Masterpieces that sing about loneliness: J-pop to listen to when you're alone
This is a carefully curated playlist of Japanese songs that sing about loneliness.
Even when we say “loneliness,” there are many ways to feel it and many forms it can take.
Sometimes you despair at being alone, sometimes you want to be alone, and sometimes you feel the ache of not being able to see someone.
The feeling of pressing on even without someone precious by your side might also be a kind of loneliness.
Here are timeless songs you’ll want to listen to in those lonely moments.
Beyond the massive hits, you’ll also find tracks with a different kind of impact—songs that quietly support you at your core.
Every song here is a wonderful piece that stays close to the listener, so give them all a listen.
- A masterpiece that sings of loneliness. Recommended popular songs.
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- [Melancholy] For when you want to sink all the way. Masterpieces that depict various kinds of gloom.
- When you want to be alone: recommended masterpieces and popular songs for times you crave solitude
- Masterpieces that sing of despair. Recommended popular songs.
- When you want to immerse yourself in music alone! Tear-jerker songs released in the Reiwa era
- [Dark Songs] A carefully curated selection of deeply dark tracks and heartbreaking songs that accompany you in tough times
- A famous song about setbacks. A song that stays by your side when times are tough or you feel like giving up.
- [For when you want to cry or feel sad] Tear-jerking masterpieces that make you cry when you listen
- [Yami Song] Fight darkness with darkness!? Deep tracks that stay close to your pain
- [Bereavement Song] To you whom I can no longer meet... Tear-jerking songs about death
- Songs that hit home when you're feeling blue: masterpieces of Japanese music
- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
Masterpieces that sing of loneliness: J-POP to listen to when you’re alone (41–50)
Another SaturdayHamada Shogo
Shogo Hamada’s “Another Saturday” is truly a song for adults.
It’s about secretly loving a woman who, sadly, loves someone else—but telling her, “I’ll wait for you as long as it takes.” I bet many people can relate to the lyrics about a lonely man.
Masterpieces that sing of loneliness: J-POP to listen to when you're alone (51–60)
North Wind ~May It Reach You~Makihara Noriyuki
This song is one of Noriyuki Makihara’s winter tracks.
Originally included as the B-side to his second single “ANSWER” under the title “Kitakaze” (North Wind), he later self-covered and released it.
While the melody evokes a warm, wintry feel, the lyrics portray a sense of loneliness brought on by the north wind.
It’s precisely in such solitary moments that the narrator wants to meet that special someone and share many things, yet fears those words will be blown away again by the wind of loneliness—a poignantly emotional lyric that is quintessentially Makihara.
FightNakajima Miyuki
Just looking at the title, you might think this song is a cheer song meant for everyone, but when you read the lyrics, it seems more strongly about rousing yourself and standing up when you’re in trouble or feeling sad.
The year after this song was released, the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Tokyo subway sarin attack occurred, so it’s said that Miyuki Nakajima often sang this song at her concerts.
When you feel lonely, I hope listening to this song helps you become a stronger version of yourself.
biting my lipyoshida takurou
Takuro Yoshida’s classic “Biting Your Lip” is truly a song about loneliness.
It’s perfect for listening to alone at night while swaying on a train.
It’s also known as the theme song for the 1980s film series Detective Story.
The song is highly popular even among those who aren’t Takuro Yoshida fans.
Crying in the rain…Yanagi Jōji & Rainīuddo
“Crying in the Rain” sung by George Yanagi & Rainy Wood is truly a masterpiece.
Even if you’ve never heard it before, once you listen, you’ll be overwhelmed by its appeal.
It’s just so cool—and despite being from quite a while ago, it doesn’t feel dated at all.
I can’t put it into wordsOda Kazumasa
This song, “Kotoba ni Dekinai” by Kazumasa Oda, lets you fully savor his husky yet transparent voice.
It’s a classic that he has been singing since his days with the band Off Course.
Many will also recognize it as the theme song for the Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance commercials.
A guaranteed tearjerker.
Night SwingShinsei Kamattechan
A sorrowful yet beautiful piece, marked by the striking image of the protagonist standing alone in a nighttime playground bathed in the gentle light of a crescent moon.
Included on Shinsei Kamattechan’s album “Danchi Thesis,” released in January 2025, this song masterfully conveys loneliness and a sense of loss through its fantastical worldview and uniquely weightless sound.
As the protagonist’s emotions are quietly sketched over a wavering waltz in 3/4 time, it exudes a mysterious allure that makes the boundary between reality and dreams seem to dissolve.
It’s a track that accompanies life’s turning points—graduations, farewells, and more.
An ideal song to listen to in those quiet moments of the night when your heart begins to sway.