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!
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- 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 makes my chest tighten... Recommended heartbreak songs for the Yutori Generation (31–40)
Close your eyesHirai Ken
When I wake up in the morning, I can feel the empty shell of the person I once loved lying beside me.
This song by Ken Hirai portrays that sudden sense of loss that visits in ordinary, fleeting moments.
Close your eyes and memories of happier days return in vivid detail, but open them and there’s no one there.
That inescapable reality pierces your heart, doesn’t it? The longer you spent together, the more indelible the memories become—how painfully ironic.
Released in April 2004, the song topped the Oricon Yearly Chart as the theme for the film “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World.” For those who have gone through the profound parting of divorce and now simply want to dwell in their sorrow, this is a song that quietly stays by your side.
GoodbyeNishino Kana
Even though they didn’t grow to hate each other, they end up choosing to part ways due to drifting apart.
This is a poignant medium-tempo ballad by Kana Nishino that tightens the heart with the complexity of such an ending to love.
The way the protagonist tries to seal away the memories without truly accepting what happened feels strikingly real, likely because of the lyrics’ masterful grasp of the subtleties of romance.
Released in October 2013, the song is also known as the theme for the NHK serial drama “Glass no Ie” and is included on the album “with LOVE.” For those who have lost a love that couldn’t be saved by feelings alone and can’t yet move on, this song will gently whisper, “It’s okay—you don’t have to force yourself to forget.”
Like the beginningRen
This is a solo ballad written by REN of the global boy group JO1.
Set for release in July 2025, it’s his fourth solo track.
With a delicate vocal delivery, it captures the unease toward kindness that’s become routine and the premonition of a relationship’s end.
You can clearly feel the protagonist’s poignant resolve in lines like, “This way will be better for both of us.” It’s a song that will sink deep into your heart when you’re struggling with a cherished relationship or quietly reflecting on a breakup at night.
Ikebukuro SunshineWHITE JAM
This is a July 2025 release from WHITE JAM, a mixed-gender vocal unit known for their realistic, heartrending lyrics that resonate with many.
Set in the iconic urban locale of Ikebukuro Sunshine, it paints the protagonist’s delicate, wavering emotions amid the flow of passersby, carried by their signature R&B sound.
Even as they resolve to part with their lover, they still wait for them…
The painful scene comes into focus, and it really tightens your chest.
It especially hits on nights when you want to sink into sentimentality or when you feel like revisiting past loves.
Sakura GirlNEWS
Sung by NEWS, this song portrays a fleeting love that begins with the arrival of spring and ends like falling cherry blossoms.
The lyrics weave a beautiful story filled with a range of emotions, using cherry blossoms—an emblem of spring—as a motif to exquisitely express the poignancy of meeting and parting.
Released in March 2010, the track debuted at No.
1 on the Oricon weekly chart.
It’s a song that stays close to the heart during springtime scenes of new encounters and farewells.
Just hearing them makes your chest tighten… Recommended breakup songs for the Yutori Generation (41–50)
My love was overflowing.mosao.
This is a song by Mosao that brims with overflowing affection and the bittersweet ache of parting.
Its gentle vocals and the warm sound of acoustic guitar offer comfort to anyone who has experienced the pain of heartbreak.
Released in September 2020, the track spread mainly through social media and resonated with many listeners.
It’s highly recommended for those who have gone through a breakup and find themselves longing for happier times.
Each listen brings back memories of that special someone and gives you a sense of emotional cleansing.
You’re no longer here.FUNKY MONKEY BABYS
This is a gem of a ballad that sings of the sweet, aching pain of heartbreak.
The farewell scene on the station platform and the memories the two shared are delicately portrayed and delivered with a melody that pierces the heart.
Among FUNKY MONKEY BABYS’ works, it stands out for its rich emotional expression.
Released in October 2007, it reached No.
8 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
It was selected as the ending theme for Nippon TV’s “Otona no Shikaku,” earning broad support across generations.
The song is also included on the album “FUNKY MONKEY BABYS 2,” and has been covered by Mariko Takahashi.
It’s a heartwarming track that stays by your side when you sense the end of a romance or go through a farewell with someone dear.