Unrequited Love Song Ranking in Japanese Music [2026]

HAPPY BIRTHDAYback number1rank/position

back number – HAPPY BIRTHDAY (full)

A three-piece rock band whose heartrending lyrics and moving melodies resonate with many, back number’s 20th single.

Released in February 2019, the music video—featuring a performance in an empty restaurant that conveys loneliness—also leaves a strong impression.

It deftly portrays the bittersweetness of unrequited love, and with Iyori Shimizu’s sharp guitar work and Takeshi Kobayashi’s production, it pierces deeply into listeners’ hearts.

It’s a highly recommended track for anyone experiencing unrequited love right now.

Ms. Hanako on a high pedestalback number2rank/position

back number – Takane no Hanako-san (full)

With their realistic psychological portrayals, back number captures the hearts of many fans.

Their eighth single, released in June 2013, truly feels like “a song packed full of one-sided-love imaginings.” You can’t help but nod along at the poignant sense of distance—being nothing more than “a friend of a friend” to the person you like—and at the way you get depressed by imagining the kind of partner they’d want and deciding you don’t measure up.

In contrast to those lyrics, the brisk, refreshing sound gently propels that frustrating, unrequited longing forward.

The track is also included on the album “Love Story,” and it was used in a commercial in 2019.

Wishing to be loved yet unable to take that final step—this is a one-sided love song that will surely resonate and stay close to your heart.

365 daysMr.Children3rank/position

Mr.Children “365 Days” Mr.Children TOUR POPSAURUS 2012

Mr.Children’s “365 Days” is loved by people of all ages.

The song is well known from commercials, and despite never being released as a single, it remains hugely popular among fans.

For those who feel things like “I know it myself, but there’s nothing I can do” or “Waves of love keep rushing over me,” it’s a track you can’t help but relate to.

If you’re worried that graduation might separate you from someone you like before you can confess your feelings, this song is sure to strike a chord.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

utatane

Report a problem

PrologueUru4rank/position

[Official] Uru “Prologue” Premium Studio Live

Sung by Uru, “Prologue” is a heartbreaking song about unknowingly searching for an unattainable love.

Released as a single in 2018, it was chosen as the theme song for TBS’s Tuesday drama “Chugakusei Nikki” (Diary of a Middle School Student) and reached No.

1 on Billboard’s download chart.

The lyrics perfectly match the drama’s story, which portrays a forbidden romance between a teacher and a student.

It’s a song I’d love for students who’ve found themselves falling for a teacher—or teachers who’ve fallen for a student—to listen to.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hamada Takuya

Report a problem

I want to be your lover.Abe Mao5rank/position

Mao Abe – I Want to Be Your Lover [Official Music Video]

Often described as “an anthem that wraps up all the pent-up feelings of a bittersweet unrequited love,” this song is known as one of Mao Abe’s signature works.

Its lyrics, woven from her real experiences in high school, portray the ache of unrequited love with striking realism and have resonated with many.

Released as a single in August 2009, it was also chosen as the ending theme for a regional music program, catapulting it to fame.

It’s the perfect song for anyone who wants to honestly express their feelings to a crush but just can’t take that first step.

Why not listen to this song and find the courage to share how you feel?

PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism6rank/position

Official HIGE DANDism – Pretender [Official Video]

When it comes to Higedan’s signature songs, many people would probably name this one.

“Pretender” is Official HIGE DANDism’s second single, released in 2019, and it was also the theme song for the film “The Confidence Man JP: The Movie.” It’s a love ballad overflowing with bittersweet emotion—a sad song about unfulfilled love—but it’s also a track that powerfully amplifies the feelings of unrequited love.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

utatane

Report a problem

loveback number7rank/position

back number – Love (Short ver.)

Back number is a three-piece band that captures the hearts of many listeners with poignant lyrics and melodies.

Here is a classic song representing their early work, released in March 2012.

This piece is a sentimental number depicting a gaze fixed on you from a school building window and an earnest wish to confess one’s feelings before graduation.

In addition to being used as an ending theme on shows like TV Asahi’s “Music-ru TV,” it was included on the album “blues” and the best-of album “Encore,” and has continued to be loved over the years, surpassing 100 million total streams.

The band sound, enriched with strings, tightens the chest and evokes the bittersweetness of youth that everyone has experienced.

It’s a song you’ll want to hear in March—especially if you’re facing graduation with unspoken feelings or want to immerse yourself in memories of a fleeting love.