Tear-jerking unrequited love songs that will break your heart: timeless classics about unattainable love

P.S.Ikuta Rira

Lila Ikuta "P.S." Official Music Video

Lila Ikuta, also known as the vocalist of YOASOBI.

The song she created as a tie-in for the film “One Second Ahead, One Second Behind” is “P.S.” It portrays a poignant situation: wanting to confess your feelings to a crush even though you know it won’t work out.

Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you’ll be drawn into its world.

Another highlight is how the mood shifts dramatically between the first and second halves, turning brighter.

Thanks to that, you can feel not only the sadness but also a sense of release.

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yamamoto

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I wish I were the one you liked.Te ga kuriimu pan

I wish I were the one you love / Hands Like Cream Bread (Wishing I’m her / tegacreampan) [Official Music Video]

Getting the person you like to like you back is really difficult, isn’t it? But wanting them to fall for you is something anyone in love feels.

That bittersweet, painful feeling in the chest is captured in Tegakuri-mupan’s “I Wish I Were the One You Like.” With its simple instrumentation and understated vocal delivery, the song overflows with the sorrow of unrequited love.

You truly want to confess your feelings and become mutual lovers, but the fear of it not going well makes you hesitate to take that first step…

Many people can probably relate to the dread of a future where love doesn’t come true, and to this situation where, despite that, you just can’t suppress your feelings.

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SAKI

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Oh, early summer rainSakurazaka46

Sakurazaka46 'Samidare yo'

A poignant love song by Sakurazaka46 that portrays feelings of love through the motif of early-summer rain.

Released in April 2022 as their fourth single, it received a tremendous response, topping the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

Like rain that never stops, the swelling emotions are expressed through delicate vocals and choreography, gently embracing unspoken love and the struggles it brings.

It is a warm track that waits for the arrival of spring, resonating with those in the midst of unrequited love or unable to convey their feelings.

aloeFunatsu Mahiro

Masato Funatsu “Aloe” Official Music Video – Ending Theme Song for the drama ‘By the Irori at Ms. Alice’s House’

This is a song by Masato Funatsu, woven with delicate words and melody, slated for release in January 2025.

It tenderly sings of the frustrating emotions born from a relationship that’s more than friends but not quite lovers—hearts so close, yet unable to draw nearer—wrapped in a gentle vocal delivery.

Also selected as the ending theme for the drama “Alice-san’s Irori Hearth,” the track harmonizes beautifully with the show’s warm portrayal of human relationships.

Love takes many forms, and this song resonates with listeners who find their hearts wavering in ambiguous relationships, offering comfort and empathy to many.

Feeling in loveNishino Kana

Kana Nishino 'Feelings of Love' MV Full

A love song by Kana Nishino that portrays the struggles of two people who are more than friends but not quite lovers.

The secret feelings harbored for a longtime best friend are expressed with heartrending delicacy.

Even when the mind has given up, the heart can’t help but hold onto a faint hope—an emotion anyone who’s experienced unrequited love can relate to.

Featured on the album “with LOVE,” this track was released in November 2014 and captured the hearts of many listeners.

It’s a must-listen for anyone wavering between friendship and romance.

a good personReina

Reina – A Good Person [Official Video] (Background Music for ABEMA’s “Don’t Be Fooled by Miss and Mr. Wolf”)

A heartbreaking love song by Reina that leaves an impression with its portrayal of emotions—hiding one’s vulnerability while being touched by the other’s kindness.

Set to a melody that’s both gentle and powerful, it carefully depicts the bravado that masks inner anxieties and the pure feelings toward the other person.

The song was written for ABEMA’s dating show “Don’t Be Fooled by Wolf-chan and Wolf-kun” and was released in August 2022 as her major-label second single.

It’s a must-listen for anyone struggling to express their feelings to someone they care about, or for those who feel the bittersweet ache of unrequited love.

romantic feelingsB’z

Koigokoro / B'z

The charismatic rock duo B’z is also known for singing many love songs.

These can be divided into either the bittersweet type or the upbeat, high-energy type.

However, “Koigokoro” has a peculiar charm, and you could say it’s an unrequited-love song that fits into both categories.