[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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[Heartbreak Songs] A selection of poignant love songs that pierce the hearts of the lovelorn (71–80)
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.
The town where you liveShimizu Shota
This is a ballad that paints the feelings of someone who, in unguarded moments, finds themselves searching for traces of a lover who should no longer be there.
It’s a song by singer-songwriter Shota Shimizu, released in October 2010 as his eighth single.
The track is also included on the album COLORS.
You can almost picture the protagonist overlaying the face of the one they can no longer meet onto a lookalike spotted on a station platform or onto familiar cityscapes.
Imagining the city where that person lives and simply wishing to see them—those one-sided feelings are, in a way, the very essence of a lingering “unrequited love” that follows a finished romance.
The melody, like an autumn dusk—lonely yet warm—soaks into the heart.
If there’s someone you can’t forget, listening to this will surely resonate deeply.
not enoughwacci
This is a heartbreak song overflowing with poignancy, capturing the emotional turmoil of trying to sever lingering feelings for an ex.
Featured on wacci’s 2019 album Empathy, the track stands out for its lyrics written from a woman’s perspective.
Though she still has feelings, the protagonist’s struggle to choose a clean break in order to move forward is deeply affecting.
Positioned as a side story to “Betsu no Hito no Kanojo ni Natta yo,” a one-take recording was also released in 2020.
It’s a must-listen for anyone who’s gone from mutual love to one-sided, or who wants to move on but can’t quite bring themselves to do it.
[Heartbreak Songs] A selection of bittersweet love songs that pierce the hearts of the lovelorn (81–90)
You were happy, right?Te ga kuriimu pan
Hand Cream-Pan, who is mainly active by posting her work on TikTok, wrote “We Were Happy” based on her own real-life experience.
It’s a ballad that portrays a heartbroken woman trying to forget her former partner.
Many listeners will relate to the inner struggle of how the harder you try to forget, the more unforgettable it becomes.
In fact, it’s a sequel to “I Want to See You,” so it’s recommended to listen to them together.
Knowing the story so far will help you connect with it even more deeply.
I’ll wait.amin
“Matsu Wa,” the classic hit by Aming released in 1982, is an unrequited-love song that has been covered by numerous artists and cherished across generations.
It portrays the heartrending feelings of waiting forever for someone you love, even though your love will never be returned.
aloneMayo Okamoto
A tear-jerking breakup song by Mayo Okamoto.
The lyrics are ones anyone can relate to, and the melody tugs at your tear ducts—everything embodies the sadness of heartbreak.
The opening music-box sound and the gentle tempo already make your tears start to flow.
Set in a time before cell phones, the conversations through a pay phone add depth to the poignancy.
It’s so sad you want to borrow someone’s shoulder, but not out of pity—being loved is a given.
It soothes a love that you want to give up on but just can’t let go.
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!
