[No Going Back] A Love Song About Regret

Once moreAteen

Ateen – Once Again (Lyric Video)

This is a poignant track by Ateen that overflows with unresolved feelings for a former lover.

The regret and inner conflict of wishing to go back to those days come through painfully in the lyrics, which the artist penned themselves.

The unadorned emotions written straight into the words are sure to pierce listeners’ hearts.

Released in July 2023, this work was only the second in Ateen’s early career, yet it resonated widely, even landing on Spotify’s viral charts.

It blends the accessibility of J-pop with elements of hip-hop in a pleasing way, and it’s sure to gently encourage anyone hoping for reconciliation.

nape (of the neck)aiko

aiko - “Eriashi” music video

A winter ballad whose aching vocals by aiko strike straight to the heart.

It portrays feelings that can’t be severed for a former lover and a love that doesn’t fade, even after years have passed.

Many who hope to rekindle a romance will likely be moved to tears by the strong wish to someday meet again—if only the other person is still out there somewhere.

Released as a single in November 2003, the song is also included on the acclaimed album “Akatsuki no Love Letter.” There’s even a story that aiko herself shed tears during the mixing process.

If you listen to it when you’ve been separated yet can’t let go, it will surely affirm your pure feelings and give you the courage to face forward once more.

MemoTakase Tōya

Toya Takase / Memorandum Self Cover Ver (Official Lyric Video)

As a “record for forgetting,” this song chronicles days with a former lover, yet the lingering attachment comes through with aching clarity.

Sung by Tōya Takase, this R&B ballad brings the reality of a lost love into sharp relief through vivid, everyday details of ordinary exchanges.

Wanting to go back but being unable to—the squeeze of that contradiction is hard to ignore.

Released in April 2021, the piece is a self-cover: originally written for a friend, then re-sung by Takase himself.

Its story of two people drawn together even after parting will quietly stay close to the heart of anyone hoping for reconciliation but unable to take that next step.

tear(s)Marushii

Marcy – Tears (Official Music Video)

A heartbreaking breakup ballad by Marcy, beloved for their relatable, down-to-earth music.

The structure tells all the radiant memories of a seaside park in the past tense, conveying the bittersweet ache of heartbreak—the way you can’t help but remember, even knowing you can’t go back.

You might recognize that feeling, as if your body still carries the warmth of the other person.

It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone who can’t forget a summer romance that has come to an end.

First loveUtada Hikaru

Hikaru Utada – First Love

A signature ballad by Hikaru Utada that conveys endless feelings for a parted lover through gentle piano and a crystal-clear vocal.

From the faint bitterness felt in a goodbye kiss flows the protagonist’s emotions—filled with the sadness and resignation of the one left behind.

Yet it’s not mere lingering attachment; there’s a realization that they learned “how to love” from the person they broke up with, and a quiet strength in accepting that this romance will forever hold a special place in their heart.

Released as a single from the March 1999 album First Love, it was used as the theme song for the TV drama Majo no Jōken (Forbidden Love).

It’s a song that gently embraces anyone who has someone they’ll never forget, or who keeps thinking of a former lover even after parting.

Unfit to be a loverKoresawa

Koresawa “Unqualified as a Lover” [Music Video]

A breakup ballad from a male perspective that portrays the anguish and regret of the one who said goodbye.

It’s a self-cover sung from the viewpoint of the man who leaves the room in Koresawa’s signature song “Tabako.” Released as a digital single in June 2019, it was later included on the concept mini-album “Heartbreak Scrap” in January 2020.

Originally written for Miyuhan, the track drew attention with its music video featuring Ryusei Yokohama.

The song movingly captures the conflict of a man who ends the relationship precisely because he loves her, blaming not her but his own shortcomings.

Listening to it alongside “Tabako” deepens your understanding of the couple’s emotional misalignment.

Highly recommended for anyone who’s experienced the end of a cherished relationship or carries guilt over having hurt someone they love.

Maplesupittsu

Spitz / Kaede

A ballad that sings of the resolve to live on with the pain of parting.

Those warm days when even casual exchanges with a loved one—and the ache in your heart—were all wrapped in their smile.

Yet even as the protagonist accepts a daily life that will never return, the way they move forward as if embracing a voice is deeply moving.

After being included on the album “Fake Fur,” it was released in July 1998 as a double A-side single with “Spica.” It has been used in numerous dramas, including as an insert song for Fuji TV’s “Over Time” and in NTV’s “Zambi.” It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone who can’t stop dwelling on a lost love or who can’t forget someone dear.

Masamune Kusano’s clear, translucent vocals deliver a ray of hope within the sorrow.