[Heartbreak Songs] A selection of poignant love songs that pierce the heart of those with unrequited love

OverNEW!Mr.Children

Mr.Children “Over” from 30th Anniversary Tour Entrance to the Half Century – 2022.5.10 TOKYO DOME –

A song included at the end of Mr.Children’s album Atomic Heart, released in September 1994.

Though it was not a single, it was selected for their 2001 best-of album and has endured as a beloved breakup song.

The vivid, true-to-life depictions—like recalling a former lover’s small gestures or the atmosphere of a room—strike a chord.

The contrast between the unvarnished language that doesn’t hide loss and lingering attachment, and the friendly, light melody, is superb.

It’s not merely sad; it carries a message of gradually facing forward and beginning to walk on, even while holding pain.

It’s a song that gently gives you a push when you find yourself standing still at the end of a romance.

wishsumika

sumika / Wish [Music Video]

Sumika’s bittersweet unrequited love and heartbreak song “Negai.” It was also used as the theme song for the drama “Ossan’s Love -in the sky-,” so those who watched the show surely know it.

It’s a painfully sad track that contrasts how deeply they love with how hopelessly unrequited that love is.

You can’t help but want to cheer them on with a “Hang in there!”

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I want to be your lover.Abe Mao

Mao Abe – I Want to Be Your Lover [Official Music Video]

Singer-songwriter Mao Abe’s second single, “I Want to Be Your Girlfriend.” It’s a song written based on the feelings she had in high school.

With gentle yet powerful vocals, she sings about the frustration of not getting replies to emails and the longing to know the other person better.

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phantom / illusion / vision / fantasyMy Hair is Bad

Maboroshi

This song poignantly portrays the pain of heartbreak swaying between dreams and reality.

Awoken in the middle of the night, the protagonist reunites with a phantom lover in a dream, delicately revisiting past memories and the moment of their parting.

The anguish of a heart torn by the gap between the wish to “start over” and an unyielding reality is sure to resonate deeply with listeners.

My Hair is Bad released the track in September 2017 as part of the double A-side single “Unmei / Maboroshi,” and it was also included on the album “mothers,” released in November of the same year.

It’s a song that offers solace to those who, still nursing the wounds of a breakup, can’t yet forget the person they loved.

Because I fell in loveaimyon

Aimyon “Because I Fell in Love” Studio Recording Scene

A song by a woman who can’t forget her feelings after unrequited love has ended.

Aimyon’s gentle voice and the relaxed tempo express the sadness precisely because she loved someone.

The lyrics say that while she was in love, the world looked beautiful—and at the same time, it could look sorrowful.

Happiness and anxiety existed side by side.

For those heartbroken who can’t even eat, listening to this will surely bring comfort.

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I won’t fall in love anymore.NEW!Makihara Noriyuki

[Official] Noriyuki Makihara “I Won’t Fall in Love Again” (Music Video) [5th Single] (1992) Noriyuki Makihara / Mou Koi Nante Shinai

This timeless song depicts the pain of heartbreak through everyday moments and has continued to comfort many listeners.

Written by Noriyuki Makihara, it was released in May 1992 as his fifth single and became a major hit as the theme song for the Nippon TV drama “After the Children Are Asleep.” It was also included on the album “Kimi wa Boku no Takaramono,” released in June of the same year.

While it sings about the profound sense of absence felt in the shared room during fleeting moments, it ultimately holds a powerful resolve to move toward a new tomorrow.

It’s a song I recommend when you want to lift your head just a little from the depths of sorrow or take a next step while holding precious memories close—it gently gives you a push forward.

Everyday Revolutionneguse.

Neguse. “Everyday Revolution” Official Music Video

A heartbreaking breakup song sung by Neguse.

The protagonist’s feelings are delicately portrayed as they realize, only after losing the one they love, just how deep those feelings ran.

The loneliness of being alone in a room without their partner, and the image of them wearing his clothes while crying, is enough to make your chest tighten.

Included on the mini-album “Wonderland ni Aijō o!” released in September 2022, this track has become a fan favorite with its music video surpassing 7 million views.

Its down-to-earth lyrics and catchy pop melody capture the band’s appeal.

It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone carrying the pain of heartbreak or who has experienced losing someone important.