Popular Unrequited Love Song Rankings [2026]

Callchanmina71rank/position

Chanmina – Call (Official Music Video)

Chanmina, a female rapper also known as the Beyoncé of Nerima.

Her song “Call” is a breakup track that puts into words a slightly bitter lament about how a guy she was into suddenly flipped and fell for a girl who’s her complete opposite, leaving her hurt.

The feelings of “I was the one who misunderstood” and “But you liked me at least a little, didn’t you?” intersect, and in the end she puts on a brave face with “I don’t care about you anymore.” As a fellow woman, I understand that feeling well.

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sasashina

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GO FOR IT!!Nishino Kana72rank/position

Kana Nishino 'Go For It (Short 4-minute Excerpt Ver)'

This song carries a powerful message that transforms the bittersweet feelings of unrequited love into something positive.

Kana Nishino’s clear, expansive vocals and the catchy melody resonate deeply.

The lyrics capture both the honest desire to express feelings to someone you love and the hesitation born from shyness and anxiety, making it highly relatable for many women.

Released in July 2012, the track was also featured in a commercial for Yamazaki Bread’s “Lunch Pack.” It’s a perfect cheer-up song not only for women experiencing unrequited love, but for anyone who wants to find the courage to take a step forward.

You know what,are-kun &『yuika’}73rank/position

You know. / Are-kun & “Yuika” [MV]

A refreshing melody that evokes the feeling of spring, paired with lyrics that capture the innocence of first love, makes a lasting impression! This is a duet by Are-kun and Yuika.

Created solely through exchanges on social media, the song was born from a fateful encounter where they met face-to-face for the first time at the recording session.

It vividly portrays the frustration of two people who have feelings for each other but can’t quite express them honestly.

Released in April 2022, it also drew attention for its youthfully nostalgic music video, in which a male and a female high school student share their feelings as cherry blossoms flutter around them.

It’s recommended not only for those with unrequited love, but also for anyone who wants to start a new romance with the arrival of spring.

beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)aiko74rank/position

Beetle – aiko (Full)

It was their fourth single, released in 1999, and it was tied up as the ending theme for TBS’s “CDTV” in December 1999 and Fuji TV’s “Jobireba!?” It’s a rare song that expresses the feelings of unrequited love through a rhinoceros beetle.

From Me to Youflumpool75rank/position

flumpool “Kimi ni Todoke” Music Video

A pop tune by flumpool that was also used as the theme song for a film based on a popular comic of the same name.

The lyrics, told from a male perspective and depicting pure emotions, are irresistibly relatable.

The way the chorus suddenly soars—like feelings of love bursting out—is wonderful, too.

The dramatic development that calls to mind “When You Wish Upon a Star” is absolutely lovely.

Give it a listen when you just can’t hold back your feelings of love.

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KEI

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I became someone else’s girlfriend.wacci76rank/position

wacci “I Became Someone Else’s Girlfriend” Music Video

A love song woven with a voice that leaves a bittersweet afterglow, capturing a form of love different from a simple unrequited crush.

The emotions of a woman swaying between reason and feeling are portrayed with delicate nuance.

Though she should be satisfied with her new relationship, the frustration of being unable to sever her feelings for her ex presses on her heart.

Released digitally by wacci in August 2018, the song gradually gained popularity through word of mouth on social media, reaching 100 million total streams in June 2021.

It has sparked a major response, with many artists covering it.

This is a track that deeply resonates with anyone who feels, “I should be happy, yet I’m not fulfilled,” and who carries such complex romantic emotions.

makeupMy Hair is Bad77rank/position

My Hair is Bad – Makeup

The three-piece rock band My Hair is Bad released the poignant ballad “Keshou” in 2019.

Sometimes you fall in love, but the person you like has feelings for someone else, and you can’t even confess—ending in heartbreak.

This song is exactly about unrequited feelings, but… it also suggests there might be a physical relationship.

Being accepted in such a halfway manner, yet never becoming the most important person in the end—that’s really painful, isn’t it? For those who’ve been through the same experience, I think this is a heartbreak song that will make your chest tighten.

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sasashina

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KanadeSukima Suichi78rank/position

Sukima Switch – “Kanade” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / KANADE Music Video

Released in 2004, this second single is an indispensable classic ballad when talking about Sukima Switch.

It was featured as an insert song in the film “Rough” and as a TV drama theme, and in 2006 it was also chosen as the ending theme for the final day of “Nettou Koshien.” The lyrics, depicting a moment of parting, convey the protagonist’s aching attempt to send their feelings to the one who is leaving, along with a wish to remain connected in their hearts.

When you reach a turning point in life—graduation, a job change, and so on—listening to this song will bring back memories from that time, and the tears will naturally start to flow.

With its gentle tempo and piano tones that soak into the heart, it’s a profoundly moving track.

You and the slopesSHISHAMO79rank/position

SHISHAMO “You and the Slopes”

Kimi to Gelende, with its catchy melody that evokes an exciting romance, is actually a song packed tightly with deep sadness—quite the opposite of its tune.

It tells a heartbreaking story: the person she’s long had a crush on actually likes another girl, and when she sees the two of them getting along, she realizes their feelings for each other.

A bittersweet track like that.

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utatane

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wrapTENSONG80rank/position

TENSONG “Matoi (Wrapped In)” [Official Music Video]

A gem of a love song that portrays a bittersweet form of love between a man and a woman.

It expresses the desire everyone has to love in their own way, rendered through TENSONG’s distinctive sound.

Released in July 2021, the track captured the hearts of many listeners, reaching No.

2 on LINE MUSIC.

It delicately sings of the confusion at parting, love that isn’t swayed by others’ opinions, and experiences that should be etched in the heart as precious memories—all carried by vocalist Takabō’s high, clear voice.

This is a song that stands beside anyone struggling with love and gently conveys that there are many ways to love.