Ranking of Popular Japanese Love Songs and Romance Tracks [2026]

rendezvousshaitoopu92rank/position

rendezvous

The rock band Shytone, which rose to prominence after a viral hit on social media, released a signature track in April 2023 that sings of a man’s searing emotions after a breakup.

Unable to accept parting from someone he loved deeply, he longs for an impossible reunion; the loneliness of his lover’s traces fading from everyday life is expressed through vocalist So Sasaki’s superb word choices—so moving you might be brought to tears.

The song is also known for surpassing 100 million total streams in November 2023 and is included on the album “Hors d’œuvre.” Why not entrust your heart to its somehow comforting melody that stirs up those bittersweet feelings?

habit of laughingIgarashi Haru93rank/position

Haru Igarashi – Laughing Habit (Official Music Video)

A song that portrays the ache of a love too deep to forget, even as time passes.

In this track, Haru Igarashi delicately captures the frustration of how trivial everyday moments turn into special memories, and the poignancy of nights spent with those memories when you can’t move on.

Even the way the other person laughed and their gestures remain vividly etched in the mind, and the feeling is so intense that you find yourself praying to God, “Please let me forget everything.” Released in March 2025, this work will gently accompany those whose hearts are filled with memories they can’t forget, no matter how hard they try, and those who are still unable to accept parting from someone dear.

1.15 Million Kilometers of FilmOfisharu Higedan Dism94rank/position

Official HIGE DANDism – 1,150,000-Kilometer Film [Official Audio]

This song is packed with a cinematic, captivating story.

It likens days spent with a lover to a movie, using a distinctive expression that casts the lover as the lead actor and the singer as the supporting actor and director.

It was included on the album “Escaparade,” released in April 2018, chosen as the theme song for a ROHM Co., Ltd.

commercial in 2019, and later adopted as the theme song for the 2020 film “Love Me, Love Me Not.” It’s a perfect track for anyone considering a proposal or wanting to cherish memories with a partner.

Official HIGE DANDism’s heartwarming melody and lyrics are sure to make your heart skip a beat.

EnchantedSaucy Dog95rank/position

Saucy Dog “Enchanted” Music Video

A love song by Saucy Dog that portrays two people connected through a screen to make up for the time they can’t meet.

Even with physical distance between them, the lyrics cherish trivial conversations and even the silences, overlapping with a heartfelt wish to draw distant hearts together once more.

Even if they aren’t side by side now, the straightforward desire for their hearts to stay close may gently encourage those who hope to reconcile.

Released digitally in March 2022, the song is also included on the album Sunny Bottle.

Believe in the red thread that ties you to someone special, and give it a listen on nights when you need the courage to reach out.

Your happinessUru96rank/position

[Official] Uru "Kimi no Shiawase wo"

A tale of unrequited love that begins with a poetry reading.

Crafted by Uru herself, this work beautifully portrays deep affection for the other person and a resolute acceptance of parting.

Though close in proximity, a distance in hearts is felt—the aching inability to convey one’s feelings.

Because she wishes for the other’s happiness, she suppresses her own emotions; her delicate inner world is delivered through a simple yet striking melody.

Released in November 2023, the song features a piano- and acoustic guitar–centered arrangement that is simple but deeply moving.

It’s a piece that stands beside those who harbor the complex feelings of loving someone while suffering as they wish for that person’s happiness.

I miss you. (I want to see you.)Te ga kuriimu pan97rank/position

I Want to See You / Hands Like Cream Bread (I want to see you / tegacreampan) [Official Music Video]

Singer-songwriter Tegakuriimpan, who gained attention by uploading videos of herself singing and playing both various artists’ songs and her own originals on social media.

Released on December 29, 2021, “Aitai na” features a clear, airy voice and a melody that feels effortlessly pleasant.

Its lyrics portray the sentimental emotions of unrequited love—something many listeners are likely to relate to.

With a simple ensemble of just piano and strings, it’s a ballad you can sink into and fully inhabit even when singing it at karaoke.

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Hoshino Takashi

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sunflowerSEKAI NO OWARI98rank/position

Himawari

The protagonist, who had been living in a dark world, ends up meeting “you,” someone dazzling like the sun—the beginning of a forbidden love as sung by SEKAI NO OWARI.

Listening to this song, you can feel that bittersweet thrill of knowing the person is off-limits, yet realizing thanks to them your world is starting to gain color.

Maybe it’s precisely because the melody is light and pop that it tightens your chest even more.

This track is included on the acclaimed album “Lip,” which topped the Oricon charts in February 2019.

It’s a song that gently stays with you in that helpless rush of feelings at the moment you fall in love, even when you know it won’t be returned.