[No Going Back] A Love Song About Regret
You might have regrets too—like breaking up with someone you loved, or giving up before confessing your feelings.
People often say “There’s no use crying over spilt milk,” but once it’s over, you can’t help thinking, “I should have done this,” or “I wish I’d done that.” In this article, we’re introducing love songs about regret that we hope you’ll listen to.
We’ve gathered many tracks—from songs that express a heart weighed down by regret to ones that try to move forward despite the remorse—so give them a listen if you’d like.
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- A song of forbidden love. A heartrending, sorrowful love song.
[No Going Back] A Love Song of Regret (91–100)
Stay by my sideAbe Mao
It was released in 2011 as Mao Abe’s seventh single.
Written when Abe was in her senior year of high school, the song expresses the regret of breaking up with a lover.
The lyrics, which portray the loneliness after the breakup and a weakened heart, make it a very heartrending love ballad.
To move forwardAbe Mao
A masterpiece filled with Mao Abe’s soulful cry, where sorrow and resolve intertwine.
It’s a moving love song that portrays the courage to move forward while still holding lingering feelings for a past lover.
Digitally released in May 2024, it also sparked buzz through a collaboration with Shueisha’s manga “I Want to Fall in Love That Lets Me Forget You.” Marking a fitting celebration of Abe’s 15th anniversary, her powerful yet delicate vocals resonate deep in the heart.
A song that stays close to those suffering from heartbreak and to anyone ready to take a new step.
It’s sure to become a source of strength for you.
TIMEB’z
It was released in 1992 as the coupling track to B’z’s 10th single, “BLOWIN’.” In the 1990s, it was frequently performed live as a staple ballad.
The lyrics depict the bittersweet feelings of a man who realizes the importance and significance of his ex-girlfriend after their breakup and regrets losing her.
regretShibata Satoko
Its stylish sound and bouncy vocals will stick in your head.
It’s a song by Satoko Shibata, a singer-songwriter from Hokkaido, included on her 2017 album “Holiday of Love.” It may come across as a breezy, carefree breakup song, but reading the lyrics, you can imagine a protagonist forcing themselves to act cheerful.
That said, it isn’t exactly a sad song either; with each repeat listen, you notice something new and it keeps surprising you.
Even though, true to its title, it sings about “regret,” you might find yourself smiling and skipping as you listen on a walk.
GraduationMy Hair is Bad
“Sotsugyou” is a slightly positive breakup song by My Hair is Bad.
In the first verse, the lyrics are from the perspective of a man who loves “you,” while the second verse is written from “your” perspective.
The two keep getting together and breaking up, slipping into a complacent relationship, but the song depicts their decision to end it with a ‘graduation.’ In love, we tend to prioritize our feelings of affection above all else, but it’s bittersweet that they choose to part ways for the sake of each of their futures.
One day, when they look back, they’ll surely feel that this was for the best.
