Popular Tearjerker Song Rankings [2026]

I Want It That WayBackstreet Boys15rank/position

Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way (Official HD Video)

It was released as the lead single from the 2001 album Millennium.

The song is by the five-member American pop idol group Backstreet Boys.

While they had been popular in Europe, this track became the catalyst that ignited their popularity in their home country.

It’s a quintessential pop song of the ’90s that wistfully portrays the misunderstandings caused by differences in how men and women think.

you were good to meJeremy Zucker & Chelsea Cutler16rank/position

Jeremy Zucker, Chelsea Cutler – you were good to me (Official Video)

From the fact that the title is in the past tense, you can already sense the end of a relationship.

It’s a song released in 2019 by rising talent Jeremy Zucker from New Jersey, USA.

The track features guest vocals from Chelsea Cutler, the female singer known for her work on a Kygo track, and the interplay and harmonies between the two are truly beautiful.

Jeremy is an artist who blends electronic and acoustic elements, but this time he captivates with an organic, piano-centered sound kept to a minimum number of layers.

The lyrics depict what is likely a relationship between lovers that has come to an end; even as they try to look forward, the bittersweet inner landscapes they each carry are portrayed with a poignant, melancholic atmosphere.

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Happinessback number17rank/position

Shiawase

A back number ballad that tightens your chest with overwhelming poignancy.

It delicately depicts the pain of unrequited love, where the closeness of being right next to someone only makes them feel farther away.

Knowing there’s someone else in their heart, you still force a smile—some listeners may find themselves in tears at that image.

Included on the single “Hanabira,” released in April 2011, and later featured on the October album “Superstar,” this song offers gentle, beautiful tones to those burdened with feelings they can’t express or hearts troubled by unattainable love.

Why not listen to it on a night when you just want to cry your heart out?

Viva La VidaColdplay18rank/position

Coldplay – Viva La Vida (Official Video)

Coldplay is an award-winning British rock band.

This song was released in 2008.

Its Japanese title is “Beautiful Life,” but it sings of the sorrow of a king driven from his country.

At the 51st Grammy Awards, it won in three categories.

It is a collaboration with the avant-garde musician Brian Eno.

PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism19rank/position

Official HIGE DANDism – Pretender [Official Video]

An unbridgeable distance and the reality that you can’t make the other person happy yourself.

This song, a signature track by Official HIGE DANDism, vividly portrays that heartrending struggle.

Written as the theme song for the 2019 film “The Confidence Man JP,” it pairs a pop melody with lyrics that cut deep into the heart.

Satoshi Fujwara’s emotional vocals painfully convey a sense of powerlessness against fate, along with a pure love that persists nonetheless.

Swallowing the words “I love you,” he simply engraves the other’s beauty in his heart and walks away…

That mature exit brings tears to your eyes.

If your chest aches from an unrequited love, immerse yourself in this world.

fishback number20rank/position

back number – fish (full)

This is a heartbreak song that portrays the poignant feelings for a love that will never return, hidden deep within the heart.

Amid an urban sound, the vocals brim with power, as if emotions are overflowing, and that contrast heightens the sentiment.

Released in February 2014, this track is the band’s ninth single and is also included on their fourth album, “Love Story.” Listening to this piece, which depicts the cruel reality faced by the female protagonist, will bring tears to women suffering from heartbreak as their emotions spill over.

It’s a recommended song for anyone who has someone they just can’t forget.

It’ll Be OkayShawn Mendes21rank/position

Shawn Mendes – It’ll Be Okay

A piano ballad released in December 2021.

Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes delivers a quiet portrayal of the pain and acceptance of facing a breakup.

It begins by questioning the end of a relationship, then offers a vow to keep loving the other person—a message that resonates, wrapped in organ-like synths and strings.

When you’ve parted ways with someone important, whether in friendship or romance, there are moments when you want to tell yourself, “It’s going to be okay.” This song gently stays by your side in those moments.

The music video, set against nighttime views of his hometown Toronto and snowy scenes, leaves a strong impression with its world that balances loneliness and warmth.

Recommended for those going through heartbreak, as well as middle schoolers struggling with a relationship.