Popular Tearjerker Song Rankings [2026]

March 9Remioromen57rank/position

Remioromen – March 9

Created to celebrate a friend’s wedding, this classic has continued to color many life milestones since its release in 2004.

Its lyrics, which weave together bonds with loved ones and feelings of gratitude, gently embrace thanks for the time walked together and blessings for the future to come, paralleling the changing seasons.

The song was also tied in as the CM song for AOKI Holdings and featured as an insert song in the drama “1 Litre of Tears,” earning love across generations.

Perfect for moving moments like the entrance scene or the bride’s letter, it’s a song that lets everyone at the venue share warm memories.

Colorless Self-Harmnekobōro58rank/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.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Tani Satoko

Report a problem

LemonYonezu Kenshi59rank/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.

HonestyBilly Joel60rank/position

Billy Joel – Honesty (Official Video)

A Billy Joel song.

Included on the album 52nd Street (1978) and released in 1979 as the third single from the album.

It wasn’t a major hit in the United States, but it is one of his most popular songs in Japan.

It opens with a striking piano intro and sings about both the difficulty and the importance of being honest.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

Report a problem

cold; curt; blunt; unfriendlyRADWIMPS61rank/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.

Dawn and Firefliesn-buna62rank/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.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYback number63rank/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!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem