Popular Unrequited Love Song Rankings [2026]

loveback number8rank/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.

cold; curt; blunt; unfriendlyRADWIMPS9rank/position

RADWIMPS – Aloof [Official Music Video]

This is an epic love song over six minutes long that delicately portrays the wavering emotions of an ambiguous romance.

The bittersweet feelings of being elated or dejected by a partner’s slightest gestures or words are expressed over a calm and beautiful melody.

Included on RADWIMPS’ album ANTI ANTI GENERATION, released in December 2018, the song was also used as the theme for ABEMA’s dating reality show Who Is the Wolf?, resonating strongly with younger audiences.

The music video features Nana Komatsu and Fuju Kamio, resulting in a striking visual piece that reflects contemporary views on love.

It’s a track best enjoyed when you can really take your time singing—whether during a solo karaoke session or at karaoke with close friends in a relaxed setting.

OrangeGReeeeN10rank/position

GReeeeN – Orange

This is a song by GReeeeN that refreshingly depicts a faint budding romance through scenes bathed in the orange glow of dusk.

The lyrics, which straightforwardly express feelings for the other person, are striking; they carefully portray the joy of the moment when love becomes mutual and the anticipation for the future that lies ahead.

Released in April 2012, the track was featured in a Shiseido “SEA BREEZE” commercial and is included on the album “Utautai ga Utautai ni Kite Utau tae to Iu ga Utautai ga Utau dake Utai Kireba Uta Utau keredomo Utautai dake Utautai Kirenai kara Uta Utawanu!?” It’s a recommended song for times when you feel unsure about your feelings for someone or when you want to cheer on a romance that’s about to begin.

You Belong With MeTaylor Swift11rank/position

Taylor Swift – You Belong With Me

This is an unrequited love song by Taylor Swift, who has garnered immense support for her acoustic vocals, addictive chorus phrases, and melodic world-building.

The depth of the lyrics is exceptional, elevating the song to such a sublime level that it could even bring you to tears.

Unrequited loveAimer12rank/position

Aimer “Kataomoi” MUSIC VIDEO (FULL ver.)

A female singer with a soulful, smoky voice you can’t forget once you hear it—Aimer.

This song, provided by Takahito Uchisawa of androp, is a straightforward love song about deep, enduring affection.

It carries a vow to keep loving the other person even as they grow older, and a wish to always feel as fresh as when they first met, creating a warm, happy atmosphere that evokes a future with someone special.

The track is included on the album “daydream,” released in September 2016, and also served as the opening theme for the music program CDTV.

Unlike a sad unrequited-love song, it’s a heartwarming number that brings back the pure feelings of a first crush.

Love’s Melody and Rainy SkiesAAA13rank/position

AAA / “Love Sound and Rainy Sky” Music Video

Koioto to Amazora portrays a love that’s so sincere it makes it hard to be honest about your true feelings.

The performance group AAA released it in 2013.

With lyrics that conjure scenes of a rainy day and the members’ emotional vocals, it’s a heartrending number.

It depicts how taking a little distance can make you realize how precious the one you love is and deepen your feelings for them.

It’s a song that expresses a straightforward desire to be together, even for just a brief moment.

Even when they sometimes miss each other emotionally, it shows that the feelings of two people who love each other don’t change.

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mutō

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Happinessback number14rank/position

Happiness / back number (cover)

Speaking of bittersweet love songs, you can’t leave out this track by back number.

She truly loves him, yet she sits by his side watching him fall for someone else… all while wishing for his happiness.

She’s probably just too kind, isn’t she? A love that can’t be put into words—what would you do?

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sasashina

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