[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.
Playlist
| [Heartbreak Songs] A selection of poignant love songs that pierce the heart of those with unrequited love | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| show_chart | Title | Playlist | Review |
| 1east | PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism |  play_arrow | For the theme song of the movie “Confidence Man JP”… |
| 2east | Happy Endingback number |  play_arrow | A poignant song by back number that portrays the turmoil of a breakup |
| 3east | Only I liked it.suisou gurashi |  play_arrow | A Heartbreak Song from Life in a Fish Tank |
| 4east | You look like an idiot.Saucy Dog |  play_arrow | A poignant song that portrays the conflicts of love |
| 5east | wrapTENSONG |  play_arrow | A heartrending breakup song that depicts the end of unrequited love... |
| 6east | HeartacheONE OK ROCK |  play_arrow | Their songs about unrequited love and heartbreak really resonate... |
| 7east | Why not me?Misaka Saki |  play_arrow | A song that sings of the aching feelings that grow from friendship into love |
| 8east | I’ve fallen in love.YUTORI-SEDAI |  play_arrow | A bittersweet rock song that portrays an unstoppable love |
| 9east | Tulipindigo la End |  play_arrow | The beauty of the pain and fragility of a love born from heartbreak… |
| 10east | phantom / illusion / vision / fantasyMy Hair is Bad |  play_arrow | A searing pain of heartbreak swaying between dream and reality… |
| 11east | 366 daysHY |  play_arrow | A message to the beloved who has left me... |
| 12east | wishsumika |  play_arrow | A bittersweet unrequited love & heartbreak son… sung by sumika |
| 13east | I like you, but it seems you don’t really like me.back number |  play_arrow | I like you, but you don’t particularly like me… |
| 14east | Because I fell in loveaimyon |  play_arrow | Even after my unrequited love ended, I can’t forget these feelings of love… |
| 15east | Love’s Melody and Rainy SkiesAAA |  play_arrow | The popular song by AAA released in 2013, ‘… |
| 16east | I want to be your lover.Abe Mao |  play_arrow | Singer-songwriter Mao Abe’s 2nd… |
| 17east | calm (of the sea), lull; Nagi (a Japanese given name)Marushii |  play_arrow | Gently enveloping the loneliness after a breakup and the resolve to grow… |
| 18east | Everyday Revolutionneguse. |  play_arrow | A heartrending breakup song sung by Neguse. About the person you love… |
| 19east | I forget you, who are so quiet, in October.atarayo |  play_arrow | Introduction to a song that portrays the pain of heartbreak |
| 20east | I want you to tell me you love me.Oku Hanako |  play_arrow | Okuhanako, who has gained popularity with songs about heartbreak and unrequited love... |
| 21east | Swelling FeelingsCHiCO with HoneyWorks |  play_arrow | We’ve been close, spending time as friends until now, but… |
| 22east | But,Takase Tōya & Ren |  play_arrow | A song that delicately portrays the pain of heartbreak and lingering attachment |
| 23east | You at your worstHamano Haruki |  play_arrow | The complexities of a woman trying to recover from the pain of heartbreak… |
| 24east | makeupMy Hair is Bad |  play_arrow | Three-piece rock band, My Hair… |
| 25east | HAPPY BIRTHDAYback number |  play_arrow | From the title, I’m thinking “Birthday Song?” |
| 26east | Happinessback number |  play_arrow | The band name back number means “outdated…” |
| 27east | breakup songOkazaki Taiiku |  play_arrow | This song, which portrays the pain of heartbreak and revival, launche… |
| 28east | Until we meet againHirai Dai |  play_arrow | The aching desire to be reunited with a former lover, and… |
| 29east | Someone who isn’t you ~Tejina~DEEP |  play_arrow | A tearful song that likens unrequited love to a magic trick. This crush is abou… |
| 30east | SparkleIkuta Rira |  play_arrow | A protagonist who grows through an unrequited crush… |
| 31east | Cinderella GrayYonezu Kenshi |  play_arrow | How can Cinderella be Gray... what’s that supposed to mean? |
