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, tear-jerker tracks. A tearful request dedicated to you (51–60)
wailing in griefKudō Shizuka
Shizuka Kudo’s 18th single, released in February 1993.
It was the theme song for the prime-time Monday 9 p.m.
drama “Ano Hi ni Kaeritai,” in which she also appeared.
With lyrics by Miyuki Nakajima, it’s a classic tearjerker.
The melody is pleasant and easy to sing.
It peaked at No.
1 on the Oricon charts, with total sales of 939,000 copies.
Before our feelings overlapHirai Ken
Ken Hirai is famous for “Hitomi wo Tojite,” but this song is also a moving, wonderful piece.
It’s about hoping that even if someone dear to you forgets who you are, you could smile and accept it—and wishing that you, right beside them, would be thinking the same thing.
Where have the tears gone?Minamino Yoko
This is Yoko Minamino’s 14th single, released in February 1989.
Although it’s a heartbreak song, the melody is bright and has a fresh, idol-like feel.
Released at a time when her popularity was beginning to wane, it peaked at No.
2 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and sold a total of 205,000 copies.
The impact of a single dropUVERworld
A song by UVERworld, a rock band immensely popular among Japanese youth—so much so that their nationwide tours sell out immediately.
The vocalist TAKUYA∞ delivers irresistibly cool, straightforward lyrics with a clear, earnest voice.
It’s the kind of song that helps you accept the bad things and take a step forward.
Crying songs, tear-jerker tunes. A request of tears dedicated to you (61–70)
viviYonezu Kenshi
This is the debut song of Kenshi Yonezu, who gained attention as a Vocaloid producer on Niconico Douga and made his major-label debut.
When I listen to this song, it brings to mind someone dear to me and makes me reflect on the encounters and farewells in life.
It’s a song I want to keep cherishing from here on out.
Beyond a thousand nightsAqua Timez
I have the impression that Aqua Timez has a lot of upbeat songs that lift your spirits, and “Ketsui no Asa” is also a song that gives me courage and energy.
When I listen to it, I really like how the straightforward lyrics—purely expressing your feelings to the person you love—resonate with me.
Crash/RiseBURNOUT SYNDROMES
The lyrics tell the story of a boy who, after much brooding, jumps from a rooftop and takes his own life.
Yet it conveys no sense of darkness at all; the way he refers to himself—the suicide victim—as a “birdman” is deeply painful and somehow evokes a fragile poignancy.
It’s the ultimate tearjerker.