Kotora		A love ballad that portrays happiness with a loved one
45	filamentUru		A movie theme song that sings of hope in loneliness
46	Me too,YUTORI-SEDAI		A ballad about an unattainable love
47	It feels like I’m in love.Yuika		Piano ballad. Expresses the poignancy of unrequited love. Major-label debut work.
48	DiNAYuuri		Yuuri’s song that likens memories with a lover to genes
49	Being lovedKazuki		A ballad portraying the pain of heartbreak and lingering attachment
50	for a whilerikon densetsu		A ballad that depicts the pain of heartbreak
51	What I noticed wasGENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE		A love-confession ballad by GENERATIONS
52	Time lapse (feat. Yella.E)/kocchi no kento		A heartrending love ballad by Japanese and Korean artists
53	Blind Love&TEAM		&TEAM’s drama theme song. Love and positivity.
54	Only youDani.		A love song that harmonizes Auto-Tune with passionate lyrics
55	In loveHY		A ballad that portrays a heart accepting heartbreak and growing
56	trace (of someone/something), semblance, vestige; a lingering image or memory of how someone/something used to beNovelbright		Novelbright’s heartbreak ballad song
57	Better Half (feat. JEONGHAN of SEVENTEEN)Omoinotake		A touching ballad with a long-distance relationship theme
58	Precious FeelingsRIEHATA		RIEHATA’s Japanese ballad song
59	Kasane AiSoala		Soala’s ballad depicting lost love
60	fateTani Yuuki		A self-cover of a song that portrays a fateful encounter
61	Gimme Your TearsWho-ya Extended		Introduction to Who-ya Extended “Gimme Your Tears”
62	Summer Days of 1993class		A ballad portraying the shift of feelings from friendship to romance
63	Finale.eill		A moving ballad as a movie theme song
64	Spring Notesmiwa		A soothing song written by miwa with a youth theme
65	Flower of loveaimyon		A song in which Aimyon likens love to a flower
66	O youdoba shishō		An emotional love song with a gentle melody
67	Be happy, okay?matsumura kanau		A breakup song sung by Kanau Matsumura
68	Shall we break up?Miyuhan		A song that portrays the feelings of deciding to part ways
69	Ikuriipuhaipe		Turn the Soranen collaboration song into a ballad
70	PearlGosuperāzu		Gospellers’ new song, a gem of a track expressing love
71	Tearful KissSazan Ōrusutāzu		A signature ballad by Southern that depicts the pain of heartbreak
72	That’s all there is to it.Marushii		A heartbroken woman looks back on her happy days
73	I knewRozarīna		Rozalina is drawing attention with her distinctive sense of groove.
74	threadNakajima Miyuki		Why Miyuki Nakajima’s “Ito” Is Loved as a Masterpiece
75	Sounds good.Ide Ayaka		A song that expresses Ayaka Ide’s feelings of love
76	AutomaticUtada Hikaru		Utada Hikaru’s debut song expresses the complexities of love.
77	Your SongYasuda Rei		Rei Yasuda's 'Kimi no Uta' is a song about a deceased lover.
78	Beyond the goodbyeMatsushita Kohei		A song that gives you the courage to rise after heartbreak
79	Thinking of youMatsushita Kohei		Kohei Matsushita’s new song is a heart-healing ballad.
80	Sentimental KissShio Reira		A ballad by Shio Reira. A gentle portrayal of the end of a romance.
81	An unfinished love song I’ve been working on foreverHata Motohiro		A ballad depicting the gentle love of a married couple
82	LADYYonezu Kenshi		Kenshi Yonezu’s masterpiece that depicts the boredom of everyday life
83	Versailles – Versailles –ayaka		Ayaka’s theme song expresses feelings of love and freedom
84	The Day Love Was BornFujitani Miwako, Ouchi Yoshiaki		The duet song by Miwako Fujitani and Yoshiaki Ouchi
85	I can’t say it.Gō Hiromi		Hiromi Go's ballad trilogy is a classic of the 1990s.
86	The Day After EternityAdo		Ado’s heartrending love song, a confession of deep love
87	hundreds of millions of light-yearsOmoinotake		Omoinotake’s TBS drama theme song “Hundreds of Millions of Light Years”
88	Love songMarushii		Marcy’s warm love song, the honest feelings of love
89	Moonlight ReverseRīgaru Rirī		An inspiring song that overlays the loneliness of the heart with moonlight
90	youieiri reo		Expressing the poignant feelings for a lost love with rich sensitivity