[2026] Tear-jerking songs trending on YouTube Shorts. Recommended J-pop

catDISH//

DISH// (Takumi Kitamura) – Neko / THE FIRST TAKE

This is a signature ballad by DISH//, also known for having lyrics and music written by singer-songwriter Aimyon.

It portrays the lingering feelings for a free-spirited ex, like a cat, and the poignant desire to reunite despite a sense of loss.

The unique perspective of “what if ‘you’ appeared as a cat…” really tightens listeners’ chests.

Originally released in 2017 as the B-side to the single “Bokutachi ga Yarimashita,” it drew major attention in 2020 after a performance on the YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE and was also featured as an insert song in a drama of the same name.

Kitamura Takumi’s expressively rich vocals are sure to bring tears, so give it a careful listen on nights when you’re nursing the pain of heartbreak.

waxing; filling up; becoming full; growing (e.g., the moon growing fuller)Fuji Kaze

Fujii Kaze – Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing) / Official Video

Fujii Kaze, whose profound musicality and unpretentious personality draw intense attention at home and abroad.

This work is a sublime ballad whose gentle piano timbre and conversational vocals seep into the heart.

It conveys a philosophical message that letting go of attachment lightens the heart and brings a sense of fulfillment, soothing the listener’s soul.

Written as the theme song for the film “If She Blooms in April,” released in March 2024, the track also drew attention as his first love song.

It was performed at Nissan Stadium in August of the same year, moving many fans to tears—truly a masterpiece.

Recommended for quiet nights when you want to pause and reflect on yourself, or gently face the emotions deep within your heart.

lulu.Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE「lulu.」Official Music Video

Released in January 2026 as if heralding the dawn of Phase 3, this work was chosen as the opening theme for Season 2 of the TV anime “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.” Its grand sound, which conveys the sense of loss felt along the journey and the relentless flow of time that continues nonetheless, gently stands by the listener’s heart.

It blends Mrs.

GREEN APPLE’s signature catchiness with a heart-wrenching poignancy, the kind that loosens your tear ducts even when you just catch a snippet in a short video.

The rollout—linking a live broadcast right before release to the MV premiere—also became a hot topic, leaving a strong impression of a new step for the band.

It’s a song that softly nudges you forward on lonely nights when sadness wells up out of nowhere, or when you need the courage to face ahead.

lilacMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE “Lilac” Official Music Video

A track packed tight with the urgency and brilliance of youth, marked by exhilarating guitar riffs and a driving, ringing sound.

Its message—choosing to move forward while affirming even past pain and your imperfect self—gently accompanies days overshadowed by anxiety.

Released in April 2024 as the opening theme for the TV Tokyo anime “Oblivion Battery,” the song was created by Motoki Omori in an effort to recreate the impulses of his student days.

It won the 66th Japan Record Award, achieving the band’s first-ever consecutive win.

Because it captures not only the sparkle of youth but also its bitterness, it resonates all the more now that we’re adults.

It’s a song to play when you’re struggling to take on a challenge or on a night when you want to be kind to yourself.

hundreds of millions of light-yearsOmoinotake

Omoinotake | Hundreds of Millions of Light-Years [Official Music Video]

Omoinotake’s “Ikuoku Kōnen” (“Hundreds of Millions of Light Years”) is a song about a love that remains unchanged across unfathomable distances and time.

Released as a single in 2024, it was written as the theme song for the TBS drama Eye Love You and generated major buzz.

As of October 2024, it surpassed 300 million total streams, and it continues to be cherished by many as a modern classic.

The message that feelings don’t fade no matter how far apart you are resonates deeply alongside Reo Fujii’s clear, translucent vocals.

Within its bright, pop sound, the arrangement carries a tinge of wistfulness that tightens your chest a little more with every listen.

Give it a try on nights when you long to see someone but can’t, or when you want to reaffirm your feelings for someone important.

Because I like you.Yuika

Because I love you. / “Yuika” [MV]

Singer-songwriter Yuika’s debut, released in June 2021, is a love song that portrays the delicate distance between two people in love through an acoustic guitar-and-vocal performance.

The lyrics are distinctive in that the first verse is from the woman’s perspective and the second from the man’s, capturing the aching frustration of mutual but unspoken feelings as they keep missing each other.

At the time of its release, the song ranked high on Spotify’s viral charts in Taiwan and Hong Kong, resonating across borders.

A re-recorded version with newly recorded vocals was also released in May 2025, offering a charming way to savor the youthful bittersweetness through a more mature voice.

It’s a must-listen not only for current students, but also for adults who feel nostalgic for their own days of youth.

evening primroseNovelbright

Novelbright – Evening Primrose [Official Music Video]

It’s a love ballad that begins with a heart-wrenching piano intro that tightens your chest—impossible to listen to without tears.

Unable to forget an ex-lover and inevitably drifting back to those memories… Yudai Takenaka’s overwhelming high-tone vocals deliver that helpless emotion with dramatic intensity.

Released digitally by Novelbright in December 2020, the song was featured as the Monthly Song for the weather segment on Fuji TV’s “Tokudane!”.

Its performance on the YouTube channel “THE FIRST TAKE” drew a huge response, and it was later included on the album “Kaimaku Sengen.” Give it a careful listen when you want to soothe the pain of heartbreak or have a good cry and feel refreshed at night.