Popular Tearjerker Song Rankings [2026]

March 9Remioromen64rank/position

Remioromen – March 9

This renowned ballad is filled with the joy of envisioning the future with a loved one amid the changing seasons and a warm wish to be each other’s emotional support.

Released by Remioromen in March 2004, the song remains enduringly popular, including at karaoke.

It has a lovely backstory: it was originally created for a friend of the band members who was getting married in March 2002.

Included on the album “ether,” it was later re-released and featured as an insert song in TV dramas and in commercials, leading it to be cherished by many.

It’s a moving song that we especially recommend for moments when you want to feel the small realizations of everyday life and the bonds between people, or when you want to reaffirm your gratitude to someone important.

HARU HARUBIGBANG65rank/position

BIGBANG – HARU HARU PV Japanese version. This is a song/PV that makes you cry.

As a monster group that YG proudly boasts, BIGBANG has had a tremendous impact in Japan and has led the K-pop scene with overwhelming charisma.

“HARU HARU” is a ballad with an MV guaranteed to make you cry.

Released in 2008 on the mini album “Stand Up,” it has also captivated listeners with its Japanese lyrics; even people not deeply familiar with BIGBANG often say they love this song.

The graceful melody crafted by DAISHI DANCE and G-DRAGON will completely break your tear ducts, too.

It’s an unfading masterpiece that makes you painfully feel the depth of loving one person and the preciousness of everyday life.

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KEI

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Colorless Self-Harmnekobōro66rank/position

[Hand-drawn] Self-Harm Colorless [PV]

Nekobolo is a Vocaloid producer who has been active on Niconico since 2009.

He released this song, Self-Harm Colorless, sung by Hatsune Miku, in 2013, and it reached one million views in 2017! Its quiet, melancholic melody and lyrics pierce the listener’s heart.

It’s a ballad that gently stays by your side in times when you’re overwhelmed and want to cry, or when you’re so down you can’t bounce back.

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Tani Satoko

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LemonYonezu Kenshi67rank/position

Kenshi Yonezu – Lemon

This song portrays feelings for a loved one who has been lost, likening them to the bitterness of a lemon.

Its lyrics, where the pain of never meeting again intersects with the warm memories that still remain in the heart, strike listeners deeply.

Kenshi Yonezu created it based on his own experience of losing his grandfather, and that earnest emotion permeates the entire piece.

Released in March 2018 as the theme song for the drama “Unnatural,” it spent a total of seven weeks at No.

1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.

At the 69th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, he performed it via live broadcast from his hometown in Tokushima Prefecture, moving many viewers to tears.

It is a quiet companion for those who have lost someone precious or who wish to face the farewells that inevitably come someday.

Dawn and Firefliesn-buna68rank/position

[Hatsune Miku] Dawn and Fireflies [Original]

“Yoake to Hotaru” is a song by the Vocaloid producer n-buna, released in 2014.

It was included on the 2015 album “Hana to Mizuame, Saishuu Densha” (Flowers and Sugar Water, Last Train).

It’s a deeply nostalgic number that makes effective use of rests and muted guitar techniques.

In the song’s climax, the sound surges like a wave.

It’s a piece that offers comfort to those who have experienced heartbreak or parting.

cold; curt; blunt; unfriendlyRADWIMPS69rank/position

RADWIMPS – Aloof [Official Music Video]

This is an epic love song over six minutes long that delicately portrays the wavering emotions of an ambiguous romance.

The bittersweet feelings of being elated or dejected by a partner’s slightest gestures or words are expressed over a calm and beautiful melody.

Included on RADWIMPS’ album ANTI ANTI GENERATION, released in December 2018, the song was also used as the theme for ABEMA’s dating reality show Who Is the Wolf?, resonating strongly with younger audiences.

The music video features Nana Komatsu and Fuju Kamio, resulting in a striking visual piece that reflects contemporary views on love.

It’s a track best enjoyed when you can really take your time singing—whether during a solo karaoke session or at karaoke with close friends in a relaxed setting.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYback number70rank/position

back number – HAPPY BIRTHDAY (full)

Back number is a rock band that has released many classic songs about bittersweet love.

Their song “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” tells the story of a man with unrequited feelings who spends his birthday alone.

Rather than a song to give to someone, it’s a birthday song you want to listen to quietly by yourself.

Like in this song, there are probably many men with unrequited love who think, “If only she were right beside me…” as their birthday approaches.

It’s a bittersweet song, but listening to it might just give you the push to confess on your birthday… and that could be a good idea!

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sasashina

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