Popular Heartbreak Song Rankings [2026]

Happy Endingback number8rank/position

back number – “Happy End” Music Video

This is back number’s 16th single, chosen as the theme song for the film “My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday.” It beautifully conveys the contradictory feeling of deeply loving someone even while saying goodbye, carried by a delicate band sound.

The lyrics portray a brave facade masking a heart crushed by lingering attachment and inner conflict, gripping listeners tightly.

The situation that forces a sad lie, contrary to the title, is enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Released in November 2016, the song was also included on the best-of album “Encore” and remains steadily popular.

It’s a standout ballad that gently stays by your side on tearful nights, resonating with anyone who sees their own awkward, tough exterior reflected in it.

From our joined handsback number9rank/position

back number – From the Hands We Held (full)

Back Number’s lifelike depictions that capture everyday, ordinary scenes are deeply moving.

This work is their 10th single, released in March 2014.

It opens the classic album “Love Story” and was also used in a JTB Premium commercial.

Despite its bright and lighthearted sound, it is filled with lingering feelings for a lost love and reflections on personal weakness.

Realizing someone’s importance only after a relationship ends, or being suddenly struck by a pang of sadness—these are emotions many people have experienced, aren’t they? This is a heartbreak song that will stay close to anyone who lies awake at night remembering a past love, or quietly sheds tears when they can’t sort out their feelings.

MetronomeYonezu Kenshi10rank/position

Kenshi Yonezu – Metronome

Let me introduce a delicate ballad that traces the way hearts fall out of sync over time.

Comparing two people to metronomes keeping their own tempo, the lyrics portray how a rhythm that once matched gradually drifts apart—piercingly resonant, isn’t it? Even after the breakup, the lingering attachment and regret that lead one to wish for the other’s happiness yet still hope for a reunion are sure to bring listeners to tears.

This song is included on the album “Bremen,” released in October 2015.

It’s also known for the fact that Kenshi Yonezu not only wrote and composed it, but also created the music video, drawing about 200 original illustrations.

A song about the emotional distance that love alone cannot prevent, it’s one to hear on nights when the pain of heartbreak won’t fade, or for anyone who just can’t forget someone.

Even if I forget somedayback number11rank/position

Even if I forget someday

A cityscape changing with the passage of time, and the unforgettable feelings that remain in the heart.

It’s back number’s song that gently embraces such bittersweet emotions.

Included on their first album “Ato no Matsuri,” released in June 2010, this track is distinguished by Iyori Shimizu’s delicate lyrics and a melody that sinks deep into the soul.

Memories with someone important may one day fade away.

Even so, it conveys the desire to cherish each and every moment.

For those whose heartbreak has yet to heal, this is a song that quietly stays by your side.

Why not surrender yourself to it while holding close the feelings you keep in your heart?

Maplesupittsu12rank/position

Spitz / Kaede

A ballad that sings of the resolve to live on with the pain of parting.

Those warm days when even casual exchanges with a loved one—and the ache in your heart—were all wrapped in their smile.

Yet even as the protagonist accepts a daily life that will never return, the way they move forward as if embracing a voice is deeply moving.

After being included on the album “Fake Fur,” it was released in July 1998 as a double A-side single with “Spica.” It has been used in numerous dramas, including as an insert song for Fuji TV’s “Over Time” and in NTV’s “Zambi.” It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone who can’t stop dwelling on a lost love or who can’t forget someone dear.

Masamune Kusano’s clear, translucent vocals deliver a ray of hope within the sorrow.

NAOHY13rank/position

HY – NAO (Official Music Video)

This work, which vividly portrays the pain of unrequited and unattainable love, is a ballad that brings listeners to tears.

The lyrics are based on the real-life experience of vocalist Izumi Nakasone’s close friend, and the aching feeling of not being noticed by the one you love comes through painfully clearly.

Included on the album “Confidence,” released in April 2006, it’s a timeless classic that has long been cherished by many fans.

It is also featured on the best-of album “STORY ~HY BEST~,” and has become established as a signature heartbreak song by HY.

Set to a piano accompaniment that lets you sing your heart out, it’s perfect for those times when you want a good cry to feel refreshed.

If there’s someone you just can’t forget, why not sing this song at karaoke and let all your feelings out?

LemonYonezu Kenshi14rank/position

Kenshi Yonezu – Lemon

It’s a bittersweet ballad that portrays a deep sense of loss and a love that refuses to fade.

The loneliness of a world without someone precious, and the vivid feeling that their presence still lives on within you, come through with aching clarity.

Released as a single in March 2018, it was written as the theme song for the drama “Unnatural.” During production, Kenshi Yonezu’s own experience of losing his grandfather is said to have informed the profound sorrow and prayer at the heart of the piece.

Like the fragrance of fruit that hints at bitterness and tartness, if you sing while holding on to indelible memories, the tension in your heart may gradually unwind.

How about it for a night steeped in grief, when you want to cry your heart out and heal your soul?