[To Those in Love] Relatable Love Songs to Listen to When You’re Crushing Hard

More than friends, less than loversAsa

ASA – More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers [Official Music Video]

This is a song by ASA that delicately portrays honest feelings and inner conflict.

The emotions swaying on the boundary between friendship and love are so relatable that they may feel like your own experience.

Released digitally in September 2022, the track is marked by a warm, gently enveloping vocal and an emotionally rich melody line.

Because you care so much about the other person, you can’t take that step forward—this tender, aching feeling slowly seeps into your heart.

You don’t want to lose either love or friendship.

That’s why the wish to protect the relationship as it is resonates deeply with listeners.

It’s a song I especially recommend to those struggling with their feelings for someone they like, or those who’ve realized how much a close friend means to them.

Mutual loveaiko

aiko - “Mutual Love” music video

From the flutter in your chest the moment you fall in love to the ache of feelings that don’t reach the other person, Aiko’s crystal-clear voice resonates deep in the heart.

Delicately portraying the emotions of longing for someone, this work—released in May 2024 and spotlighted as the theme song for a popular animated film—has struck a chord with many listeners.

Aiko’s vocals and the film’s world blend beautifully, further enhancing the piece’s allure.

It’s the perfect song for those experiencing unrequited love or looking to boost their motivation in romance.

Why not listen to this track and find the courage to share your feelings?

DarlingSuda Keina

Keina Suda – Darling (Music Video)

An emotional song by Keina Suda that powerfully portrays a fleeting yet earnest longing for love.

It expresses one-sided devotion, the pain of not being accepted, and feelings of self-denial, all conveyed through an addictive melody and delicate vocals.

Released in January 2023, the music video—created in collaboration with illustrator Avogado6—garnered attention for its innovative visual beauty that blends animation with live action.

It’s a song that gently resonates with those struggling with dependency and inner conflict in love, or with the heartache of not being accepted by the one they care for.

to cry innocently; to weep with a childlike airAKASAKI

[AKASAKI] Adokenaku / Innocently Crying (Lyric Video)

This song resonates with the heart through its tenderness that tries to embrace a pure soul holding back tears, and the bittersweet ache of feelings that aren’t returned.

AKASAKI’s delicate portrayal of emotion and straightforward expression of love are deeply moving.

Released as a single in January 2025, it became a hot topic after being selected as Kiss FM KOBE’s recommended Japanese track for the month.

The intertwining of the desire to protect someone and the loneliness of unfulfilled devotion evokes empathy as an emotion many have experienced.

It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone striving to move forward while carrying feelings for someone dear.

So she’s not your girlfriend, huh?Ueno Yūka

Yuhka Ueno “I’m Not Your Girlfriend, Right?” Music Video

A poignant breakup ballad by Yuuka Ueno that portrays the final moments of a couple who have decided to part and arranged to meet one last time.

Crafted by Yohei Hashiguchi of wacci, this song is included on the mini-album “Konya Atashi ga Naite mo,” released in March 2020.

With great care, it traces the feelings of a woman who holds dear memories close to her heart as she tries to accept reality, conveying both the loneliness of no longer being able to be with the one she loved and her resolve to face forward even while lingering attachments remain.

Ueno’s gentle vocals and the warm melody quietly encourage those who, while confronting the pain of farewell, are ready to take a new step forward.

AloneMayo Okamoto

Mayo Okamoto — alone

A gently woven ballad that carries hidden feelings along with a piano melody.

Released by Mayo Okamoto in November 1996, this song portrays the heartrending emotions of a woman whose boyfriend is taken by her close friend.

Though she puts on a brave face and smiles for those around her, she continues to carry loneliness in her heart.

The pain she feels upon glimpsing the couple by chance on a station platform, and her yearning not for sympathy but for true love, are expressed with delicate nuance.

This piece is a long-cherished ballad she had nurtured since before her debut.

It’s a song that quietly stays by the side of anyone trying to look forward while bearing the pain of heartbreak.

dear personShio Reira

Leila Shio / Ito Shii Hito [Official Music Video]

This song focuses on the different readings of the kanji for “love,” portraying the misalignments in how love is expressed and received.

Released in August 2024 as the lead track of the 1st EP “No one,” it also drew attention for being featured as background music on ABEMA’s dating show “He and the Little Wolf-chan Won’t Deceive You.” If you’ve ever struggled with the weight of the word “love” or felt unsure about how to interpret someone’s feelings, you’ll find it impossible not to relate.

You can really feel the kindness of someone trying to accept their partner’s clumsy way of showing love.