Saddest Songs Ranking [2026]

MPRINCESS PRINCESS64rank/position

PRINCESS PRINCESS M cover

A major presence that could even be called the “founding mother of girls’ bands,” PRINCESS PRINCESS—aka PuriPuri—scored this huge hit.

If you’re in your 50s, it’s right in your wheelhouse.

When the lyrics mentioned a boyfriend whose initial is M, fans at the time were all abuzz: “Who is M?” This straightforward breakup ballad—about a beloved boyfriend M she never wanted to part from—also opened up a new frontier for PuriPuri.

If you’ve gone through a breakup, you might sing this at karaoke to soothe the hurt.

A nostalgia-filled heartbreak song—highly recommended across generations.

makeupMy Hair is Bad65rank/position

My Hair is Bad – Makeup

The three-piece rock band My Hair is Bad released the poignant ballad “Keshou” in 2019.

Sometimes you fall in love, but the person you like has feelings for someone else, and you can’t even confess—ending in heartbreak.

This song is exactly about unrequited feelings, but… it also suggests there might be a physical relationship.

Being accepted in such a halfway manner, yet never becoming the most important person in the end—that’s really painful, isn’t it? For those who’ve been through the same experience, I think this is a heartbreak song that will make your chest tighten.

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sasashina

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In loveHY66rank/position

HY - “In Love” (Theme song for the film ‘366 Days’) Music Video

A poignant love song that portrays the pure feeling that even if you are not chosen by the other person, the love itself becomes a precious memory.

Written as the theme song for the film “366 Days,” releasing in January 2025, it is included on the album “TIME.” Positioned as an answer song to the 2008 classic “366 Days,” it gently expresses the resolve to look forward after heartbreak.

While continuing to think of the other person, it delicately depicts the subtle emotions of accepting those feelings as cherished memories.

Many listeners will surely relate to the emotions that waver between pure feelings and reality.

seems like (just) my imaginationChōchō P67rank/position

[GUMI] Kokoronashi [Original PV] / [papiyon feat. GUMI] Kokoronashi [Original]

Posted to Nico Nico Douga on January 5, 2014, Chouchou-P’s “Kokoronashi” is an extremely popular song that has surpassed 1,000,000 views.

When it comes to ballads among original Vocaloid songs, many people probably think of “Kokoronashi.” The video’s comment section is filled with many remarks like “made me cry” and “so heartrending.”

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zunx2P

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You let me do as I please, and yet…arekunn68rank/position

You’re the one who let me fall for you / Arekun [Official Music Video]

A song that resonates with the anger toward someone who only reaches out when it suits them, and the aching feeling of not being able to forget them.

In contrast to its melodic, gentle sound, the lyrics are striking for their candid, down-to-earth emotions.

Released in September 2020 and gaining buzz mainly on social media, the track is also included on Are-kun’s album “Breath.” It features the soft timbre of an acoustic guitar and an emotionally rich arrangement.

If you’re struggling with a romantic relationship, sensing your partner’s feelings drifting away but not wanting to admit it, or have been hurt by someone’s misleading behavior, you’ll likely find this deeply relatable.

I want to forget.wacci69rank/position

wacci “I Want to Forget” Music Video

The harder you try to forget an ex, the more they come to mind… Have you ever had that bittersweet experience? wacci’s “Wasuretai” (“I Want to Forget”) is a ballad that captures that very frustrating inner struggle.

Even when you’re with someone new, you find yourself searching for traces of the one you parted with in their warmth, leaving your heart unfulfilled.

The protagonist’s pain is truly heart-wrenching.

It’s a song you should listen to when you’re suffering and can’t break free from a past love.

Orange7!!70rank/position

7!! “Orange” Music Video (short ver.)

This is “Orange,” the ending theme for the second cour of the anime Your Lie in April.

The series depicts a coming-of-age story about a boy who hits an insurmountable wall and becomes paralyzed by it, and a girl who, while carrying a secret, does her best to keep looking forward.

If you’ve seen the anime, I think this song will bring you to tears.

It’s a profoundly moving and heartrending track.

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sasashina

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