Just listening makes my chest tighten... Breakup songs recommended for the Yutori generation
Heartbreak songs have always stirred our emotions with their bittersweet ache.
Even in today’s world, where young people are said to be drifting away from romance, the pain of a broken heart remains the same.
Here, we’ve picked out a selection of breakup songs from the J-POP scene that we especially recommend to the yutori generation.
From universally known stars to the new wave of artists, we’ve gathered a wide range of hit tracks—give them a listen!
- Recommended for the Yutori generation! Tear-jerking masterpieces from the J-pop scene
- My heart aches with bittersweet pain! Breakup songs I’d recommend to Gen Z
- Bittersweet feelings come rushing back! Recommended love songs for the Yutori generation
- [Women Artists Only] Breakup Songs Recommended for Gen Z
- Breakup songs sung by male artists that I’d recommend to Gen Z
- Breakup songs recommended for people in their 90s: a collection of timeless tracks that comfort the heart
- Winter songs you'll want to listen to in the cold season! Recommended for the yutori generation
- Recommended heartbreak songs for women in their 40s: classic and popular Japanese hits
- Breakup songs popular among women in their 20s. Tear-jerking love songs.
- Recommended breakup songs for high school students: classic and popular J-pop tracks
- Nostalgic Showa-era heartbreak songs. Soothe your heart with timeless classics that can move women in their 60s to tears.
- Masterpieces of bittersweet breakup songs. Recommended popular tracks.
- Recommended breakup songs by male artists for the Yutori generation
Just listening to it makes your chest tighten... Recommended heartbreak songs for the Yutori generation (21–30)
It’s not a lie.Mrs. GREEN APPLE
This song delicately portrays the inner turmoil of love.
It is a track by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE included on their album “Attitude,” released in October 2019.
It depicts intense feelings for someone and the frustration of being unable to put those feelings into words, with a beautiful melody and emotionally rich lyrics that resonate deeply.
Through a medium-tempo ballad, the piece masterfully expresses the inability to be honest and the contradictions within oneself.
It’s a song we especially recommend to those who have experienced the complex emotion of “caring so much that you can’t say how you feel.”
maybeYOASOBI
A YOASOBI song that depicts a memorable morning of parting.
The protagonist’s quiet farewell is conveyed through delicate words and a heartrending melody.
Released digitally in July 2020, it was also used as the theme song for a short film of the same name.
The lyrics, which portray the complex emotions left after a breakup and the changes in a relationship, resonate deeply with listeners.
It’s a recommended track for those who have experienced a springtime farewell or who wish to reflect on memories with someone dear.
Just listening makes my chest tighten... Recommended heartbreak songs for the Yutori Generation (31–40)
I don’t want to see you; I want to see you.Ueno Yūka
A ballad by Yuuka Ueno that sets painfully bittersweet scenes of heartbreak—so vivid they make your chest ache just remembering—against a simple, piano-led melody.
Six months after the breakup, the protagonist’s heart is still tangled in conflicting emotions born from being unable to forget their former lover: aching to see them, yet not wanting to.
Included on the January 2019 album “Sukina Hito wa Anata datta” (“You Were the One I Loved”), this song is sure to resonate deeply with anyone who has gone through a breakup and still hasn’t sorted out their feelings.
When they suddenly come to mind in a quiet moment, why not listen to this track and face your true feelings?
JELLYNumber_i
A Number_i track that likens tender, fragile feelings of love to jelly.
Produced by member Yuta Jinguji, it delicately captures the wistfulness of late summer.
The lyrics ask, “What would the jelly filled with my feelings for you taste like?”—a question that conveys the fear that this love might one day melt away and disappear, tightening the listener’s chest.
Included on their debut album No.I, released in September 2024.
tear(s)Marushii
Released in August 2025, this song marks Marcy’s first summer ballad.
It opens with scenes that evoke dazzling memories of love, and the story that unfolds in the past tense grips your heart.
Like a letter with no addressee, the feelings have nowhere to go, and the earnest pain of heartbreak is rendered lyrically.
It’s a sentimental track that embraces those who want to linger in the afterglow of a past romance at summer’s end.
I saw you.≠ME
This is a summer song released in August 2025 by ≠ME, an idol group produced by Rino Sashihara.
The track portrays the bittersweet emotions of seeing the person you like together with someone else.
It reflects Sashihara’s unique sentiment of “not wanting ≠ME to have their love fulfilled,” intertwining the frustration of unrequited love with the atmosphere of late summer to create a heart-wrenching feel.
It’s a must-listen for anyone in the throes of a one-sided crush or those who want to reminisce about the delicate memories of their youth.
casual speechpirafu seijin
Rapper Pilaf Seijin, who enjoys overwhelming support especially among Gen Z, released this work, Tameguchi, in August 2025.
While Pilaf Seijin is known for many unique pieces, this song is a poignant, heartbreak-themed track that really hits home.
It depicts the shift from casual, intimate speech to formal language—once a symbol of closeness—creating a deeply moving sense of loss.
By vividly portraying memories of happier days, it highlights just how much has been lost.
If you’re nursing a broken heart, give it a listen.