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

I love you.Inoue Sonoko41rank/position

Sonoko Inoue – I Love You.

“Daisuki,” Sonoko Inoue’s 2015 track that captures the real feelings of being in unrequited love, when your head is completely filled with thoughts of the person you like.

The poppy, bouncy melody conveys the giddy excitement of having a crush.

You’re thinking about that special someone all the time, no matter when or where, and your feelings just overflow and won’t stop! Of course there’s anxiety in unrequited love, but it’s also full of that fluttery, heart-throbbing thrill that’s different from being in a relationship.

Let this song, which sings about the same feelings you have when you’re crushing on someone, help you fall even more in love with the person you like.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

SAKI

Report a problem

The Story You Don’t Knowsupercell42rank/position

The Story You Don’t Know – supercell

A poignant song by supercell that captures the bittersweet feelings of a youthful unrequited love.

It begins with a scene of stargazing with friends and unfolds with the narrator’s secret feelings for the “you” beside them.

The stars forming the Summer Triangle symbolically reflect the protagonist’s loneliness and unattainable love, leaving a strong impression.

Released in August 2009, it was also used as the ending theme for the anime Bakemonogatari.

Highly recommended for those carrying complicated feelings for someone they like or struggling to express their emotions.

Give it a listen, and perhaps find the courage to take that first step forward.

KanadeSukima Suichi43rank/position

Sukima Switch – “Kanade” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / KANADE Music Video

Released in 2004, this second single is an indispensable classic ballad when talking about Sukima Switch.

It was featured as an insert song in the film “Rough” and as a TV drama theme, and in 2006 it was also chosen as the ending theme for the final day of “Nettou Koshien.” The lyrics, depicting a moment of parting, convey the protagonist’s aching attempt to send their feelings to the one who is leaving, along with a wish to remain connected in their hearts.

When you reach a turning point in life—graduation, a job change, and so on—listening to this song will bring back memories from that time, and the tears will naturally start to flow.

With its gentle tempo and piano tones that soak into the heart, it’s a profoundly moving track.

Your favorite songUVERworld44rank/position

UVERworld 'The Song You Like'

Hearing the melody hummed by someone you like and growing to love the song—that bittersweet sense of distance in unrequited love is what UVERworld captures in this work.

It depicts a heart wounded by past romances, closed off and vowing never to love again, gradually regaining warmth through meeting someone special.

Released as a single in November 2006, it also became familiar as the theme song for the TBS variety show “Koisuru Hanikami!” On nights when you carry feelings you can’t put into words, why not let yourself be enveloped by its warm sound that gently gives you courage?

Love SongGO!GO!718845rank/position

GO!GO!7188 [Koi no Uta] with low-quality PV

Despite their short period of activity from 2000 to 2012, GO!GO!7188, a three-piece band that gained popularity for their distinctive musicality, released this as their third single.

It’s a track whose simple yet nostalgic sound resonates, featuring an impressive arrangement that begins with a chorus accompanied only by vocals and guitar.

The lyrics—conveying the bittersweet feeling of love that persists even if the person you like doesn’t look only at you—really come through.

Chosen as the AX POWER PLAY #005 theme song for the music program “AX MUSIC-FACTORY,” this song is a great pick for women’s karaoke, and among people of the same generation, the chorus is one you can sing together.

sparklingmosao.46rank/position

Kira Kira / Mosawo. [Music Video]

A sparkling expression of the feeling of being in love, a song by Mosa o.

The lyrics delicately depict the brilliance and bittersweetness of romantic emotions, and the gentle vocals resonate deeply.

From the lyrics, you can sense the lover’s anxieties and inner conflicts.

Released in September 2020, the song garnered widespread empathy, especially on social media.

It’s perfect for those with a one-sided crush or anyone who can’t bring themselves to confess their feelings.

When you want to summon the courage to take a step forward, this is a song that quietly gives you a nudge.

Unrequited love.haji→47rank/position

Haji→ – “Unrequited Love.” MV

Hajime, who calls himself a singer-songwriter entertainer and works across multiple fields, brings us Kataomoi.

It was released in 2018 as his 11th single.

This is a bona fide unrequited love song that straightforwardly captures the honest feeling of being in love while simultaneously having to hold those feelings back.

Because the lyrics are written in plain, unadorned words, many listeners will find parts that overlap with their own experiences and emotions.

It’s a song I want you to listen to when your heart aches and you feel like crying.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Kado(guchi) Shichigatsu

Report a problem

Blue BenchSasuke48rank/position

Blue Bench / Sasuke

It’s a pure love song wrapped in a sense of longing.

Set on a nostalgic bench after the lover is gone, it delicately portrays the emotions of looking back on an unrequited love.

Regret over not being able to convey one’s feelings and lingering attachment to a love that will never return resonate through the delicate vocals and melody.

Released independently in 2003, the song sold out all 500 copies immediately, despite being available only at a single store in the artist’s hometown of Ōmiya.

When you think back to “that moment” when you couldn’t be honest with a beloved partner, this song will be there to embrace your heart.

I like you.Little Glee Monster49rank/position

Little Glee Monster 'I Love You.' × 360 Reality Audio MUSIC VIDEO

A song that powerfully expresses the wavering emotions of youth, this is Little Glee Monster’s fourth single.

Chosen as the theme song for the TBS Friday drama “Omotesando High School Chorus Club!” it was released in September 2015.

Featuring fresh, vibrant melodies and robust harmonies, the track is a coming-of-age song centered on young love.

Showcasing Little Glee Monster’s signature powerhouse vocal performance, its lyrics portray bittersweet feelings and inner conflict that resonated with many listeners.

It’s a recommended track not only for those troubled by love, but also for anyone feeling nostalgic about their youth.

AitaiKato Miria50rank/position

Miliyah Kato - “Aitai”

A straightforward portrayal of unrequited love for someone who loves another—this is Kato Miliyah’s renowned ballad.

No matter how much it hurts, I don’t need to be number one; I just want to be loved…

The protagonist’s heartrending cry comes through palpably.

Featured on the album “Ring,” released in July 2009, the song also added depth to the film “Villain” as an insert track.

Beginning with a melancholy piano melody, the R&B-tinged track beautifully captures the agony of a love that cannot be.

This is a song especially for those whose hearts ache with feelings they know can never be returned, yet cannot stop.