Popular Unrequited Love Song Rankings [2026]

Sniper.Yuika50rank/position

Sniper. / “Yuika” [MV]

This is a pop number by Yuika, who has been gaining buzz thanks to dance videos on TikTok.

The song comically portrays a one-sided-crush strategy, treating the person she likes as a “target” and aiming straight for their heart.

The play-by-play, live-broadcast-style lyrics are memorable, and listening to it really makes your heart flutter! Yuika wrote this track when she was a second-year high school student; it was released digitally in April 2024 and later included on the album “Longing for Navy.” With its up-tempo melody and the protagonist’s earnest feelings, it’s a song that sends emotions soaring.

If you’re in the middle of a crush, you might just find yourself unable to sit still when you listen!

EsperanzaNishino Kana51rank/position

Kana Nishino “Esperanza” MV Full

A song by Kana Nishino that expresses the bittersweet feelings of a woman’s unrequited love through passionate Latin sounds.

Even though she knows the person she likes already has a partner, the woman’s complex emotions still resonate deeply.

The sound of Spanish guitar and the powerful vocals beautifully fuse heartache with a forward-looking spirit.

Released in May 2011, it was used as the theme song for Nippon TV’s “Sukkiri!!” and was included on the album “Thank you, Love.” It won the Excellence Award at the 53rd Japan Record Awards.

This is a song that stands by women troubled by unrequited love and gives them the courage to keep looking ahead without giving up.

Because I like you.Yuika52rank/position

Because I love you. / “Yuika” [MV]

A bittersweet love song that captures the real, heartfelt feelings of teenagers in love, carried by the sound of an acoustic guitar.

Released in June 2021 as the debut work of singer-songwriter Yuika, who enjoys massive support especially on TikTok.

Its unique structure presents the first verse from a girl’s perspective and the second from a boy’s, tightening your chest with the frustration of mutual but unspoken feelings that keep missing their mark.

The way they’re elated or deflated by each other’s small gestures is pure youth itself.

It’s a song that gives a gentle push to those who want to confess their feelings before graduation but can’t quite find the courage.

A re-recorded version featuring her voice at age 20 was released in May 2025, and it continues to be cherished as an unfading bible of love over time.

On nights when I’m too lonely to sleepAimer53rank/position

Aimer 'On Nights When I’m Too Lonely to Sleep'

When it comes to songs that gently stay by your side on lonely, anxious nights, there’s Aimer’s “Sabishikute Nemurenai Yoru wa,” released in 2011.

It portrays the sleepless feelings of thinking about someone you can no longer meet.

The simple arrangement of piano and vocals conveys a sincere emotion.

Her powerful yet heartrending, emotional voice is also soothing.

It’s a ballad where the straightforward wish—“I want to see that person once more…”—resonates in your heart.

On a cold winter day, give this gently spreading, heartwarming track a listen.

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mutō

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RomanticismMrs. GREEN APPLE54rank/position

Mrs. GREEN APPLE – Romanticism

A song by Mrs.

GREEN APPLE that sings of a bittersweet, long-distance kind of love.

With a theme of love for humanity, it portrays a fateful romance born from a chance encounter.

The lyrics asking, “What kind of person are you?” convey a heartfelt desire to understand the other.

Released in October 2019 as the theme song for Shiseido’s “Sea Breeze” commercial, the track also drew attention for its innovative music video—an uncut, simultaneously shot split-screen in two vertical halves.

The lyrics, which evoke the end of spring and summer, compellingly reflect relationships changing over time.

It’s a recommended track not only for those struggling with love, but also for anyone feeling unsure about their relationships.

#302Hirai Ken55rank/position

Ken Hirai '#302' MUSIC VIDEO

“#302,” a song by Ken Hirai that painfully captures one-way feelings—aching, bittersweet, and sad.

Paired with his vocals, it’s a heartbreaking unrequited love song that tightens your chest.

Every lyric is poignant and painful, and it even makes you feel like you’re watching a drama.

The song conveys, with striking clarity, the strong yet gentle desire to stay close to someone you love, even knowing they love someone else.

If you’re experiencing a similar kind of love, it’s a sorrowful love song that will surely bring you to tears.

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utatane

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Blue BenchSasuke56rank/position

Blue Bench / Sasuke

It’s a pure love song wrapped in a sense of longing.

Set on a nostalgic bench after the lover is gone, it delicately portrays the emotions of looking back on an unrequited love.

Regret over not being able to convey one’s feelings and lingering attachment to a love that will never return resonate through the delicate vocals and melody.

Released independently in 2003, the song sold out all 500 copies immediately, despite being available only at a single store in the artist’s hometown of Ōmiya.

When you think back to “that moment” when you couldn’t be honest with a beloved partner, this song will be there to embrace your heart.