[So touching it makes you cry] A heartbreakingly wistful and sad song that tightens your chest
A feeling like your chest is being tightly squeezed…
Heartbreak, parting from someone precious, the daily pains…
Here are some heartbreaking songs that will bring tears to your eyes when you listen.
We’ve gathered tracks for those who want to have a good cry or be comforted by songs that share the same feelings.
From timeless classics to the latest releases, we’re covering a wide range—so be sure to read to the end.
Even with sad songs, finding ones you can relate to helps you realize you’re not alone.
By the time you finish listening, your sadness and heartache might just turn a little more positive.
Let these wistful songs guide you, and allow yourself to honestly let out your weakness and pain as your emotions lead you.
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[Tearjerker] Heart-wrenchingly bittersweet and sad songs (101–110)
budKobukuro
Kobukuro’s “Tsubomi” is a song that brings tears as it reminds you of the kindness of those who always support you.
Released in 2007, it was used as the theme song for the drama “Tokyo Tower: Mom and Me, and Sometimes Dad.” Kobukuro’s Kentaro Kobuchi wrote the song while thinking of his own mother, whom he lost in his teens.
It expresses the resolve to keep living each day while believing that a precious person—someone you can no longer meet who always encouraged and supported you—is still cheering you on somewhere.
If you listen while thinking of that special someone in your life, your heart will be warmed by the kindness you received back then and the kindness you still feel now.
canaryYonezu Kenshi
A song you should listen to precisely because life has changed due to COVID: “Canary.” It’s included on Kenshi Yonezu’s 2020 album STRAY SHEEP.
The music video was directed by film director Hirokazu Kore-eda, known for Shoplifters, which won Best Picture at the Japan Academy Awards.
The song—together with its MV—has been talked about as a real tearjerker, and if you listen while thinking about how life has been altered by COVID and how we can no longer see our loved ones, it truly resonates deep in the heart.
It’s highly recommended for tough times or when you just need a good cry.
Gray and Blue (+ Masaki Suda)Yonezu Kenshi
The song that sings about friendship with childhood friends is Kenshi Yonezu’s “Gray and Blue.” It’s a track included on his 2017 album BOOTLEG, featuring actor Masaki Suda as a guest vocalist.
Released in advance of the album, “Gray and Blue” reached No.
1 on Billboard’s download chart.
The lyrics convey a sense of emptiness about how we’ve changed with age… it’s heart-wrenching.
I think many people can relate.
SHOES10-FEET
It’s a sound full of pop flair and a driving sense of speed, yet the bittersweet lyrics touch the heart in contrast.
At Kyoto Daisakusen in 2013, Dragon Ash covered this song and captivated the audience.
Be sure to listen while reading the lyrics.
catDISH//
It’s a signature song by the band DISH//, fronted by Takumi Kitamura, who also works as an actor, and it’s renowned for being written and composed by the singer-songwriter Aimyon.
Originally released in 2017 as a coupling track for “Bokutachi ga Yarimashita,” the song made a comeback in 2020 when an acoustic version was performed on the YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE.
The song’s charm lies in Aimyon’s characteristically catchy theme of likening an ex-lover who has left the protagonist to a cat.
Despite the slightly humorous lyrics, they’re steeped in lingering feelings, and many listeners have surely related to them.
Kitamura’s gentle singing voice is also captivating, so be sure to take your time and listen.
[Tearjerking] Songs so heartrending and sad they make your chest tighten (111–120)
Why…Hysteric Blue
A song distinguished by lyrics that trace a bittersweet love and a piano-centered melody.
Released in July 1999 as Hysteric Blue’s fourth single, it was used as the theme song for the TBS drama “P.S.
Genki Desu, Shunpei.” It peaked at No.
2 on the Oricon charts and is beloved by many as one of the band’s signature tracks.
The lyrics, depicting the delicate distance and instability of a relationship, are likely to resonate deeply with those who have experienced heartbreak or separation.
With Hysteric Blue’s characteristically refreshing sound and vocalist Tama’s clear, translucent voice, the song amplifies its sense of poignancy even further.
Only HumanK
This is a song released in 2005 as the fourth single by K, a singer from South Korea.
At the time of its release, it drew attention for being selected as the theme song for the drama “1 Litre of Tears.” It carries a message of hope for everyone: although each person lives bearing sorrow, we should still believe in the light and move forward.