Ranking of Heart-Wrenching Songs by Male J-Pop Singers [2026]

A long nightMatsuyama Chiharu78rank/position

Long Night - Chiharu Matsuyama

Chiharu Matsuyama’s song “A Long Night” is, for many older listeners, probably a deeply nostalgic unrequited-love song.

It’s achingly bittersweet, and both the lyrics and the melody are wonderful.

Try listening to it alone late at night—it’s a song that pierces the heart.

A Letter to YouKuwata Keisuke79rank/position

Keisuke Kuwata – A Letter to You (Full ver.)

This is Keisuke Kuwata’s 17th single.

It was selected as the theme song for the film “Gold Medal Man” starring Teruyoshi Uchimura.

Although it’s a wistful ballad, it has that quintessential Kuwata touch, gently encouraging you about life and your past self.

It’s perfect for the colder seasons, like autumn and winter.

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Sad feelingsKuwata Keisuke80rank/position

Keisuke Kuwata – Sad Feelings (Just a Man in Love) (Full ver.)

This is the solo debut single by Keisuke Kuwata, the vocalist of Southern All Stars.

At first listen it has a bright, breezy sound, but beneath that lies the inescapable loneliness of a man heartbroken in love.

The contrast between the cheerful tone and the heartrending lyrics may, if anything, tighten many listeners’ chests.

Released in October 1987, it was later included on the album “Keisuke Kuwata.” Please take your time and give it a careful listen.

Surfing JohnnyKuwata Keisuke81rank/position

Keisuke Kuwata – Surfin' Johnny (Short ver.)

A bittersweet summer song by Kuwata from Southern All Stars, whom everyone loves.

The analog vinyl reportedly comes with a special swimsuit as a bonus—such a playful touch, so very Kuwata.

The gentle lyrics, which put summer and the sea front and center, make you want to listen again and again: “Even after heartbreak, when summer approaches, you still end up wanting to fall in love.” It’s as if we’ve been put under the “Kuwata magic”! You can almost hear him whispering, “Just as the same wave never comes to a surfer, the same love never comes to anyone either,” right in your ear.

It’s a song with a hint of melancholy, even though you’re not heartbroken at all.

After the FestivalKuwata Keisuke82rank/position

Keisuke Kuwata – After the Festival (Short ver.)

Keisuke Kuwata, the superstar of Japan’s music scene who leads Southern All Stars.

This song is a single he released as a solo artist in 1994.

It also became his first solo work to be used as the theme song for a TV drama.

The presence of words in the lyrics that evoke autumn indicates that the setting is after the summer—after the festivals have ended.

Let me hear the poetry of the wind.Kuwata Keisuke83rank/position

Keisuke Kuwata – Let Me Hear the Poem of the Wind (Short ver.)

When you think of summer, many people immediately think of Southern All Stars! This song, however, is a solo number by the band’s vocalist, Keisuke Kuwata.

Featuring a refreshing, summery melody, it was used as the theme song for the film “Life: Tengoku de Kimi ni Aetara,” starring Takao Osawa.

While Southern All Stars and Kuwata are often associated with fiery, high-energy summer anthems, this track is a bittersweet summer song that overlaps the end of summer with the end of life.

Why does the end of summer make us feel so melancholic? Summer is a season when we make countless happy memories, and life, too, ends surrounded by many memories.

Set to a melody full of summer vibes, the song lets you feel both of those tender sadnesses.

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Sakura (Solo)Moriyama Naotaro84rank/position

Naotaro Moriyama – Sakura (Solo)

As of 2018, this song is still sung at graduation ceremonies.

Many people came to know Naotaro Moriyama through this piece.

Although there is a choral version as a single’s coupling track, the version sung at graduation ceremonies is the solo version.