Popular Heartbreak Song Rankings [2026]

MPRINCESS PRINCESS57rank/position

PRINCESS PRINCESS M cover

A major presence that could even be called the “founding mother of girls’ bands,” PRINCESS PRINCESS—aka PuriPuri—scored this huge hit.

If you’re in your 50s, it’s right in your wheelhouse.

When the lyrics mentioned a boyfriend whose initial is M, fans at the time were all abuzz: “Who is M?” This straightforward breakup ballad—about a beloved boyfriend M she never wanted to part from—also opened up a new frontier for PuriPuri.

If you’ve gone through a breakup, you might sing this at karaoke to soothe the hurt.

A nostalgia-filled heartbreak song—highly recommended across generations.

As an ex-girlfriendMy Hair is Bad58rank/position

Moto Kanojyoto Shite

This song by My Hair is Bad is portrayed through the gaze of a woman exhausted by love.

It’s striking how, as she faces a breakup, she tries to move forward in her own way—changing her appearance and throwing herself into parties.

Behind that are a distrust that leaves her unable to believe in anything and a wish to be freed from past relationships.

Included on the November 2017 album “mothers,” this work is a ballad that stands beside those confronting the end of a romance and evokes deep empathy.

Even while carrying the pain of heartbreak, it’s sure to spark a shift of heart in anyone trying to take a new step forward.

Song of the Eternal NightKami wa saikoro o furanai59rank/position

God Does Not Play Dice “Yoru-Naga Uta” [Official Lyric Video]

On sleepless nights, I suddenly remember someone precious who’s no longer by my side.

This is a tear-jerking rock ballad that sings of a heartbreak so intense it feels like your chest might burst.

It’s a work by the Fukuoka-born band God Doesn’t Roll Dice, included on their mini-album “A View on Lambda,” released in May 2019.

Starting with an intro that feels like turning back the hands of a clock, it builds to a dramatic chorus where emotions spill over all at once, sending shivers through your heart.

It also served as the theme song for the film “Little Subculture Wars: The Rebellion of Village Vanguard!” released in October 2020.

It’s a song that gently stays with you on nights when you can’t let go of a love you can’t forget, or when you want to sing your heart out and cry at karaoke.

Unrequited lovemiwa60rank/position

miwa 'Unrequited Love'

This song marks a new frontier for miwa, as it’s her first to feature a piano performance since her official debut.

You usually picture miwa bouncing around energetically when she sings, right? In contrast to that familiar image, the somewhat mature and gently mellow melody here tenderly echoes the song’s motif of unrequited love.

The lyrics—about liking someone for so long but not knowing what to do—straightforwardly capture the feelings of a woman encountering her first love, and it’s refreshing to hear.

It’s a track I’d love anyone currently in love to listen to.

tear-coloredNishino Kana61rank/position

Kana Nishino “Namida-iro (short ver.)”

This song, true to Kana Nishino’s style, is one you can relate to on so many levels.

I especially want women with heartbreak-wounded hearts to listen to it.

The fun times you spent together, the tears that come when you remember them, and the reality that you can’t see that person anymore… If you’ve ever experienced a breakup, the lyrics will seize you deep inside.

But what’s wonderful is that it doesn’t just dwell on the feeling of not being able to forget a former lover—it also expresses a forward-looking resolve: “Someday this too will become a memory, and I’ll find happiness with someone new.”

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Hane Keisuke

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The Heart Wants What It WantsSelena Gomez62rank/position

Selena Gomez – The Heart Wants What It Wants (Official Video)

At the beginning of this song, a voice note from Selena Gomez herself is included, in which she says something like, “This is stupid—you’re blaming everything on me,” and it’s said that the song is likely about Justin Bieber, whom she dated for many years.

One Last TimeAriana Grande63rank/position

Ariana Grande – One Last Time (Official Video)

This is one of Ariana’s signature breakup songs, hugely popular in Japan as well.

As the title suggests, it portrays the feelings of a girl who clings to her ex, asking for “just one last time.” It’s a bit challenging to sing, but perform it boldly and powerfully—just like Ariana!