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

The world is falling in loveCHiCO with HoneyWorks51rank/position

The World Is Falling in Love / CHiCO with HoneyWorks

A debut song by CHiCO with HoneyWorks that portrays the sparkle of the moment you fall in love, with a heart that feels pierced by an arrow of light.

The refreshing, youth-drama-like lyrics and the driving melody leave a strong impression.

The delicate emotions swaying between friendship and romance resonate deeply with listeners.

Released in August 2014, it drew attention as the opening theme for the TV anime Blue Spring Ride (Ao Haru Ride).

It’s a recommended track for those who want to recall the sweet-and-sour taste of first love or who are in the midst of a one-sided crush.

usmilet52rank/position

milet 'us' MUSIC VIDEO (Theme song for the Nippon TV Wednesday drama 'Gisou Furin' [Fake Affair])

A heartrending love song by milet that earnestly sings about cherishing the present moment, even while feeling anxious about possibly losing a relationship by confessing one’s feelings.

She conveys the interplay of courage and fear in taking a step forward through her signature husky voice.

Born from the album “us,” released in August 2019, this track also perfectly captures the world of the NTV Wednesday drama “Fake Affair,” for which it served as the theme song.

It gently accompanies those who struggle to express their feelings honestly to someone, or who hesitate out of a desire not to change a precious relationship.

waiting in vainrokudenashi53rank/position

Rokudenashi “Left Waiting” / Rokudenashi – Stood Me Up [Official Music Video]

This is a work by Rokudenashi, who began activities in 2021, delicately depicting the emotions of unrequited love.

The subtle shifts of a heart that can’t quite face the other person’s kindness, and the loneliness of being able only to watch them talk with someone else, leave a strong impression.

The vocals woven by Ninjin carry a warmth that feels like it gently heats the heart on a quiet winter night.

Written and composed by Hifumi, the song was released as a single in October 2021.

It’s a track that stands beside those troubled by love, offering empathy and comfort.

For anyone who holds a painful feeling they can’t confess to anyone—their love for someone dear—this song is meant for you.

Maplesupittsu54rank/position

Spitz / Kaede

Spitz’s classic “Kaede” is a song you can’t help but crave when the season of partings arrives.

Released in 1998 as a single from the album “Fake Fur,” it has recently drawn attention as an insert song in the drama “silent.” The lyrics, which portray the resolve to walk on alone while holding tight to feelings for a cherished person you’ve parted from, really sink into the heart.

Masamune Kusano’s gentle vocals will wrap you in the bittersweet emotions felt for lovers or friends who drift apart at graduation.

It’s not only about the sadness of goodbye; the figure of someone moving toward the future with the warm memories given by the other person will surely give you courage.

It’s a song that will softly nudge you forward onto a new path—one to listen to carefully around graduation.

Heart ForecastEVE55rank/position

Heart Forecast – Eve MV

If you’re looking for a sweet-and-sour unrequited love song that’ll make you hum along without thinking, I recommend this track by Eve.

It’s included on the album “Smile,” released in February 2020, and it was also used as a Valentine’s campaign song in collaboration with Ghana Chocolate.

The song is packed with classic “unrequited love moments,” like the fluttery excitement, getting carried away in your own head, and then feeling down again.

It’s a perfect fit for lovestruck middle and high school students.

Listen to this song, lift your spirits, and do your best to confess your feelings!

The holeKing Gnu56rank/position

King Gnu – The hole

A ballad that gently accompanies those carrying loneliness, loss, and wounded hearts.

It begins with a serene piano melody, then unfolds into a deeply poignant soundscape woven from strings and reverb-laden drums.

The lyrics, crafted by Daiki Tsuneta, express profound empathy for people bearing emotional scars and a powerful desire to protect the ones they love.

The music video, directed by filmmaker Takuya Uchiyama, beautifully portrays the shifting dynamics of a couple’s love.

When you want to take time alone to face yourself, or when your heart feels unsettled, this work offers quiet healing along with deep resonance.

makeupMy Hair is Bad57rank/position

My Hair is Bad – Makeup

The three-piece rock band My Hair is Bad released the poignant ballad “Keshou” in 2019.

Sometimes you fall in love, but the person you like has feelings for someone else, and you can’t even confess—ending in heartbreak.

This song is exactly about unrequited feelings, but… it also suggests there might be a physical relationship.

Being accepted in such a halfway manner, yet never becoming the most important person in the end—that’s really painful, isn’t it? For those who’ve been through the same experience, I think this is a heartbreak song that will make your chest tighten.

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sasashina

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Callchanmina58rank/position

Chanmina – Call (Official Music Video)

Chanmina, a female rapper also known as the Beyoncé of Nerima.

Her song “Call” is a breakup track that puts into words a slightly bitter lament about how a guy she was into suddenly flipped and fell for a girl who’s her complete opposite, leaving her hurt.

The feelings of “I was the one who misunderstood” and “But you liked me at least a little, didn’t you?” intersect, and in the end she puts on a brave face with “I don’t care about you anymore.” As a fellow woman, I understand that feeling well.

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sasashina

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confessionFUNKY MONKEY BABYS59rank/position

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS “Confession”

The definitive unrequited-love song that lays bare the honest feelings hidden in your heart! For those born in the ’90s, many probably listened to their tracks a lot during their youth.

Among them, isn’t this the one that left the deepest impression on many of you? The lyrics portray the unique struggle of unrequited love: you like them so much it hurts and want to confess, yet if you’re rejected, the relationship you have now might fall apart.

It’s a sentiment anyone can relate to.

If you’re in unrequited love, this song will surely make you want to tell them how you feel.

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Hane Keisuke

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You know what,are-kun &『yuika’}60rank/position

You know. / Are-kun & “Yuika” [MV]

A refreshing melody that evokes the feeling of spring, paired with lyrics that capture the innocence of first love, makes a lasting impression! This is a duet by Are-kun and Yuika.

Created solely through exchanges on social media, the song was born from a fateful encounter where they met face-to-face for the first time at the recording session.

It vividly portrays the frustration of two people who have feelings for each other but can’t quite express them honestly.

Released in April 2022, it also drew attention for its youthfully nostalgic music video, in which a male and a female high school student share their feelings as cherry blossoms flutter around them.

It’s recommended not only for those with unrequited love, but also for anyone who wants to start a new romance with the arrival of spring.