| 32east | Goodbye-byeTomioka Ai |  play_arrow | A delicate song that sings of Ai Tomioka’s pure feelings of love |
| 33east | fireworks (launched into the sky)DAOKO × Yonezu Kenshi |  play_arrow | From both male and female perspectives, the bittersweet experiences of being a teenager… |
| 34east | I loved (it/you)erica |  play_arrow | A very sad song about the day I got my heart broken… |
| 35east | two peopleaiko |  play_arrow | I know we won’t end up feeling the same way about each other, but mo… |
| 36east | You and the slopesSHISHAMO |  play_arrow | SHISHAMO’s song “Kimi to Gelände.”… |
| 37east | Even if you went and became somebody’s damn girlfriendtensai bando |  play_arrow | Known for “Even If You End Up Becoming Someone’s Girlfriend,”… |
| 38east | The end of lovemafumafu |  play_arrow | The music unit After the Rain… |
| 39east | I don’t want to see you; I want to see you.Ueno Yūka |  play_arrow | Express the bittersweet emotions of heartbreak through a piano ballad |
| 40east | So it wasn’t me, huh.riria. |  play_arrow | Singing and playing guitar on TikTok and YouTube... |
| 41east | PrologueUru |  play_arrow | I find myself searching for it without even realizing it, … |
| 42east | A love with you from nine steps apartSHIROSE from WHITE JAM |  play_arrow | The reply SHIROSE sent to his lover became the lyrics… |
| 43east | spring breezeflumpool |  play_arrow | A song about heartbreak during my student days. Spring, graduation from school... |
| 44east | Cats and Allergieskinoko teikoku |  play_arrow | Even in the title of their major first album... |
| 45east | First LoveUtada Hikaru |  play_arrow | Now an undisputed, bona fide Japanese… |
| 46east | After a broken heartCHIHIRO |  play_arrow | A song about the feelings right after a heartbreak. Why is it me… |
| 47east | Say goodbye to the love I clung to.matsuri |  play_arrow | The feelings of a woman trying to move forward and break free from the pain of heartbreak |
| 48east | You let me do as I please, and yet…arekunn |  play_arrow | Unrequited love and the pain of a heartbreaking breakup are portrayed… |
| 49east | I just had a love sadder than anyone else’s.Flower |  play_arrow | Flower, which was released in 2016… |
| 50east | Callchanmina |  play_arrow | A female rapper who’s also known as the Beyoncé of Nerima… |
| 51east | Unrequited loveHamada Shogo |  play_arrow | Shogo Hamada’s “Unrequited Love” was an unattainab... |
| 52east | I love you. ~100 Regrets~Sonar Pocket |  play_arrow | Sonar Pocket, commonly known as Sonapoke, … |
| 53east | RESETCHIHIRO |  play_arrow | As for the title “RESET,” no matter what… |
| 54east | let gom-flo loves YOSHIKA |  play_arrow | When, after unrequited love ends in heartbreak, you let yourself feel as down as you need… |
| 55east | Ms. Hanako on a high pedestalback number |  play_arrow | Back… has released many love songs |
| 56east | swallowtail butterflyPorunogurafiti |  play_arrow | Porno Graffitti has a deep love for their hometown Hiroshima… |
| 57east | AitaiKato Miria |  play_arrow | It has been covered by many singers both in Japan and abroad… |
| 58east | SoulmateYuika |  play_arrow | While looking back on the memories the two of them have built up… |
| 59east | MPRINCESS PRINCESS |  play_arrow | You could even call them the “founding mothers of girl bands” and get away with it… |
| 60east | NAOHY |  play_arrow | A poignant piece by the band HY from Uruma City, Okinawa Prefecture… |
| 61east | someone I likeUeno Yūka |  play_arrow | Hanako Oku, who sings many love songs, ... |
| 62east | Just… I miss youEXILE |  play_arrow | A radiance that leads its era in every age... |
| 63east | Even if I become someone’s girlfriendUNFAIR RULE |  play_arrow | A rock number that portrays lingering feelings of love and a brave front |
| 64east | Best Friend’s GirlSandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu |  play_arrow | A song from the perspective of a man who has an unrequited crush on his male friend’s girlfriend. Unrequited... |
