[Heartbreak Songs] A selection of poignant love songs that pierce the heart of those with unrequited love
A bittersweet crush that makes your chest tighten.
But have you ever had a moment when you suddenly realized that your feelings would never come true?
Like when the person you like asks you for love advice and your heartbreak is sealed, or when you and a friend fall for the same person and you can’t bring yourself to confess—things like that.
Unrequited love can end for many reasons besides confessing and being rejected.
In this article, we’ve gathered “unrequited love heartbreak songs” for those who can’t forget the one they love and feel pangs of regret whenever they remember.
May you find a song that gently stays by your aching heart.
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- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
- Unrequited love songs that strike a man's heart. Love songs from a male perspective that really hit home.
- Unrequited love songs recommended for junior high school students. Popular love songs and romance tracks.
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- Popular Heartbreak Song Rankings [2026]
[Heartbreak Songs] A selection of poignant love songs that pierce the hearts of the lovelorn (71–80)
I want to forget.wacci
This is a song by wacci that portrays the feelings of someone suffering from the pain of heartbreak.
Have you ever had the experience where the more you try to forget, the more vividly the memories come back? The repeated phrase “I want to forget the voice of the person I loved” carries a heartrending poignancy.
Released in July 2024, this track is wacci’s third love song release of 2024.
Actress Aju Makita appears in the music video, beautifully embodying the world of the song.
It’s recommended for times when you want to be alone with your sadness or when you’re trying to overcome the pain of a broken heart.
It will surely be there to comfort you.
SuddenlyEXILE ATSUSHI
In 2020, EXILE ATSUSHI announced he would focus on solo activities.
That doesn’t mean he quit EXILE, though, so I hope we’ll see him sing in front of EXILE’s performers again someday.
This song portrays a man’s shock and regret after being abruptly told it’s over.
Yet the lyrics feel completely free of the clichés and inertia of old-school pop.
I think that’s a testament to ATSUSHI’s passion for songwriting.
Not every breakup leaves you feeling upbeat and positive.
This is a recommended track for those who want to properly mourn a heartbreak.
I miss you so much and want to see you.Nishino Kana
It’s a song released in 2010, and its chorus lyrics were quite the talk back then.
They’re said to contrast with Kana Nishino’s own views on love, yet the actual melody is sung in a voice that sounds on the verge of tears.
Many people probably relate to the lyrics, which convey painful anguish.
If you’ve just gone through a major heartbreak, try projecting your feelings onto this song.
If a good cry helps you feel even a little refreshed, you’ll be able to take the next step forward.
wailing in griefKudō Shizuka
Shizuka Kudo’s biggest hit, released in 1993.
The song was written and composed by Miyuki Nakajima.
In 2012, Miliyah Kato also covered it.
The tempo is brisk and light, but the lyrics tell the story of a woman’s devastating heartbreak.
It’s sung with a bright melody, as if comforting oneself after a breakup.
If you play it as background music when you’re feeling lonely, it might lift your spirits a little!
You have no idea how much I like you.Gō Hiromi
Released in 1993 and chosen as the theme song for the drama “A Proper Marriage,” Hiromi Go’s “You Don’t Know How Much I Love You” portrays the agony of unrequited love.
Whether you keep suffering in one-sided love or try to forget your feelings and give up, either path is painful.
Anyone who has experienced an impossible love has likely felt this way at least once.
This song artfully captures those emotions and continues to resonate with many people across generations.
Unrequited loveShibata Jun
Jun Shibata, known as the “queen of unrequited love songs.” One of her signature tracks is this ballad, “Kataomoi.” Even knowing the other person doesn’t love you, you still can’t let go… This song sets that heartbreaking feeling of love to melody.
A world without youto shiki
This is a work by Toshiki, a singer-songwriter from Hyogo Prefecture, singing about overflowing feelings for someone precious who has disappeared from right before your eyes.
Released in August 2022, the song spread on social media after a post sparked buzz as a “heart-wrenchingly divine track,” inspiring over 4,000 fan-made videos.
It depicts the painful realization, only after losing them, that the ordinary days spent with someone you can no longer meet were the true happiness.
Perhaps everyone has experienced the torment of secretly holding on to love—still being in love even after a breakup.
A masterful ballad sung from a male perspective that gently embraces such sentimental feelings.
Please take your time and listen closely to his warm yet heartrending voice.