Sad Song Rankings [2026]

Letter to TomorrowTeshima Aoi15rank/position

Aoi Teshima “Letter to Tomorrow (Drama Version)”

A heartwarming ballad gently portraying people looking ahead in life with both hope and unease, framed by the motif of a letter from the future.

Aoi Teshima’s translucent voice resonates deeply alongside the beautiful arrangement of piano and strings.

First released in July 2014 on the album “Ren’dez-vous,” the song drew renewed attention in February 2016 as the theme for Fuji TV’s Monday 9 p.m.

drama “Someday I’ll Remember This Love, and Surely I’ll Cry.” The piece won the Best Theme Song Award at the Tokyo Drama Awards 2016.

When you find yourself pausing on the path toward your dreams, or when you want to be close to your feelings for someone important, why not listen quietly? It will surely become a tear-jerker of a song for you.

Song of the Eternal NightKami wa saikoro o furanai16rank/position

God Does Not Play Dice “Yoru-Naga Uta” [Official Lyric Video]

On sleepless nights, I suddenly remember someone precious who’s no longer by my side.

This is a tear-jerking rock ballad that sings of a heartbreak so intense it feels like your chest might burst.

It’s a work by the Fukuoka-born band God Doesn’t Roll Dice, included on their mini-album “A View on Lambda,” released in May 2019.

Starting with an intro that feels like turning back the hands of a clock, it builds to a dramatic chorus where emotions spill over all at once, sending shivers through your heart.

It also served as the theme song for the film “Little Subculture Wars: The Rebellion of Village Vanguard!” released in October 2020.

It’s a song that gently stays with you on nights when you can’t let go of a love you can’t forget, or when you want to sing your heart out and cry at karaoke.

balladKetsumeishi17rank/position

Ketsumeishi “Ballad”

A love ballad from Ketsumeishi that offers a different flavor from their usual cheerful image.

It’s a tear-jerker that gently yet poignantly sings of unfulfilled feelings for someone special, carried by a tender, aching melody.

With rap kept to a minimum and piano and strings that seep into the heart, this piece also surprised longtime fans as a bold departure.

Released in January 2011 as one half of a double A-side single and included on the classic album Ketsunopolis 7, it was also used as the theme song for Nippon TV’s information program Sukkiri!!.

If you sing it softly at karaoke—where upbeat tracks usually steal the show—its contrast will draw everyone in.

Why not showcase a new side of yourself with this hidden gem?

You let me do as I please, and yet…arekunn18rank/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.

HeavenMrs. GREEN APPLE19rank/position

Mrs. GREEN APPLE “Heaven” Official Music Video

This is a deeply moving song written as the theme for the film “I Will Tell You the Truth,” starring vocalist Motoki Omori.

It begins in a sacred stillness, unfolds dramatically, and then ends abruptly—an unpredictable structure that defines the track.

The work portrays not only human beauty but equally the ugliness that lies behind it, seeming to reflect complex emotions such as despair and inner conflict in the face of an inescapable reality.

Released in May 2025, this song gently stays by your side and resonates deeply when you’re weighed down by helplessness or a sadness too difficult to put into words.

One more time, One more chanceYamazaki Masayoshi20rank/position

Masayoshi Yamazaki – “One more time, One more chance” MUSIC VIDEO [4K Quality]

When it comes to Masayoshi Yamazaki, many people probably think of this song.

“One more time, One more chance,” released in 1997, is famous both as the theme song for the film “The Moon and a Cabbage,” in which Yamazaki himself starred, and later, in 2007, as the theme song for the animated film “5 Centimeters per Second.” From the very first guitar notes in the intro, it’s already brimming with tear-jerking elements, and the song’s theme—“the person you can never forget”—truly resonates.

If you’ve experienced heartbreak, it’s a song you can deeply relate to, one that will move you to tears.

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spin; weave; compose (e.g., a story)tota21rank/position

Tsumugu / Tota

An overwhelming sense of loss for a cherished person you can no longer meet.

Gently accompanying that aching heart are the works of Totasan, an artist drawing attention as a bedroom creator.

Released in February 2023 and included on the first album “oidaki,” this piece sparked a major reaction, even reaching No.

1 on the USEN HIT SNS rankings.

Its poetic worldview—overlaying delicate, shifting emotions onto natural scenes like the sky and wind—leaves a strong impression.

While wishing for the other person’s happiness, the fierce longing to meet them once more creates a painful inner conflict that tightens your chest just by listening.

Even amid sorrow, the resolve to weave hope for tomorrow is sure to move your heart.