Crying songs, tear-jerker tunes. A request of tears dedicated to you.
When you hear the phrase “tearjerker song,” what kind of track comes to mind?
A heartbreaking breakup song, a love song that sings of earnest devotion, a piece that tells a moving story, an anthem that cheers on life, a song about loss…
Even just listing them like this shows how many kinds of tearjerker songs there are, doesn’t it?
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of masterpieces that shake us listeners to the core—songs you can’t hear without tears.
We’ve picked out all kinds of genres and moods—above all, songs that will make you cry.
If you find one that resonates with your experiences and feelings, it’s sure to become a treasured song for you.
- [For when you want to cry or feel sad] Tear-jerking masterpieces that make you cry when you listen
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- A collection of tear-jerking songs trending on TikTok: timeless tracks that will move you to tears.
- Tear-jerking inspirational songs: recommended masterpieces and popular tracks
- For When You Need a Good Cry: Soul-Soothing Tearjerker Classics — Life, Love, and Work
- Tear ducts guaranteed to burst! Heart-wrenching masterpiece songs I’d recommend to Gen Z
- [Today's Tearjerker Song] Tear ducts destroyed! Timeless and trending tracks that will make you cry no matter what
- Songs to Play at My Own Funeral: Timeless Gems to Make Farewells Uniquely My Own
- [A Cheer for Myself] A pep song dedicated to you who are doing your very best
- A beautiful Japanese song that purifies the heart. A highly recommended classic.
- Love, bonds, parting, cheers… songs so moving they pierce the heart and make you cry uncontrollably
- Tears won’t stop with these sentimental lyrics! Heisei-era tearjerker songs
- Nostalgic Showa-era heartbreak songs. Soothe your heart with timeless classics that can move women in their 60s to tears.
Crying songs, tearjerker tracks. A tearful request dedicated to you (171–180)
crescent moonayaka
This ambitious work powerfully sings of the aching feelings of longing for a faraway lover.
Released as a single in September 2006, it showcases Ayaka’s outstanding expressive ability to the fullest.
The song is memorable for its forward-looking resolve to overcome parting and loneliness with a loved one, as well as its strong will to keep thinking of that person, while also conveying a sense of a positive future.
It was featured as the CM song for au’s “LISMO” and as the theme song for NHK General TV’s “Tsunagaru TV @ Human,” and it won the Best New Artist Award at the 48th Japan Record Awards.
It’s a song that offers comfort to those in long-distance relationships or anyone who has experienced a farewell with someone dear.
A Farewell SongHilcrhyme
Hilcrhyme’s “Sousouka” captures the feelings you want to convey to someone you love and cherish.
Released in 2013, it was also the theme song for the drama “Yurichika e: A Message from Mom,” starring Takako Tokiwa.
The song is filled with emotions and love that everyone has likely felt at some point in life—feelings so important that you can’t help but express them.
Whether you think of your parents, siblings, partner, or child, the lyrics will likely resonate.
Many will relate to lines that imagine losing someone even while they’re right in front of you.
signJUJU
Singer JUJU, whose broad musicality is shaped by her family’s influence and who also runs her own brand outside of music, has won strong support especially among women through her wide-ranging activities.
Her 20th single “sign,” written as the theme song for the film The Wings of the Kirin, features sentimental piano and strings that tug at the heart.
The lyrics tell the story of searching for a sign from someone who’s been lost, evoking a profound sorrow and loneliness that words alone can’t express.
It’s a tear-jerking ballad that aligns with the film’s narrative.
leap day personRADWIMPS
A poignant song by RADWIMPS written as the theme for the film “The Last 10 Years.” It portrays the fragility of spending limited time with a loved one and highlights the preciousness of life.
The lyrics strikingly express a contradiction of modern society: physical distance can shrink, yet emotional distance remains.
The sense of helplessness and inner conflict—wanting to do something for someone you love but being unable to—hits close to the heart.
It’s a song that stays close to the sorrow of losing someone important while evoking hope for a reunion.
Just being alive is admirable.ReoNa
For those shedding tears over days that just won’t go right, this song might be the companion you need.
It’s a track by ReoNa, a singer known as a “despair-type anisong singer,” included on her fifth single, “Nai Nai,” released in 2021.
The lyrics and composition were created by the popular Vocaloid producer Tota Kasamura.
The lyrics, which spill out feelings straight from the heart, are so raw they tighten your chest just reading them.
The sorrowful piano and ReoNa’s on-the-verge-of-tears vocals really hit you right in the tear ducts.
Crying ballads, tear-jerker songs. A tearful request dedicated to you (181–190)
LetterSHE’S
“Letter” is a song that faces the honest feelings you experience in everyday life with someone special.
It was released in 2019 by SHE’S, a band known for delivering rock sounds infused with piano tones.
The warm, everyday-life-friendly sound unfolds with a steady rhythm.
The lyrics portray relationships that grow harder the closer two people become.
Accompanied by a relaxed band performance, vocalist Ryoma Inoue’s gentle voice resonates with a poignant emotion.
The track is often used in TikTok videos set against emotional scenes.
When you’re feeling down, give the melody and lyrics a listen—they might give you courage.
passing by each otherSoala
“Sorechigai” is a song that gives voice to the pent-up emotions of being told goodbye by someone you love.
Released in 2023 by singer-songwriter Soala, who rose to popularity through social media platforms like TikTok, the track blends a rhythmic R&B groove with her emotional vocals.
It portrays a bittersweet love that keeps asking the other person the same questions, even while knowing they are drifting apart.
The song’s structure—spoken, intimate verses that build into a passionate, soaring chorus—conveys an overflowing love, making it a poignant breakup anthem.