Popular Heartbreak Song Rankings [2026]

366 daysHY15rank/position

366 Days (Official Duet Version)

This is a ballad about the lingering feelings of being unable to forget a lost love.

Included on HY’s 2008 album “HeartY,” the song was used as the theme for Fuji TV’s drama and film “Akai Ito.” Its gentle melody, highlighted by a memorable piano line, carries lyrics that reflect on the memories of a lover who remains in the heart.

The duet version by vocalists Izumi Nakasone and Hideyuki Shinzato is also captivating, with the interplay of male and female voices bringing out the nuances of emotion even more vividly.

It’s a recommended track for those who have experienced parting with someone dear or are trying to overcome the pain.

Until the day I can no longer rememberback number16rank/position

back number – Until the Day It Becomes Unrememberable (full)

A poignant ballad by back number that quietly sings of lingering feelings and a sense of loss for a former lover.

Released in October 2011 as their third single, the song is also included on the album “Superstar,” which came out the same month.

The lyrics portray the emptiness of days that keep going even after losing the most important person in the world, and the deep bond in which the two formed halves of each other.

Fear of memories of the other fading intertwines with the resignation that they will eventually be forgotten, and the realization that the time spent with the person was part of oneself wells up with aching tenderness.

A song that offers comfort to anyone who has lost someone dear.

wishsumika17rank/position

sumika / Wish [Music Video]

A heart-stirring ballad by sumika that portrays the ache of unrequited love and the inner conflict of wishing for the other person’s happiness.

Included on the single “Negai / Higher Ground,” released in December 2019, this song was written as the theme for TV Asahi’s Saturday Night Drama “Ossan’s Love -in the sky-.” In an astonishing anecdote, vocalist Kenta Kataoka reportedly revised the lyrics 117 times to align with the drama’s worldview.

The lyrics, which struggle to hold back overflowing feelings, and the melody that grows more heated as the emotions rise, are sure to bring tears.

It’s a gentle yet heartrending masterpiece, one we especially hope those who can’t muster the courage on Valentine’s Day and are holding onto painful feelings will listen to.

I became someone else’s girlfriend.wacci18rank/position

wacci “I Became Someone Else’s Girlfriend” Music Video

This is a song that captures a woman’s complex feelings: while she speaks of her current partner’s kindness, she can’t help but recall the comfort of the days spent with her ex.

It’s a track released in August 2018 by the pop band wacci, known for crafting music that sits close to everyday life, and it’s also included on the album “Gunjou Refrain.” The lyrics, written by vocalist Yohei Hashiguchi based on a female friend’s story, contrast the perfection of a new partner with lingering feelings for an ex, tightening the listener’s chest.

In June 2021, it surpassed 100 million streams, cementing its status as a long‑loved classic.

After a springtime parting, when forcing yourself to look ahead leaves your heart tired, this song might gently stay by your side.

OverMr.Children19rank/position

Mr.Children over with Chinese subtitles

A Mr.Children masterpiece that gently wraps the pain of heartbreak: “Over.” As you revisit the moment of parting, your heart trembles with faint memories… In this way, the song perfectly synchronizes with the emotions of anyone nursing a broken heart.

Since their debut in 1993, they’ve stood by our hearts with countless hits, and “Over” is one of them.

Its lyrics portray a protagonist who looks back on a past love while feeling the sting of loss.

As hope and despair intersect, we realize that beyond the darkness overflowing with sorrow lies a new self.

It’s a masterpiece I wholeheartedly recommend not only to those who experienced heartbreak on Valentine’s Day, but to everyone carrying a past etched into their hearts.

I loved (it/you)erica20rank/position

erica – “I Loved You” Full PV

A ballad by singer-songwriter Erica that weaves together the ache of heartbreaking unrequited love and the feelings left unspoken, set to the sound of piano.

The sorrow of a breakup and the pain of parting are delicately expressed through her clear, translucent voice.

Released in November 2015 and included on the album “Koku-uta 2: Things I Want to Tell You Before Graduation,” this song stands by those who have experienced parting, offering the courage to face forward while embracing the pain.

It will gently envelop the hearts of those who cannot accept the end of a romance, or who carry the regret of not having conveyed their feelings before it was over.

Happinessback number21rank/position

Shiawase

Back number, known for lyrics and melodies that ache and tighten the chest, has won wide support.

This work is the B-side track included on their major-label debut single “Hanabira,” released in April 2011.

It was later included on the album “Superstar,” released in October of the same year, and has continued to be cherished by fans as a hidden gem.

Realizing that the person you love is thinking of someone other than you, yet being able to stay by their side only by wishing for their happiness—these painfully selfless feelings and inner conflicts are depicted in the lyrics, piercing listeners’ hearts.

The beautiful arrangement incorporating strings further stirs the emotions.

For those suffering from unrequited love or who have once prayed for a loved one’s happiness from afar, this is a song that will bring you to tears.