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

SakurazakaFukuyama Masaharu92rank/position

Masaharu Fukuyama – Sakurazaka (Full ver.)

A gem of a love song that captures both the ache of parting and a glimmer of hope.

Its tender, bittersweet feelings and the sincere wish for the other’s happiness seep in together with a gently comforting melody.

Masaharu Fukuyama’s delicate vocals softly embrace the lingering emotions that remain even as he accepts the end of a romance.

Released in April 2000, the song drew attention as the theme for TBS’s popular segment “Mirai Nikki V” on the show “Uunnan no Hontoko!” and ranked second on Oricon’s year-end singles chart.

It became a massive hit, selling over 2.29 million copies in total.

With lyrics that depict a farewell mirrored by the falling cherry blossoms of spring, it’s a song you’ll want to hear in a season of new encounters and goodbyes.

Unrequited loveGENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE93rank/position

GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE / Unrequited Love

A coupling track to the debut single “BRAVE IT OUT,” released in November 2012, and also included on the classic album “GENERATIONS.” When you like someone, even the smallest reactions can weigh on your mind, right? This song beautifully captures the heart caught in a frustrating struggle—so wrapped up in the other person that you can’t take that first step.

The fresh vocals from GENERATIONS at the time of their debut also invite empathy, and their pure resonance is truly moving.

If you’re in the midst of a love you can’t confess, this track will stay close to your heart.

The words penned by their senior, EXILE ATSUSHI, gently permeate with the ache of a bittersweet love.

if…DA PUMP94rank/position

DA PUMP / if… (short ver.)

A song worthy of being called an iconic hit of the Heisei era, this is DA PUMP’s 12th single.

Distinct from the group’s signature dance music, it stands out with its lyrical melody and suave rap.

Released in September 2000, it peaked at No.

11 on the Oricon charts and was also featured in a Sharp commercial.

The lyrics depict a bittersweet love, expressing feelings for the other person through repeated “what if” scenarios.

It’s a perfect track for anyone wanting to reminisce about the sweet-and-sour romances of their school days or for those harboring unrequited feelings.

OrangeSMAP95rank/position

Lefty Hand Cream - Full Cover of SMAP 'Orange'

A song known as one of SMAP’s hidden gems is “Orange,” the B-side to their 2000 single “Lion Heart.” The single topped the Oricon charts, and “Orange” proudly took first place in a fan poll ranking of B-sides.

The lyrics, which depict two people who care deeply for each other choosing to part ways for the sake of their future, leave listeners with a bittersweet feeling.

Many high school couples choose to break up around graduation, but if you’ve had an unrequited crush, graduation might be the perfect chance to confess your feelings.

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Hamada Takuya

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Kasane AiSoala96rank/position

Soala – Kasaneai [Official Music Video]

Soala’s translucent vocals gently embrace the feelings that pass each other by and the wish to reunite, delicately expressing subtle emotions.

Released in January 2025 as a track on the EP “Bluem,” the song is distinguished by its piano-centered, gentle sound and memorable melodic lines.

The music video—featuring model Ryoka Orita and actor Yusei Ito—has also garnered attention, spreading waves of empathy across social media.

It’s a song I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who carries a “what if”—wondering how things might have been if you’d met in a different way.

I want to become the kind of thing the person I like likes.Suzuki Suzuki97rank/position

I want to become what the person I like likes – Suzuki Suzuki [Official Music Video]

Suzuki Suzuki is a brother duo who became the sixth champion in the “Best Vocalist Tournament” on the music talk variety show Momm!!.

Their song “I Want to Become What the Person I Like Likes,” included on their first album 313, has a title with an impact that says it all.

The lyrics depict a love that grows while hiding one’s feelings for the person they like, making you want to cheer them on in hopes it will one day come true just by listening.

It’s an emotional number with beautiful harmonies only brothers can create.

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Hoshino Takashi

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astronomical observationBUMP OF CHICKEN98rank/position

BUMP OF CHICKEN “Stargazing”

If there’s one song that made BUMP OF CHICKEN famous for their many emo tracks, it would have to be “Tentai Kansoku” (Stargazing).

The lyrics, about stargazing while thinking of a lover who’s drifted away, are heartbreakingly beautiful.

Released in 2001 as their third single, it reached No.

3 on the Oricon Singles Chart, and it continued to rank high in karaoke charts for many years after its release.

While the lyrics are about a breakup, the bittersweet emotion also resonates with unrequited love—so it’s a song I especially recommend to anyone currently nursing a crush.

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Hamada Takuya

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