Popular Unrequited Love Song Rankings [2026]

two peopleaiko86rank/position

aiko - “Futari” music video

Despite its upbeat, fast-paced pop melody, this aiko classic grips the heart with a piercing, aching sadness.

Released as a single in March 2008, it’s also included on the acclaimed album “Himitsu.” In 2014, it was featured in a commercial for Hoyu’s BeautyLabo Whip Hair Color, leaving a lasting impression on many listeners.

The song portrays the frustration of knowing in your head that you shouldn’t fall in love, while your heart can’t keep up.

The bravado of telling yourself you’re glad you realized it before getting in too deep, and the vivid imagery of the Ferris wheel in the background, are sure to cut to the core of anyone suffering from an unrequited love.

Precisely because of its bright sound, it brings even more tears—making it a track you’ll want to listen to on nights when you’re burdened with feelings you can’t do anything about.

Only for you, clear skiesYorushika87rank/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.

catDISH//88rank/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 BABYS89rank/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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Maplesupittsu90rank/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.