Unrequited Love Song Ranking in Japanese Music [2026]

Only for you, clear skiesYorushika81rank/position

Yorushika – Just Clear Skies for You (MUSIC VIDEO)

A delicate portrayal of fleeting love, Yorushika’s heartrending song pierces the heart with Suis’s translucent vocals and n-buna’s literary lyrics.

Featured on their second mini-album “No Encore for the Loser,” released in May 2018, the track became a massive hit, surpassing 100 million views on YouTube.

It carefully depicts the wavering emotions of “me,” who remains bound by past memories and can’t let go even into adulthood.

A song that stands beside those suffering from unrequited love and those who can’t give up on their feelings.

May this song bring a break in the clouds to your heart.

lovesicknessAimer82rank/position

Aimer “Koiwazurai” Studio Live Rehearsal (new albums ‘Sun Dance’ and ‘Penny Rain’ now on sale) FULL

When you fall in love, you don’t know how to act around the person you adore, and you don’t know how they feel about you—those thoughts just keep piling up and make you anxious.

That’s exactly what “Koiwazurai” is.

This song is a cheer-up anthem for women going through tough times in love.

It teaches us that the pain of lovesickness isn’t only suffering—it can also be a precious time for yourself.

For anyone with an unrequited crush, this track is full of hints to help you stay positive.

Maplesupittsu83rank/position

Spitz / Kaede

Spitz’s classic “Kaede” is a song you can’t help but crave when the season of partings arrives.

Released in 1998 as a single from the album “Fake Fur,” it has recently drawn attention as an insert song in the drama “silent.” The lyrics, which portray the resolve to walk on alone while holding tight to feelings for a cherished person you’ve parted from, really sink into the heart.

Masamune Kusano’s gentle vocals will wrap you in the bittersweet emotions felt for lovers or friends who drift apart at graduation.

It’s not only about the sadness of goodbye; the figure of someone moving toward the future with the warm memories given by the other person will surely give you courage.

It’s a song that will softly nudge you forward onto a new path—one to listen to carefully around graduation.

catDISH//84rank/position

DISH// – Cat [Official Live Video 2019]

A poignant, ephemeral farewell captured in DISH//’s gem of a medium-tempo ballad.

It overlays the unexpected loss of a lover with the image of a “cat,” expressing lingering attachment to a love that’s gone and a wish to meet again.

The yearning for a lover who vanished as suddenly as a whimsical, free-spirited cat, and the heartfelt desire to reunite in any form, strikes a chord.

In March 2020, vocalist Takumi Kitamura’s one-take acoustic performance sparked major buzz, and the song was later chosen as a TV drama theme the same year.

Crafted by singer-songwriter Aimyon, the melodic track gently supports those facing the pain of parting while trying to look ahead, delivering a warm light to the heart.

confessionFUNKY MONKEY BABYS85rank/position

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS “Confession”

The definitive unrequited-love song that lays bare the honest feelings hidden in your heart! For those born in the ’90s, many probably listened to their tracks a lot during their youth.

Among them, isn’t this the one that left the deepest impression on many of you? The lyrics portray the unique struggle of unrequited love: you like them so much it hurts and want to confess, yet if you’re rejected, the relationship you have now might fall apart.

It’s a sentiment anyone can relate to.

If you’re in unrequited love, this song will surely make you want to tell them how you feel.

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Hane Keisuke

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The end of lovemafumafu86rank/position

It’s the End of Love / Mafumafu [Music Video (Drama ver.)]

A song by Mafumafu, the singer-songwriter also known from the musical unit After the Rain.

It tells the story of a bittersweet love: going to a summer festival with someone you like, but lacking the courage to confess and letting it end there.

I’m sure many people have had a similar experience.

The lyrics are packed with delicate, true-to-life feelings, like memories of a fleeting love from school days.

If you’ve ever given up on a crush at a festival, please give it a listen.

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sasashina

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petalback number87rank/position

back number – Hanabira (full)

A heartbreaking breakup song that overlays the fleeting memories of love with cherry blossom petals.

The lyrics delicately portray how memories with a lover linger everywhere in the city, turning even everyday scenes into amplifiers of pain.

While still holding on to love, the reality is that they will never meet again.

This song carries a message that gently embraces that hurt.

Released in April 2011, it was featured as the ending theme for JAPAN COUNTDOWN.

It is sure to resonate deeply with anyone who has experienced a painful romance.

More than friends, less than loversmatsumura kanau88rank/position

More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers – Kanau Matsumura [Official Music Video]

A song that delicately portrays the inner conflict between the desire to grow closer and the anxiety that keeps you from taking that first step.

The frustration of romantic feelings sprouting from a close friendship, and the pain of being unable to confess those feelings, are fully conveyed through Kanau Matsumura’s clear, translucent vocals.

Released in July 2022, the track sparked a major response on social media and has surpassed 5 million views on YouTube.

It has drawn attention as a song that deeply resonates with those struggling in a mutual but hesitant relationship, where both feel the same yet can’t move forward.

Becoming lovers can mean losing something precious; that’s why some choose to keep things as they are.

This song is recommended for anyone who relates to such complex emotions.

Sing of FlowersShino89rank/position

Hana o Utau / Shino feat. Hatsune Miku

As it was produced under the theme “songs you want to listen to in spring,” it indeed conveys a strong sense of spring in the air.

The nimble yet punchy bass tone and the equally sharp vocal lines leave a buoyant sonic impression that lingers in the ear.

Lyrically, it portrays the anguish of parting with someone cherished and feelings that never reached their destination.

This stands in contrast to the sound, which in turn seems to express an inner sense of instability.

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kappamaki

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I didn’t want to know, if it meant losing it.atarayo90rank/position

Atarayo – “I Didn’t Want to Know, If It Meant Losing You” (Music Video)

This piece delicately portrays the turmoil of a woman who realizes that every “word” from the lover she’s supposed to be in love with is a flimsy lie.

She wants to believe but can’t; she doesn’t want to lose them, yet being together only makes it hurt more.

These tangled emotions resonate alongside Atarayo’s urbane sound.

Released in January 2022 and included on their first album, “In the Polar Night, the Moon Remains Silent,” the song emerged from a collaboration with Junwaidan.

It’s a highly relatable track that offers solace to those exhausted by the effort of trusting a partner, and to those who had no choice but to part ways with someone they love.