Heart-piercing, bittersweet songs and sad music for Instagram Stories
Doesn’t everyone have moments when they feel a little blue or sentimental? Listening to music can help us connect with those feelings, too! This time, I’d like to introduce some bittersweet songs you can use in your Instagram Stories.
Many of them are about breakups and lost love, but there are also songs that capture different shades of melancholy, like the despair of things you can’t change—so please read to the end! I think sharing those aching feelings with others is a wonderful thing, so I’d be happy if you find a favorite and use it! Now, let’s get started!
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Heart-piercing, bittersweet songs and sad music for Instagram Stories (1–10)
First LoveUtada Hikaru
It’s a timeless song filled with poignancy and fragility.
Included on the debut album “First Love,” it was written and composed by Hikaru Utada at the age of 16.
Focusing on the end of first love, it portrays the pain of heartbreak and the vividness of past memories.
Accompanied by a gentle piano melody, Utada’s delicate vocals resonate deeply.
Released in April 1999, it reached No.
2 on the Oricon Singles Chart and became a massive hit, topping the karaoke charts for 15 consecutive weeks.
It’s recommended for those who have experienced the end of a romance or want to linger in nostalgia.
Use it in your Instagram Stories to express a bittersweet mood.
Plastic LoveTakeuchi Mariya
This song sings of a bittersweet love, portraying the feelings of a woman dancing the night away at a disco.
The protagonist, hurt by past relationships, continues superficial encounters while still yearning for true love—an impression that lingers.
It was included on the 1984 album “VARIETY” and released as a 12-inch single in 1985.
Tatsuro Yamashita produced the track and also played guitar.
In 2019, a new promotional video was created to commemorate its 35th anniversary.
It’s a lovely track that also works great for Instagram Stories.
Young adultmakaroni enpitsu
A poignant song that captures the feelings of young people wishing that the songs that carry them through the night will never die.
Included on the mini-album “season,” released in September 2019, it gently weaves themes of loneliness, despair, and the longing for love among today’s youth.
The track has resonated with many, surpassing 100 million streams.
It’s a song especially meant for those who are chasing their dreams yet facing harsh realities and pain.
The warm vocals of Macaroni Empitsu are sure to stay close to your heart.
It’s also very popular among young listeners and makes a great pick for Instagram Stories.
Touching, heartbreaking songs and sad music for Instagram Stories (11–20)
A 3 o’clock kissrokudenashi
A song to keep you company on a bittersweet night.
Rokudenashi’s track delicately portrays both regret and gratitude for a love that’s been lost.
Carried by a gentle melody, it sings of love’s imbalance and the emotions at the moment of parting, resonating deeply with listeners.
Released in June 2021, it became a key work from the early stage of Rokudenashi’s career.
In December 2023, the first album “Ai ni Saku Hana” was also released, reaching No.
23 on the Oricon chart.
It’s a recommended song for expressing wistfulness in your Instagram stories or for reaffirming your appreciation for someone important.
dancerVaundy
This is a song with a warmth that gently envelops a wistful heart.
The lyrics convey lingering attachment and inner conflict over a lost love, yet at the same time, you can sense a hope for the future.
Released exclusively via digital distribution in November 2021, the song was performed as the finale of Vaundy’s tour.
The music video features actress Nana Komatsu, directed by Kodai Kobayashi.
It’s a recommended track for moments when you want to be honest with your feelings or quietly reflect on someone dear to you.
The voice that resonates close to your heart and the relatable lyrics will gently wrap your heart in comfort.
hundreds of millions of light-yearsOmoinotake
It’s a moving song that brings to mind someone dear who’s far away.
Released in January 2024, it was also chosen as the opening theme for the TBS Tuesday drama “Eye Love You.” The lyrics, which sing of love that transcends time and distance, are sure to leave a deep impression on listeners.
Omoinotake’s warm vocals and the soothing sounds of piano and drums create a soundscape that’s perfect for moments of longing.
Use it in your Instagram Stories, and you might be able to share your feelings with friends.
horizonback number
This song is characterized by a warm melody that deeply resonates with listeners.
Created by back number in August 2020, it was written as a cheer song for high school students following the cancellation of the Inter-High.
The lyrics, which empathize with those who have pursued their dreams since childhood, gently portray the sorrow felt when facing setbacks and hardships, as well as the strength to keep looking forward.
Delicately expressing the feelings of people who must part with their past selves or loved ones, or who find themselves in situations where they have to give up their dreams, this piece has a charm that evokes new emotions with every listen.
It is a song that conveys a sense of strength even amid sadness.