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

single bedSha ran Q22rank/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 Nakanishi23rank/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.

You have no idea how much I like you.Gō Hiromi24rank/position

[Official] Hiromi Go “You Don’t Know How Much I Love You” LIVE -In Celebration of Streaming Release-

This work is a single released in 1993.

Sung by Hiromi Go, who never seems to lose his youthful charm with his sweet looks and voice, it’s a grand, mature ballad.

The song has an AOR flavor, and the arrangement gives it a Western pop feel.

The lyrics, which deeply move the listener, are also captivating.

cherrysupittsu25rank/position

Spitz / Cherry

When it comes to Spitz’s signature songs about parting and setting out on a new journey, this classic surely comes to mind.

Released in April 1996, it became a massive hit single, selling over 1.613 million copies.

With memories of a loved one held close, it portrays the moment of taking a step toward a hope-filled future, and its fresh yet slightly bittersweet melody feels like a pleasant spring breeze.

Many listeners were likely moved by the straightforward lyric about feeling stronger just from the sound of words of love.

The song is also included on the acclaimed album Indigo Chiheisen, and in recent years it was featured in an NTT East commercial.

It’s a popular pick for picnics and is sure to make the start of a new season all the more wonderful.

TRUE LOVEFujii Fumiya26rank/position

TRUE LOVE / Fumiya Fujii

These days there are young people who don’t know the former Checkers, but TRUE LOVE is sung at karaoke and is a song everyone knows, and it was also the single released after their breakup.

I used to think this was a heartbreak song, so it feels strange that it’s somehow played at weddings.

Shadows of Youthchūrippu27rank/position

Shadows of Youth

A song included on Tulip’s 1974 album TAKE OFF (Ririku, “Takeoff”).

It sings about a relationship between a man and a woman shifting from romance to love.

It may not depict the so-called typical “youth” of one’s junior and senior high school days.

However, this song teaches us that the very days spent protecting someone important to you are what truly constitute ‘youth.’

I loved you.Naoto Intiraymi28rank/position

Naoto Inti Raymi “Aishiteta” Music Video

A song by Naoto Inti Raymi that captures lingering feelings for a former lover and the bittersweetness of choosing to part ways for the sake of the future.

Released in 2012 as his eighth single, it became widely loved by fans along with its coupling track, which served as the ending theme for TV Asahi’s “Onegai! Ranking.” It also marked his first full-fledged ballad, in which an artist known for a bright image carefully expresses emotional turbulence.

In 2023, it was remade featuring singer-songwriter Ren, drawing attention across generations.

It’s a song that stays close to that contradictory state of mind—knowing it’s over, yet unable to let go.

On a night when the pain of parting stops you in your tracks, why not listen to it quietly?