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

White LoversKuwata Keisuke15rank/position

Keisuke Kuwata – Shiroi Koibitotachi (Full ver.)

It is a lyrical ballad that depicts the bittersweet feelings of love in winter.

Released in October 2001, it is a work by Keisuke Kuwata themed around the winter season.

Rather than simply mourning a love that has passed, it also carries a sense of celebrating the memories of love, portraying warm emotions alongside scenes of a city blanketed in falling snow.

It was used as the theme song for Coca-Cola’s “No Reason” campaign commercial, and later featured in UNIQLO’s “LifeWear” commercial, earning affection from a wide audience.

It is a heartwarming song to listen to when you want to heal a heart hurt by love or reflect on cherished memories.

SquallFukuyama Masaharu16rank/position

Masaharu Fukuyama [Live] Squall

Masaharu Fukuyama’s song delicately portrays the joys and bittersweetness of summer romance, brimming with the intensity and beauty of emotions like a passing summer shower.

Released in 1999 and included on the album “Magnum Collection 1999 ‘Dear’,” the piece won broad support from fans for its emotionally rich vocals and profound lyrics, and it was also featured in films and TV dramas.

In particular, it vividly captures the feelings of a woman in love, evoking each fleeting moment of a summer romance.

Showcasing Fukuyama’s vocal prowess and musical sensibility, this track is recommended for those in love and for anyone wishing to bask in summer memories.

Fire◎Flowerhalyosy17rank/position

halyosy – Fire◎Flower feat. Kagamine Len

Speaking of summer, it’s the season of love! This song likens the fleeting nature of romance to fireworks coloring the night sky.

Even while regretting falling in love, the lyrics convey a continued longing for the other person.

Listening to it makes you feel as if a cool breeze is blowing, just like on a summer night.

single bedSha ran Q18rank/position

Sharam Q “Single Bed” (Music Video)

A melodious ballad that poignantly portrays the feelings of a man who, after heartbreak, can’t bring himself to step into a new love.

The single bed etched with memories of his beloved now stands as a symbol of lonely solitude.

The simple, everyday happiness they once shared, and the aching longing for someone who has now become distant, tighten the chest.

Released by Sharam Q in October 1994, this song was used as the ending theme for the anime D·N·A² and is also included on the album “Inferiority Complex.” It’s a song that gently supports those who are trying to move forward while looking back on a past love, and those who have experienced parting with someone dear.

The Last RainYasushi Nakanishi19rank/position

The Last Rain

A gem of a ballad that gracefully portrays rainy scenery and the ache of parting.

Yasushi Nakanishi’s transparent vocals exquisitely capture lingering feelings for a lover and a passion verging on madness.

The dramatic piano melody and strings weave an achingly poignant world.

Released in August 1992, the song peaked at No.

16 on the Oricon chart.

It drew attention as the theme song for Nippon TV’s “Hitachi Ashita P-KAN Kibun!” and had sold a cumulative total of about 900,000 copies by 1998.

Featured on the album “Yasushi Nakanishi,” among many other releases, it has inspired numerous covers by prominent artists, including Kumi Koda.

A sophisticated track best enjoyed while quietly sipping a drink in a lounge.

On nights when you want to soothe the pain of a broken heart, its soulful voice will gently stay by your side.

MissingKubota Toshinobu20rank/position

Toshinobu Kubota – Missing [Official Video]

This is a gem of a ballad by Toshinobu Kubota, known for his uniquely groovy style, perfect for an autumn night.

It poignantly conveys, with a soulful voice, the helpless love between a man and a woman who care deeply for each other yet can never be together.

The struggle of wanting to forget but being unable to, and the regret of wishing they had met earlier, really hits home.

The song was included on his debut album, “SHAKE IT PARADISE,” released in September 1986, and was used as an ending theme for shows like World Pro Wrestling.

Though it wasn’t released as a single, it remains one of his most beloved signature songs.

It feels like a gentle companion to the quiet loneliness that follows the bustle of summer.

Night of Osmanthuskinoko teikoku21rank/position

Kinoko Teikoku — Night of the Osmanthus

On an autumn night when the season’s presence deepens, have you ever found yourself stirred by a faint sweet scent that awakens old memories? Many people may have experienced a gentle recollection surfacing when they catch the fragrance of fragrant olive on a street corner.

This song by Kinoko Teikoku is a track from their album “Time Lapse,” released in September 2018.

The transparent vocals woven by Chiaki Sato and the nostalgic, emotional melody sink deeply into the heart.

On a quiet night spent alone, why not immerse yourself completely as you reminisce about a past love?