Popular Tearjerker Song Rankings [2026]

One Call AwayCharlie Puth15rank/position

Charlie Puth – One Call Away [Official Video]

This song, which celebrates unconditional support for a loved one, is a classic that deeply resonates with people struggling with long-distance relationships or physical separation.

Released in August 2015 by American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth, this pop-soul ballad features a warm melody with gospel influences.

As the second single from his debut album, Nine Track Mind, it peaked at No.

12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified triple platinum.

It’s a recommended track for those who spend a lot of time apart from their partner or loved ones, and for anyone hoping to build a supportive relationship.

Because I fell in loveaimyon16rank/position

Aimyon “Because I Fell in Love” Studio Recording Scene

It’s a work that feels like it’s sitting beside you, speaking to you gently when you can’t help but cry and cry.

It’s a song by the singer-songwriter Aimyon, also known for hits like “Marigold” and “Naked Heart,” and it’s included on her second album, Momentary Sixth Sense, released in 2019.

This ballad features the tender tones of an acoustic guitar, and Aimyon’s vocals leave a warm impression.

As you listen with your eyes closed, you may find tears naturally streaming down your face.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Araki Jakkan

Report a problem

me me sheRADWIMPS17rank/position

RADWIMPS – me me she [Official Music Video]

Let me introduce a classic ballad that sings of a man’s aching heart, still thinking of his former lover even after the breakup.

Created by RADWIMPS, one of Japan’s leading popular bands, this track is included on their landmark album “RADWIMPS 4: Okazu no Gohan,” released in December 2006.

Despite never being released as a single, it has long enjoyed overwhelming support among fans.

The lyrics vividly depict the lingering attachment to a love that has ended, as well as the ego that, while wishing for the other’s happiness, can’t help but prioritize oneself.

The world of Yojiro Noda’s honest and complex emotional landscape—so distinctly his—will pierce the hearts of adults who usually put on a brave face.

On nights when you carry a weakness you can tell no one about, why not listen to this song alone in silence and let yourself cry your heart out?

Someone Like YouAdele18rank/position

Adele – Someone Like You (Official Music Video)

This is a gem of a ballad sung by Adele, a singer-songwriter from the UK, that brought tears to listeners around the world.

It’s based on her own real-life experience of learning that her ex had found someone new.

The lyrics, which bravely claim “I’ll find someone like you” while her heart cries out “It isn’t over for me yet,” are so honest they make your chest tighten.

That complicated state of mind—holding painful lingering feelings yet trying to wish the other person happiness—is something anyone who’s been through a hard breakup can’t help but relate to.

Listening to this song may bring back memories of a love you can’t forget.

Her soulful voice etches that sorrow even more deeply into the heart.

When You’re GoneAvril Lavigne19rank/position

Avril Lavigne When you’re gone English translation (Acoustic ver.)

A singing voice that seems to stretch on forever.

It asks, as you’re walking away, Do you know how much I need you? The feelings we never had when you were simply there—everyone has them—and while there’s no use crying over spilled milk, it never seems to go quite so smoothly, does it?

Happy Endingback number20rank/position

back number – Happy End (full)

This work was released in 2016 as the 16th single by back number, a three-piece rock band from Gunma.

It was chosen as the theme song for the film “My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday.” While the title might seem contradictory because the lyrics portray the bittersweet feelings of a protagonist trying to accept a breakup, in English it can carry the nuance of “a happy time coming to an end,” which deepens the meaning of the words.

Even as the singer tells themselves it’s going to be okay, they can’t sever their feelings for the other person deep down, and that inner conflict comes through almost painfully.

The majestic strings layered over the band sound are also beautiful, and just following the melody can bring you to tears.

Anyone who has experienced a breakup may find their emotions from that time coming back as they listen.

I Want It That WayBackstreet Boys21rank/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.