[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 bittersweet love songs that pierce the heart of the lovelorn (21–30)
Someone who isn’t you ~Tejina~DEEP
A tearful song that compares unrequited love to a magic trick.
There’s no chance this crush will ever come true, yet once it starts, it pulls you in deeper like a trick you can’t look away from.
From a male perspective, the tight-chested imagery and emotive vocals bring tears to your eyes.
Why magic? you might wonder—but when you try doing magic, it’s surprisingly fun and addictive, isn’t it? It’s the same here: without any logic, he finds himself drawn to her.
For those who know it won’t be returned, yet can’t help but fall in love anyway.
SparkleIkuta Rira
Ikrta Lira’s “Sparkle” portrays a protagonist who grows through an unrequited love.
Released in 2022 as a digital-only single, it was chosen as the theme song for ABEMA’s original romance show “Kyo, Suki ni Narimashita” (Today, I Fell in Love), Mikan arc.
Its lyrics—about using heartbreak as a springboard to move forward—combined with Ikuta’s gentle vocals, are achingly poignant.
She also performed “Sparkle” on the hugely popular YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE, where the video surpassed 9.5 million views in less than six months after its release.
[Heartbreak Songs] A selection of bittersweet love songs that pierce the hearts of the lovelorn (31–40)
Cinderella GrayYonezu Kenshi
You might wonder, “Why is it Gray if it’s Cinderella?” But Cinderella is also known as the Ash-Covered Princess, and this piece is told from a perspective different from the usual image of Cinderella.
From the contrast between gray and a vivid world to the lyrics themselves, it brilliantly depicts the darkness in the protagonist’s heart.
When your own feelings of love go unfulfilled, listening to this song might make you feel a little lighter.
Goodbye-byeTomioka Ai
A delicate song by Ai Tomioka that sings of a love so pure it almost hurts.
The transparent vocals capture the frustrating feeling of almost closing the distance with someone, yet never quite getting there.
Even while knowing the other person has someone special, the complicated emotions of being unable to let go resonate deeply.
Released in September 2023, it captured many hearts, reaching the Top 10 on Spotify’s Viral charts in six Asian countries.
The song is memorable for its blend of English and Japanese lyrics and its catchy melodic line.
It’s a track that comforts anyone holding onto unspoken feelings for someone they love, or struggling with a love that may never come true.
fireworks (launched into the sky)DAOKO × Yonezu Kenshi
A song that portrays the bittersweet love of teenagers from both a boy’s and a girl’s perspective.
At a fireworks festival, they try to confess to their crush, but it doesn’t go well.
They want to ask someone out during summer break, but can’t bring themselves to do it.
School-age romance is full of bittersweet memories.
The lyrics depict the fireworks beautifully, and anyone who had an unrequited love in their teens will feel a pang of longing.
Feelings for someone you used to like, along with the summer scenes of that time, are expressed in fresh, vivid language.
I loved (it/you)erica
It’s a song about the day of a heartbreak—very sad, yet overflowing with love.
Parting with someone you truly loved can be so painful that you feel hopeless, as if you can’t go on.
But the protagonist in the lyrics doesn’t let their heart break; instead, they declare that they’ll wish the other person happiness and keep moving forward themselves.
It’s a song that will give you a gentle push when you’ve been heartbroken but want to stay positive!
two peopleaiko
I know we’ll never end up feeling the same way about each other, but this song captures that hazy, restless heart.
Aiko is known for her love songs from a woman’s perspective, but this one is on the darker side among them.
She isn’t all that deeply involved with the person she’s crushing on.
That’s precisely why she senses that if she falls any deeper, there’ll be no turning back—she won’t be able to give up.
Still, while keeping her feelings hidden, she feels uneasy watching him have a crush on another woman.
It beautifully portrays the complexities of love.