| 65east | Because it’s important…kerakera |  play_arrow | Was selected for the theme song of the drama “Last Cinderella”... |
| 66east | even ifHirai Ken |  play_arrow | Ken Hirai’s masterpiece that makes me feel like crying no matter when I listen to it… |
| 67east | Unrequited lovemiwa |  play_arrow | For the first piano performance since my official debut... |
| 68east | Love SongGO!GO!7188 |  play_arrow | The Sleepy..., who unfortunately disbanded in 2012, |
| 69east | I want to forget.wacci |  play_arrow | A wac song that expresses the feelings of someone suffering from the pain of heartbreak… |
| 70east | SuddenlyEXILE ATSUSHI |  play_arrow | EXIL, who announced in 2020 that they would focus on solo activities… |
| 71east | My name is Unrequited Loveindigo la End |  play_arrow | An indie that beautifully portrays the bittersweet feelings of unrequited love… |
| 72east | I miss you so much and want to see you.Nishino Kana |  play_arrow | The song released in 2010 with the chorus lyrics... |
| 73east | A world without youto shiki |  play_arrow | A poignant masterpiece that sings of feelings for a loved one |
| 74east | You have no idea how much I like you.Gō Hiromi |  play_arrow | Released in 1993, the drama “Tadashii… |
| 75east | monologueOmoinotake |  play_arrow | The difficulty of communication and a sense of loss |
| 76east | Until the day I can no longer rememberback number |  play_arrow | back number takes breakup songs and... |
| 77east | I love you more than anyone.Furuchi Toko |  play_arrow | Singer-songwriter Toko Furuuchi’s... |
| 78east | Unrequited loveShibata Jun |  play_arrow | Known as the “Queen of Unrequited Love Songs,” Shiba… |
| 79east | The town where you liveShimizu Shota |  play_arrow | A poignant song seeking the shadow of a lost love |
| 80east | not enoughwacci |  play_arrow | A bittersweet breakup song about parting ways with the one you love |
| 81east | You were happy, right?Te ga kuriimu pan |  play_arrow | They have been active mainly by posting their works on TikTok… |
| 82east | I’ll wait.amin |  play_arrow | Amin’s classic song released in 1982… |
| 83east | aloneMayo Okamoto |  play_arrow | A tearful heartbreak song by Mayo Okamoto. Anyone can relate… |
| 84east | wailing in griefKudō Shizuka |  play_arrow | Shizuka Kudo’s release in 1993… |
| 85east | First loveTowa |  play_arrow | DIA, who is active as a creator, made… |
| 86east | dear personShio Reira |  play_arrow | Depicting a mismatch in how love is expressed |
| 87east | Song of the Eternal NightKami wa saikoro o furanai |  play_arrow | I can’t help but cry whenever I remember that unforgettable love… |
| 88east | First loveNakajima Mika |  play_arrow | A love song with a gentle atmosphere by Mika Nakashima… |
| 89east | catDISH// |  play_arrow | Thoughts on the layered farewells to a cat |
| 90east | I wonder if I’d still say it’s too late.Saucy Dog |  play_arrow | Saucy Dog’s songs about heartbreak and lingering feelings |
| 91east | Unrequited loveOku Hanako |  play_arrow | Even if the other person's feelings aren't directed toward me, … |
| 92east | I need to talk to you.Adachi Kana |  play_arrow | It’s an unrequited love song and also a heartbreak song... |
| 93east | SAYONARADREAMS COME TRUE |  play_arrow | By DREAMS COME TRUE’s pa… |
| 94east | distanceEri Takenaka |  play_arrow | Singer-songwriter Eri Takenaka’s… |
| 95east | Snow WhiteFlower |  play_arrow | By the dance and vocal group Flower… |
| 96east | loveOku Hanako |  play_arrow | Hanako Oku has a song that you could tout as the definitive anthem of unrequited love. |
| 97east | The Little MermaidFujita Maiko |  play_arrow | Motifed on a sad princess from a fairy tale, reality… |
| 98east | just a littleIgarashi Haru |  play_arrow | A song of a wistful love tossed by fate |
| 99east | deep redMy Hair is Bad |  play_arrow | A rock song that portrays the pain and joy of love |
| 100east | petalback number |  play_arrow | A heartbreak song layered over cherry blossom petals |
