RAG Music
Lovely music

Masterpieces that sing of regret. Recommended popular songs.

There’s a saying that life has its ups and downs, and as long as we’re living, we’re bound to have regrets.

When that happens, what do you do to bounce back?

Many people relieve stress by exercising or traveling, but listening to music to sort out your feelings is also highly recommended.

In this article, I’d like to introduce lots of songs themed around regret!

If there’s something you just can’t help regretting, try listening to music and take the next step forward.

Masterpieces about regret: Top 10 recommended popular songs (1–10)

For me to be myselfOzaki Yutaka

Yutaka Ozaki — For Me to Be Myself
For me to be myselfOzaki Yutaka

It’s a song included on Yutaka Ozaki’s first album, “Seventeen’s Map,” released in 1983.

Frequently performed live, it was used as the theme song for the 1997 TV drama “Boku ga Boku de Aru Tame ni” and the 2011 TV drama “Suzuki Sensei.” Even today, it continues to be covered by many artists.

366 daysHY

HY – “366 Days” Live Music Video
366 daysHY

A lot of women probably sing this often at karaoke, don’t they? It’s one of the signature songs by HY, a mixed-genre band from Okinawa.

It was included on their 2008 album “HeartY.” It also served as the theme song for both the drama and film adaptations of the novel “Akai Ito” (Red Thread).

When it comes to breakup songs, this is the one! That’s how popular it is.

The lyrics overflow with the pain and heartache after a breakup, and just reading them alone is enough to make your chest tighten.

A love without regrets… that’s what we all want, isn’t it…?

Regretsumika

sumika / Regret [Music Video]
Regretsumika

This is a heartbreak song by sumika, a rock band from Kanagawa.

Released in 2014 as their indie debut single, it was later included on the album “I co Y.” The lyrics portray someone remembering an ex-lover and desperately wishing to hear their voice—even just their voice—making for a bittersweet theme.

While it’s an upbeat, guitar-driven rock number, the imagery evoked by the lyrics squeezes your heart.

It might bring back memories of when you were younger—say, a romance from your school days.

Classic songs about regret. Recommended popular tracks (11–20)

A Tiny Bit of CourageFUNKY MONKEY BABYS

FUNKY MONKEY BABYS 'A Tiny Bit of Courage'
A Tiny Bit of CourageFUNKY MONKEY BABYS

It was released in 2007 as FUNKY MONKEY BABYS’ fifth single.

The song was used as the May opening theme for Nippon TV’s “Music Fighter” and as an insert song in the film “The 700 Days’ War with Our Local Police Officer.” It’s a song that teaches us the importance of having just a little bit of courage.

I love you. ~100 Regrets~Sonar Pocket

Sonar Pocket “I Love You. ~100 Regrets~” [MV Spot 1]
I love you. ~100 Regrets~Sonar Pocket

It was released in 2010 as Sonar Pocket’s first digital single.

The more he tries to forget the woman he broke up with, the stronger his feelings grow, turning into a song that conveys the pain of being unable to forget, the sorrow, and the regret.

It’s a song that expresses the regret of wishing he had treated her more kindly.

After a broken heartCHIHIRO

CHIHIRO – After a Broken Heart (Official MV)
After a broken heartCHIHIRO

When you go through a heartbreak, you can’t help wondering what was wrong with you, can you? This is a song by CHIHIRO, a singer-songwriter from Fukuoka Prefecture, included on her 2019 album “Watashi no Koi wa Namida de Dekiteiru” (“My Love Is Made of Tears”).

The feelings of a heartbroken woman are expressed in down-to-earth words that pierce the heart.

Her voice is straightforward, yet even that sounds tinged with sadness.

Recommended for those who want to have a good cry and reset their feelings.

Pure Love RhapsodyTakeuchi Mariya

Pure Love Rhapsody – Mariya Takeuchi
Pure Love RhapsodyTakeuchi Mariya

Released in 1994 as Mariya Takeuchi’s 24th single.

It was used as the theme song for the NTV drama “Deatta Koro no Kimi de Ite” and as a Nissan Cefiro commercial song, becoming her biggest hit single.

It’s a masterpiece that conveys the regret of wishing she had met him sooner.