Farewell Songs: Tracks that sing various kinds of “goodbyes”
In life, we encounter many kinds of farewells: breaking up with a lover, parting ways with beloved friends and mentors when moving on to further studies or a new job, and even losing precious family members.
Some farewells are sad, while others are hopeful—but saying “goodbye” is always tinged with loneliness.
In this article, we’ll introduce songs that capture the feeling of “goodbye” and gently accompany your heart.
From songs that heal the wounds of heartbreak to songs that cheer you on at a new beginning, we’ve picked out tracks that sing about all kinds of farewells.
Find the one that perfectly fits your situation!
[Farewell Songs] Tracks that sing various "goodbyes" (1–10)
Maplesupittsu
Spitz has fans across generations.
Their song “Kaede” is the band’s 19th single, released in 1998.
It’s a track that remains popular regardless of era, and the fact that it’s still so loved after all this time is proof it’s a classic.
The lyrics resonate not only with those in love but with anyone who’s experienced a farewell, and they make you think not just about the sadness of parting, but about what lies ahead.
It encourages you not to let that farewell be in vain—engrave it in your heart and move forward.
secret base ~What You Gave Me~ZONE
“Secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~” is a quintessential summer song and one of ZONE’s signature tracks.
Released in 2001 as ZONE’s third single, it remains a beloved classic that you still hear often, and many artists have covered it.
In recent years, it also drew attention for being used as the ending theme of the TV anime Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day.
It’s a heart-tugging song that makes you think of someone you once spent time with.
bye byeNEW!AYANE
This is a breakup song that captures the pain of a love that can’t be easily cut off.
Even though the person is hurt and swayed by their partner’s words, they can’t help but hold onto hope somewhere, unable to let go—those complicated feelings are sung gently in AYANE’s candid, down-to-earth lyrics over a mid-tempo, R&B-based sound.
Released in September 2022, the track was later included on the album “#Twenty,” which gathers emotions of her generation.
It’s a song that quietly stays by the side of anyone who resolved to say goodbye but whose heart can’t quite catch up—someone who wants to end it but just can’t.
On a night when you want to sever lingering attachment, how about listening to this song and facing your honest feelings?
How could you say it’s the worst?NEW!the shes gone
This is a heartbreak song that portrays the sharp words hurled at the end of love and the pain the heart can’t fully bear.
The awkwardness of a sudden breakup in everyday life and the contrast with once-happy days echo poignantly over a band sound.
Included on The shes gone’s album “DAYS,” released in January 2019, this track has been cherished by fans since the band’s early days.
You’ll likely deeply relate to the agonizing state of being unable to fully come to dislike the other person.
Precisely because you loved them, you can’t neatly forget, and this song gently stays beside those who carry regret and loneliness.
Try listening to it alone in your room at night, when you want to let the tears flow and sort out your feelings.
Let’s each start walkingNEW!Abe Mao
An unadorned lyric and a powerful melody resonate in the heart—an aching yet warm song of parting.
It stands beside those who, while caring for each other, have chosen to walk different paths, portraying a quiet resolve to face forward while carrying their wounds.
Written as the theme song for the film “The Brother and Sister of the Onodera Family,” it was released in October 2014 as Mao Abe’s 12th single.
It was later included on the acclaimed album “Oppajime!” and became a pivotal song marking an important milestone in her career.
This work is for those who chose to say goodbye while still in love, burdened with an unbearable sense of loss.
While keeping regret and apology close to your heart, it gently gives you the courage to pray for the other’s happiness and take a new step forward.
We againSG
Singer-songwriter SG, who has been active mainly on social media after a video titled “A Korean tried singing in Japanese” went viral.
His song Bokura Mata is a number about springtime meetings and farewells.
Hailed as “a graduation song representative of the Reiwa era,” the title fits perfectly: it sings of positive partings and the feeling of taking a new step forward.
The lyrics also weave in fond memories from the past, which really tugs at the heartstrings.
The optimism of believing we’ll meet again somewhere, someday—and when we do…—is sure to strike a chord.
Goodbye is an emotionSakanakushon
Sakanaction is a five-piece rock band whose name reflects their desire to move forward without fearing change.
Their 9th single, “Goodbye is Emotion,” released as a double A-side with “Lotus Flower,” was featured as the theme song for the TV commercial for TOSHIN’s 2013 National Unified High School Test and National Unified Junior High School Test.
The lyrics, which look back on memories while conveying the resolve to take a new step, resonate with listeners’ own feelings beyond just a breakup with a lover.
It’s a dramatic pop tune whose rapidly unfolding ensemble stirs the heart.
