A playlist of timeless gems with piercing lyrics that will move your heart
There are so many wonderful songs in the world—love songs, anthems that cheer you on in life, songs that sing about the value of life—whose lyrics truly pierce the heart.
Many of you have probably had the experience of coming across lyrics that grab you so strongly that, as you listen to them over and over, tears start to flow or your heart feels lighter.
In this article, we’ve gathered timeless hits that captivate people with unforgettable, compelling lyrics from the very first listen.
From tear-jerking lines to words that give you courage, we’ve picked a wide range.
We hope you find that one song that speaks to your heart.
- [Songs with Great Lyrics] Masterpieces you’ll want to listen to while savoring the words that resonate with your heart
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- [Moving] Tear-jerking cheer song. A roundup of popular motivational anthems that resonate with the heart!
- The lyrics are profoundly good. The more you listen, the more it sinks in. Masterpieces of Japanese music, recommended popular songs.
- Encouraging songs: timeless masterpieces that resonate with the heart, recommended popular tracks
- [Just the Lyrics Make Me Cry] Tear-Jerking Songs That Touch the Heart
- [Classic and Contemporary Hits] Emotionally Stirring, Heart-Touching Songs
- [A Cheer for Myself] A pep song dedicated to you who are doing your very best
- The power of words. A special feature on Vocaloid songs with great lyrics
- Songs with powerful lyrics. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks.
- Timeless songs that stay close to your heart when times are tough. Uplifting tracks with gentle lyrics that really sink in.
- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
- Songs that hit home when you're feeling blue: masterpieces of Japanese music
[Masterpieces with Striking Lyrics] A Gem of a Playlist to Move Your Heart (21–30)
An unfinished love song I’ve been working on foreverHata Motohiro
A heartwarming love song by Motohiro Hata that gently sings of the deep affection shared by a couple married for many years.
Released in March 2025 as the theme song for the film “The 35th-Year Love Letter,” it was written specifically for a movie that portrays a husband who, after retiring, begins to learn penmanship and struggles to write a love letter to his wife.
Hata’s clear, luminous vocals and the carefully woven, tender melody beautifully capture the profound bond nurtured over a long marriage and the way one’s feelings for a partner are renewed day by day.
This gem of a ballad is especially recommended for those who feel how love and cherished sentiments evolve and deepen with time.
What the hell is wrong with you?Kakizaki Yūta
Creator Yuta Kakizaki turns the murky emotions and self-loathing of romance into addictive pop.
Among his many songs, this one stands out with an especially intense individuality.
While grounded in piano rock, its chaotic, densely packed arrangement explodes with a power that overwhelms the listener.
The impression is that the short phrases obsessively repeated in the lyrics likely express the protagonist’s confusion and impatience.
Released as a single in June 2023, it drew attention after being selected for official playlists on Apple Music and more.
It’s also a key track within the sequence of releases leading up to the album “Inori no Renshu” (Practice of Prayer).
If you want to experience raw emotional turbulence that isn’t all pretty words, be sure to check it out.
spin; weave; compose (e.g., a story)tota
By intertwining natural scenery with human emotion to convey both transience and beauty, this piece resonates deeply with many hearts.
Through delicate depictions of overcast skies, puddles, and raindrops, it quietly portrays the aching feelings of thinking about someone dear.
Released in February 2023, it garnered immense attention after delivering its first-ever performance on a visual media platform with an appearance on THE FIRST TAKE in April 2023.
It is a heartwarming song that offers comfort to those grieving the loss of a loved one or continuing to think of someone far away.
proofflumpool
A gem-like ballad that portrays parting with friends and setting off toward new dreams.
It begins with gently supportive piano tones, then flumpool’s powerful sound and soaring vocals deliver a warmly resonant message straight to the heart.
Released as a single in September 2011, the song reached No.
4 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and became widely familiar as the assigned piece for the NHK National School Music Competition’s junior high division.
It’s a song that gently encourages those experiencing farewells with cherished friends or taking their first steps into something new.
Love is litrokudenashi
A ballad whose delicate piano tones resonate in the heart.
Created by the music project Rokudenashi, it was released as a single in February 2023 and is also included on the album “Ai ni Saku Hana.” The lyrics, which evoke the warmth of someone’s presence lighting a candle amid loneliness and anxiety, gently comfort a weary heart.
It’s a song you’ll want by your side on down days or when you feel like you’re losing yourself.
Spot the differenceSuda Masaki
Machigai Sagashi is the first digital single by Masaki Suda, released in 2019.
It topped the Oricon Singles Chart and was used as the theme song for the Kansai TV-produced Fuji TV drama Perfect World.
It also drew attention for being written and composed by Kenshi Yonezu.
The lyrics, which sing about the miracle of “meeting you,” are particularly memorable.
It’s a song that tells us it’s okay to live a life full of mistakes.
I’ve gotta do the thing that seems impossible.Sambomasutā
Both a big brother and a mentor, Sambomaster deliver a soul-shaking, fiery track with “Dekikkonai wo Yaranakucha” (“We’ve Gotta Do the Impossible”).
Written specifically for the TV commercial Nissan Serena: Rock Climbing Edition, it’s an anthem that, true to its title, rallies anyone who’s giving their all.
The straightforward encouragement—“It’d be a waste to give up; you can definitely do it”—comes in that signature Sambomaster, passionately spoken style.
Sometimes that rugged, sweaty masculinity is exactly what you need! Give it a listen before an important match or exam, and it might just give you the courage you need!