Ranking of Sad Songs by Japanese Pop Artists: Popular Tracks [2026]
Are there times when you want to get a bit sentimental and listen to songs that pierce your heart?
Some people who are sad may want to sink deeper into that sadness, while others might calm their hearts with mellow, wistful tunes.
We’ve gathered a selection of popular, melancholic Japanese songs.
Please take a look!
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Ranking of Sad Songs by Japanese Artists [2026] (21–30)
Night of Osmanthuskinoko teikoku21rank/position
The shoegaze band Kinoko Teikoku.
With a languid, ennui-tinged vocal and fluid instrumentation, their songs capture delicate emotions perfectly—just right for nights spent alone.
Among them, ‘Kinmokusei no Yoru’ is especially a track to play in early autumn, when you find yourself longing for someone’s warmth.
It conveys feelings everyone has held at least once and the goodbyes we’ve experienced, in a way only Kinoko Teikoku can.
It’s recommended for those sluggish, meandering nights spent reminiscing about someone you once parted from and the days you shared.
Never Grow Upchanmina22rank/position
When you go through a heartbreak, it leaves you with an emptiness, as if time has stopped, doesn’t it? I think the title “Never Grow Up” also comes from those feelings.
The sound is light and rhythmic, yet it somehow carries a tinge of sadness.
It’s strange how Chanmina’s voice is so gentle, yet you can still feel the weight of heartbreak.
HOMEAnjura Aki23rank/position
This song expresses feelings that anyone who has left their hometown for school or work experiences at least once.
It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you feel sad and lonely for no particular reason.
I’m sure the faces of the people who are important to you will come to mind.
It’s a very beautiful encouragement song.
windKobukuro24rank/position
Among Kobukuro’s many masterpieces, this is one that stands out for its overwhelming poignancy.
It powerfully voices the surging loneliness and longing for a lover you can no longer meet.
If you sing it with feeling, as if you were Kobukuro themselves, a flood of emotions will well up inside you.
IdentitySakanakushon25rank/position
One of Sakanaction’s signature songs.
Its distinctive worldview and sound are its hallmarks, drawing you into a mysterious realm.
When you lose confidence in yourself or are overwhelmed by the loneliness of not knowing who you are, belting out the chorus of this song will make those feelings vanish somewhere.
Lightningsutoreitenaa26rank/position
“Lightning” sings about the void in the heart that remains unfilled even as time passes after losing someone important.
It’s a song released in 2009 by the rock band Straightener.
Among their tracks, this one is relatively subdued and carries a stronger sense of melancholy.
The English lines convey the meaning: “Strike me with lightning so I can return to the world where you are.” The sound, though sad, somehow feels warm—much like quiet tears that flow when loneliness sets in.
What do you want to become?Rozarīna27rank/position
I don’t know what I want to do or what kind of person I want to become.
But when I look around, it feels like everyone else is doing well.
This is a song I want you to listen to when you feel that kind of loneliness.
It’s not a song that gives advice like “Here’s what you should do,” but it depicts the pain of being stuck so honestly that I can’t help but relate to it.
It’s the kind of struggle that’s hard to talk to people about.
If you’re hurting but still smiling, don’t hold it in—listen to this song and let yourself cry.
On this blue, blue EarthUehara Azumi28rank/position
Azumi Uehara’s signature song, which also served as an anime theme.
With a mysterious worldview, it delivers a poignant longing for someone you want to see, carried by an up-tempo beat.
There’s a touch of fantasy, too, and you might start to feel a bit enchanted as you sing along.
MissingKubota Toshinobu29rank/position
Many people probably know it—it’s a classic by Toshinobu Kubota.
The lyrics are sung with a gentle voice over a very mellow track.
Everything comes together to create a beautiful world.
How about letting that wistful, lonely feeling quietly sink into your heart?
The wind is from the west.Okuda Tamio30rank/position
When you’re feeling lonely, try this song and let your shoulders relax.
It’s a solo track by Tamio Okuda, who’s also active as the vocalist of the rock band UNICORN, released in 2013 as his 25th single.
It was used in a Mazda commercial, so many of you have probably heard it.
The laid-back melody paired with the lively sound feels great! It’s a pop tune that slips right into your ears.
It might even put you in an optimistic mood, like, “I’ll be fine on my own.”
