[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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- [Songs of Infidelity] A collection of forbidden love songs about unattainable romance
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- [Love Songs] A roundup of classic and latest hits about love that can’t be honest
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- A song of forbidden love. A heartrending, sorrowful love song.
[No Going Back] A Love Song of Regret (11–20)
I became someone else’s girlfriend.wacci
This is a song by wacci that sings of a woman’s aching heart as she chooses love for her own sake.
Haven’t you ever tried desperately to tuck a past relationship away as a memory, telling yourself that your current partner is more wonderful than the one you broke up with? Created by vocalist Yohei Hashiguchi, the piece skillfully contrasts a present love that makes you overreach with a past love where you could be yourself, portraying a wavering state of mind with finesse.
After its digital release in August 2018, it spread by word of mouth and became a long-running hit, surpassing 100 million streams.
Even though she’s decided they’ll never meet again, the final lines let her true feelings slip out—so real they strike straight to the heart.
In loveHY
A song by HY that gently sings about the preciousness of love realized after a breakup.
Even if one isn’t the person chosen, it conveys a positive feeling of gratitude for the joy and growth that the encounter brought.
Unlike typical heartbreak songs, it resonates deeply with its stance of embracing past love as a cherished memory.
Included on the album “TIME,” this piece was created as the theme song for the film “366 Days,” set for release in January 2025.
It’s a song that offers comfort to those who have experienced parting with someone dear and wish to hold those memories as a source of strength.
A world without youto shiki
The lyrics spun from Toshiki’s own experiences depict someone who, while immersed in memories of the past, is trying to take a new step forward.
Released in August 2022, the song sparked a huge response on social media and resonated with many people.
It’s a track we’d like those of you still nursing the wounds of a breakup and unable to forget your ex to hear.
Listening to it might prompt you to look back and wonder, “Was that breakup the right choice?” And surely, it will give you the courage to move on.
No matter how…Nishino Kana
It was released in 2011 as Kana Nishino’s 15th single.
Chosen as the song for the SONY WALKMAN “Play You.” commercial, it tells of how the more she loves him, the more jealous and selfish she becomes—and when she does, he drifts away.
While she regrets this bittersweet, irretrievable love, she still refuses to deny the “love” of the past.
It’s a song that voices a powerful feeling that cannot be forgotten.
Return To My LoveDaikoku Maki
It’s a song by Maki Ohguro.
It’s an upbeat, lively track, but the lyrics are about pushing away an ex who says something like, “I realized your good points after we broke up,” with a bittersweet resolve.
It also feels like the woman might still be in love, deep down.
Point of No ReturnCHEMISTRY
With a title that strikingly means “point of no return” in aviation terminology, this CHEMISTRY track blends lyrics that portray lingering attachment to an irretrievable past and the difficulty of moving forward with beautiful harmonies that resonate with a listener’s sentimental heart.
Released in June 2001, this gem of a ballad was also included on their debut album, The Way We Are.
It topped the Oricon chart for two consecutive weeks and earned Double Platinum certification.
When you feel the loneliness at summer’s end or a sudden pang of wistfulness, this song will gently embrace you.
[No Way Back] A Love Song of Regret (21–30)
beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)aiko
It’s a song by aiko that portrays a delicate heart: identifying with an insect that protects itself with a hard shell yet is fragile inside, and acting tough precisely because it’s in love.
Like that insect that cannot survive the winter, the song foresees the end of love, yet its deep affection moves you as it tries to accept even the sadness as a cherished memory.
Released in November 1999, it was also used as the ending theme for TBS’s CDTV.
If you’ve ever found yourself putting on a brave front in front of someone you like, you’ll understand this all too well! As you listen, may you embrace that awkwardness as a part of yourself and find the courage to step forward into tomorrow.