Popular Unrequited Love Songs: Japanese Music/J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026]

The end of lovemafumafu71rank/position

It’s the End of Love / Mafumafu [Music Video (Drama ver.)]

A song by Mafumafu, the singer-songwriter also known from the musical unit After the Rain.

It tells the story of a bittersweet love: going to a summer festival with someone you like, but lacking the courage to confess and letting it end there.

I’m sure many people have had a similar experience.

The lyrics are packed with delicate, true-to-life feelings, like memories of a fleeting love from school days.

If you’ve ever given up on a crush at a festival, please give it a listen.

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sasashina

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hopemakaroni enpitsu72rank/position

Macaroni Enpitsu “hope” MV

“hope” is an unrequited love song filled with the simple desire to just be with the person you like.

The lyrics make you feel, even as you’re cornered by a love that won’t go your way, that it still has to be that person.

It gives voice to the quiet wishes of those in one-sided love, and it’s heartbreakingly bittersweet.

This song seems to fit many forms of unrequited love—like the feelings before a confession or longing for an ex.

Listening while you’re in unrequited love will make you empathize and cry, but it’s also a cheering song that can make you want to share your feelings.

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sasashina

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Best Friend’s GirlSandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu73rank/position

Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS from EXILE TRIBE / Best Friend’s Girl

This song features the beautiful vocals and clean accompaniment characteristic of Sandaime J Soul Brothers.

The title “Best Friend’s Girl” literally means your best friend’s girlfriend.

You can probably guess where this is going—it’s a bittersweet story about falling in love with your best friend’s girlfriend.

Some men reading this might have been in the same situation.

You love the woman, but if you confess your feelings, it could ruin your friendship… So what should you do with these feelings? Just listening to the song, those helpless, heartbreaking emotions make your chest ache.

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Hane Keisuke

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MissingKubota Toshinobu74rank/position

Missing

Among the standout Showa-era ballads of the 1980s, this piece shines with a special brilliance.

Portraying the pain of heartbreak and inner turmoil, the ballad—imbued with Toshinobu Kubota’s distinctive musicality and deep emotional expression—resonates with many listeners.

Released in September 1986 on his debut album “SHAKE IT PARADISE,” it wasn’t actually a single, yet it gained such popularity that it has been covered by numerous artists.

It was also chosen as the ending theme for TBS’s “Uwasa-teki Tatsujin” and TV Asahi’s “World Pro Wrestling,” earning love across generations.

For anyone who has experienced heartbreak or harbors unspoken feelings, this is a song that will surely be by your side.

Having someone you likeJY75rank/position

JY 'Have Someone You Like' Music Video Short Ver.

A refreshing love song by JY that delicately captures the subtle stirrings of realizing you’re in love.

Though the protagonist struggles with frustration at not being able to be completely honest, they keep looking forward, believing they can “start over as many times as it takes,” making it a story anyone can see themselves in.

Lively guitar and a dynamic melody line further elevate the feelings of being in love.

Released in August 2016, the song was used as the main theme for a Fuji TV Monday 9 p.m.

drama, and its music video—directed by Mika Ninagawa—also drew attention.

It’s perfect not only for those wrestling with romance, but also for anyone who wants to reaffirm their straightforward feelings for someone they love.

I didn’t want to know, if it meant losing it.atarayo76rank/position

Atarayo – “I Didn’t Want to Know, If It Meant Losing You” (Music Video)

This piece delicately portrays the turmoil of a woman who realizes that every “word” from the lover she’s supposed to be in love with is a flimsy lie.

She wants to believe but can’t; she doesn’t want to lose them, yet being together only makes it hurt more.

These tangled emotions resonate alongside Atarayo’s urbane sound.

Released in January 2022 and included on their first album, “In the Polar Night, the Moon Remains Silent,” the song emerged from a collaboration with Junwaidan.

It’s a highly relatable track that offers solace to those exhausted by the effort of trusting a partner, and to those who had no choice but to part ways with someone they love.

Just… I miss youEXILE77rank/position

EXILE / I Just... Want to See You - Short version -

An EXILE song that beautifully portrays the ache of unrequited love.

Set to a poignant melody led by piano and strings, it sings of heartbreak and lingering feelings for the one who got away.

The simple emotion of “I just want to see you” will resonate deeply.

Released in December 2005 after gaining attention as the au × EXILE campaign song, it topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

With cumulative sales of 562,000 copies, it has become one of EXILE’s signature tracks, beloved by many fans.

This is a song that offers solace to those feeling the pain of a breakup or the loneliness of being unable to see someone dear.