| 101east | Sakura Lovemosao. |  play_arrow | Against a backdrop of cherry blossoms dancing in the air, a delicate portrayal of an unrequited love... |
| 102east | FragranceMahiru |  play_arrow | A woman’s aching feelings as the scent of a perfume reminds her of a former lover |
| 103east | missing youTomioka Ai |  play_arrow | A poignant portrayal of a woman confronting the pain of heartbreak... |
| 104east | I became someone else’s girlfriend.wacci |  play_arrow | A popular song that depicts complex romantic feelings |
| 105east | I don’t like it.yangusukinii |  play_arrow | The heartrending feelings of a woman who can’t forget a past love |
| 106east | Bad personsenritsu kannano |  play_arrow | A bittersweet unrequited love song depicting the turmoil and regret of a forbidden romance |
| 107east | for a whilerikon densetsu |  play_arrow | A ballad that depicts the pain of heartbreak |
| 108east | The strong and fleeting onesCocco |  play_arrow | A song about a heartrending love facing the betrayal of a beloved |
| 109east | ElegyHirai Ken |  play_arrow | A masterpiece that expresses a woman's romantic feelings through Ken Hirai's singing voice |
| 110east | If there’s a “see you”Mirei Touyama |  play_arrow | A heartbreak song. A poignant track that sings of gratitude and regret. |
| 111east | to cry innocently; to weep with a childlike airAKASAKI |  play_arrow | A song that resonates with unwavering love and aching sorrow |
| 112east | In loveHY |  play_arrow | A bittersweet love song that embraces heartbreak as a cherished memory |
| 113east | BLUE TEARSJUDY AND MARY |  play_arrow | A poignant winter love song by JUDY AND MARY |
| 114east | Only HumanK |  play_arrow | A song of hope where smiles await beyond sorrow |
| 115east | To you who didn’t choose meKoresawa |  play_arrow | A song that powerfully expresses the complex emotions of heartbreak |
| 116east | Love even your melancholyKoresawa |  play_arrow | The strength to accept negative emotions and move forward |
| 117east | So she’s not your girlfriend, huh?Ueno Yūka |  play_arrow | A heartbreak ballad portraying the final moments of lovers who have decided to part ways |
| 118east | habit of laughingIgarashi Haru |  play_arrow | A heartfelt song that portrays the pain of an unforgettable love |
| 119east | contact lens caseSaucy Dog |  play_arrow | Gently tucking away the pain of heartbreak in my heart |
| 120east | you are my cursenyamura |  play_arrow | A song that portrays an obsession where love turns into hatred |
| 121east | Regretsumika |  play_arrow | sumika’s heartbreak song |
| 122east | Goodbye, my loverKoresawa |  play_arrow | A love ballad that delicately depicts the pain of heartbreak |
| 123east | motion sickness from proximitywanuka |  play_arrow | A song that delicately portrays a sweet and heartrending love |
| 124east | Don’t appear.rikon densetsu |  play_arrow | A bittersweet love song where lingering attachment and resolve intersect |
| 125east | Blue BenchSasuke |  play_arrow | A pure love song portraying the regret and lingering attachment after losing a lover |
| 126east | Your happinessUru |  play_arrow | A song that depicts Uru’s story of unrequited love |
| 127east | Act like an adult.suisou gurashi |  play_arrow | A bittersweet song portraying the romantic struggles of a woman you meet on the last train |
| 128east | Kasane AiSoala |  play_arrow | Soala’s transparent vocals express emotion |
| 129east | the first strong spring windnishina |  play_arrow | Nishina's spring love song |
| 130east | sparklingmosao. |  play_arrow | Mosawo love song relatable SNS |
| 131east | the depths of the heartrokudenashi |  play_arrow | A heartbreaking love ballad by a good-for-nothing |
| 132east | a good personReina |  play_arrow | A poignant love song of vulnerability and kindness |
| 133east | ConclusionSenchimirimentaru |  play_arrow | A poignant ballad that weaves memories with a loved one into music |