Ranking of Heart-Wrenching Songs by Male J-Pop Singers [2026]
What kind of music do you all like?
There are many types—fun songs, refreshing songs, and more—but I think many people also like “heart-wrenching” songs.
Among those bittersweet songs, here are recommended tracks sung by male vocalists, presented in a ranking format.
This list is updated regularly, so check back from time to time.
- Saddest Songs Ranking [2026]
- Ranking of Male J-Pop Singers’ Best-Lyric and Most Popular Songs [2026]
- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
- Ranking of Popular Breakup Songs by Male Japanese Artists [2026]
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Popular Tearjerker Song Rankings [2026]
- Best Songs and Popular Tracks by Male Singer-Songwriters: 2026 Rankings
- Ranking of Popular Songs by Japanese Male Singers from the 1990s [2026]
- Recommended Japanese Music Artists and Popular Song Rankings for Men in Their 50s [2026]
- Ranking of Sad Songs by Japanese Pop Artists: Popular Tracks [2026]
- Sad Song Rankings [2026]
- 【2026】Recommended Enka by Male Singers with Captivating High Notes
- Sasuke’s Heartbreak Songs: Popular Song Rankings [2026]
Top 2026 Ranking of Melancholic Songs by Japanese Male Artists (21–30)
Nylon threadSakanakushon29rank/position
This song is included on Sakanaction’s seventh album, “834.194,” released in June 2019.
It was also featured in a commercial, so many of you may have heard it.
It’s mellow, with that distinctly Sakanaction melody that slips naturally into your ears.
With words like wind, sea, and waves woven in, it makes you feel as if you’re right there—perfect for a gentle listen in the summer.
Tears of MagnoliaSutādasuto☆Rebyū30rank/position
A love ballad that sings of the profound sense of loss after losing the lover to whom eternal love was vowed.
Using the magnolia—the flower that symbolizes spring—as its motif, it beautifully depicts warm memories with a beloved person and the loneliness felt after their loss.
It was included as the first track on Stardust Revue’s album “SOLA,” released in March 1993, and was later released as a single, selling 150,000 copies.
In 2005, an acoustic version was produced for a Nikka Whisky commercial.
For those who have lost someone precious or who recall bittersweet memories in the spring season, this work will resonate deeply with your heart.
Top 2026 Rankings: Melancholic Songs by Japanese Male Artists (31–40)
cherrysupittsu31rank/position
Released in 1996, this song has continued to be loved as one of Spitz’s signature tracks.
Its lyrics and melody, which portray a faint, budding love, have captured the hearts of listeners across generations.
Masamune Kusano’s gentle, embracing vocals intertwine exquisitely with the soothing guitar tones, evoking a sense of nostalgia.
Just four weeks after its release, it topped the Oricon charts and went on to become a million seller.
Since 2019, it has also been used in NTT East’s commercials, winning over new audiences.
Sing it at karaoke and you can bet everyone around will start humming along.
Be sure to give this moving masterpiece a listen.
red-yellow fragrant olive (Osmanthus fragrans)Fujifaburikku32rank/position
A song by the Japanese rock band Fujifabric that makes you yearn for the arrival of autumn and feel the melancholy of summer’s end.
Its beautifully written, literary and lyrical Japanese lyrics depict autumnal scenes, and the band arrangement deepens that atmosphere, moving listeners to tears.
Even after the vocalist Masahiko Shimura passed away in 2009, it remains a beloved autumn classic in the rock genre.
Yokohama TwilightItsuki Hiroshi33rank/position
A classic song set in the port town of Yokohama that portrays the poignant scene of a sorrowful farewell.
Released in March 1971 as Hiroshi Itsuki’s re-debut single, it became a major hit.
Through the symbolic images depicted in the lyrics, the pain of heartbreak is expressed.
Itsuki’s rich, resonant voice further enhances the song’s world.
It’s a piece that gently accompanies those who reminisce about past love.
When you feel like looking back on memories with someone dear, why not give it a listen?
Harmony at the End of SummerInoue Yosui & Anzen Chitai34rank/position
When it comes to classic summer songs, you can’t leave out “Natsu no Owari no Harmony.” It’s a collaboration between Yosui Inoue and Anzenchitai, first performed at the concert “Stardust Rendezvous Yosui Inoue・Anzenchitai LIVE AT Jingu.” It was released as a single in 1986.
As summer draws to a close, I find myself longing for it.
The beauty of the Japanese lyrics and the resonance of their harmonies seep into the heart, tightening the chest with a sweet ache.
At the same time, it’s suffused with warmth, and one of its charms is how it brings back the admiration and excitement I felt as a child.
It’s truly dreamlike—a summer classic you want to listen to closely.
Waltz of StarlightSen Masao35rank/position
Released in March 1966, this is a gem of a love song by Masao Sen that portrays a heartrending parting and profound affection.
With a sincere vocal delivery, it delicately conveys the feelings of a man and woman who chose to go their separate ways.
Set to a waltz rhythm, its wistful melody and emotionally rich lyrics resonate deeply with listeners.
In 1968, it gained popularity through cable broadcasting and reached No.
1 on the Oricon Singles Chart for the week.
It also won the Japan Record Award for Best Vocal Performance and became a massive hit, selling a total of 2.5 million copies.
It’s a song you’ll want to hear on sleepless nights or when lost in thought, wrapping you in a voice that stays close to your heart along with nostalgic memories.