Back Number Ballad Songs: Popular Song Ranking [2026]

Happy Endingback number1rank/position

back number – Happy End (full)

A gem-like ballad by the three-piece rock band back number, featured as the theme song for the film “My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday.” The song portrays the complex emotional landscape of a woman who has decided to part ways with someone she still loves, where bravado and true feelings intertwine.

The sentimental strings blend with the delicate band sound, evoking the ache of heartbreak.

You’ll feel your chest tighten as she tells herself that a sorrowful farewell is a “happy ending.” It’s a dramatic number that will move you to tears.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYback number2rank/position

back number - “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” Music Video (Theme song for the TBS Tuesday drama “A Story to Read When You First Fall in Love”)

Given the title, you might think back number’s “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” is a birthday song, right? It is a birthday song, but not one that celebrates someone’s birthday—instead, it’s a love song filled with the aching feelings of unrequited love.

It’s a track that feels like facing yourself as you reach your own birthday, and it conveys the sadness of a love that won’t come true, a love that won’t blossom.

If you’re experiencing unrequited love, this song will likely hit you especially hard.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

utatane

Report a problem

Christmas songback number3rank/position

back number – Christmas Song (full)

This is one of back number’s signature winter songs, memorable for its beautiful melody that seems to resonate across the winter night sky.

Released in November 2015 as their 14th single, it became a massive hit as the theme song for the drama “5→9: From Five to Nine.” It’s now cherished as a classic winter tune.

The song’s greatest charm lies in its lyrics, which straightforwardly express a deepening affection for someone special.

You can vividly picture the protagonist overflowing with the desire to see the one they love, and it makes your heart ache as you listen.

Interestingly, aside from the title, it doesn’t use any words tied to a specific day, giving it a universal love song quality that truly resonates.

Also included on the album “Chandelier,” this heartwarming track is perfect for a quiet night when you’re thinking of someone important.

Heroineback number4rank/position

back number – Heroine (full)

A signature ballad by back number that beautifully captures the crisp winter air and the bittersweet ache of unrequited love.

Even while knowing they can’t be the main character in the other person’s story, the narrator’s pure wish to stay by their side evokes a moving, heart-tightening feeling—even for those without similar experiences.

Produced by Takeshi Kobayashi, the song opens with a striking organ tone, followed by Iyori Shimizu’s warm yet heartrending vocals that gently seep into the soul.

Released in January 2015 as their 11th single, it also drew attention as the CM song for JR East’s “JR SKISKI” campaign featuring Suzu Hirose.

It’s the perfect track to revisit the bittersweet taste of an unattainable love or to listen to on a winter night while thinking of someone special.

Until the day I can no longer rememberback number5rank/position

back number – Until the Day It Becomes Unrememberable (full)

A poignant ballad by back number that quietly sings of lingering feelings and a sense of loss for a former lover.

Released in October 2011 as their third single, the song is also included on the album “Superstar,” which came out the same month.

The lyrics portray the emptiness of days that keep going even after losing the most important person in the world, and the deep bond in which the two formed halves of each other.

Fear of memories of the other fading intertwines with the resignation that they will eventually be forgotten, and the realization that the time spent with the person was part of oneself wells up with aching tenderness.

A song that offers comfort to anyone who has lost someone dear.

I love youback number6rank/position

back number – I Love You

Written in October 2022 as the theme song for NHK’s morning drama series “Soar!” (Maiagare!), this piece is a ballad that gently weaves together the tenderness felt in everyday moments.

It portrays how ordinary scenes—fallen leaves in the park, a cat crossing the street, a bakery in front of the station—stir thoughts of a cherished person.

In the chorus, it sings of a pure desire to make the other person happy, unfolding a delicate world that is quintessentially back number.

Its relaxed tempo and gentle melody pair beautifully with acoustic guitar, making it perfect for a solo performance.

The chord progression is simple and approachable, making it an ideal number to play when you want to perform with feelings for someone special.

horizonback number7rank/position

back number – Horizon

This piece, released in August 2020 by a three-piece band from Gunma Prefecture, is well known for the story behind its creation: it was made for high school students who lost their stage when the 2020 Inter-High was canceled.

It gently stays close to the frustration of efforts that don’t pay off and the unreasonable sorrow that follows, delivering a message that knowing pain makes us kinder to others—one that deeply moves listeners.

While holding the sense of loss from shattered dreams and goals, it carries a warmth that suggests those very experiences will become the nourishment that shapes your future self.

Even as graduates face a reality that doesn’t go as planned, this song will softly support them as they take their first steps down a new path.

For a cherished new beginning, why not offer the deep love woven by back number?