For When You Need a Good Cry: Soul-Soothing Tearjerker Classics — Life, Love, and Work
There are moments in life when you just feel an overwhelming urge to cry, aren’t there?
In this article, we introduce songs that are guaranteed to make you cry and tracks to listen to when you want to let the tears flow.
We’ve gathered classic songs and masterpieces that support your desire to cry from various angles—heartache in love, the difficulties of life, the hardships of work, and more.
Anyone’s heart can get worn down if they push themselves past their limits.
If you’re feeling tired, please give these a listen.
I’m sure these wonderful pieces of music that gently stay by your side will bring you comfort.
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- [For when you want to cry or feel sad] Tear-jerking masterpieces that make you cry when you listen
- [Just the Lyrics Make Me Cry] Tear-Jerking Songs That Touch the Heart
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- [So touching it makes you cry] A heartbreakingly wistful and sad song that tightens your chest
- [Today's Tearjerker Song] Tear ducts destroyed! Timeless and trending tracks that will make you cry no matter what
- A tear-jerking love song that gently stays by your heart
- When you want to immerse yourself in music alone! Tear-jerker songs released in the Reiwa era
- Tear-jerking songs recommended for women in their 40s: classic and popular Japanese tracks
- [Deeply Moving] A Tear-Jerking Cheer Song: Popular Inspirational Anthems That Resonate with the Heart
- Tear-jerking songs recommended for women in their 50s: classic and popular Japanese hits
- [Tearjerker Guaranteed!] A Heartbreak Song Told from a Male Perspective
[For When You Want to Cry] Soul-Soothing Tearjerker Classics. Life, Love, and Work (91–100)
the red threadKobukuro
Kobukuro weaves an epic, nearly seven-minute story, singing of a fateful bond with beautiful harmony.
It portrays a year in the lives of two people who once drew a line in their relationship and decided not to see each other for a while.
Some listeners may see themselves in the protagonist, who believes and keeps waiting until the other person’s heart arrives at an answer—reflecting a complex love that continues even after a breakup.
After being included on the indie release “Root of my mind,” this song was covered by Yui Aragaki and also used in a Nippon Life commercial.
Choosing to part ways yet still thinking of the other person somewhere in your heart is proof of how deeply you loved, isn’t it? This song seems to gently embrace that painful feeling and affirm the meaning of taking time apart.
It’s true.Natsunose
A piece by Natsunose distinguished by its gentle piano melody and delicate strings.
Saku Hanamoto’s soft vocals tenderly envelop the small joys found in everyday life and the feelings we have for someone special.
Included on the album “What on Earth Happened?” and released in May 2024, the track sparked buzz mainly on social media and generated a major response, surpassing 3 million views on YouTube.
With a warm atmosphere that seems to quietly accept your pain, it will gently accompany those who wish to heal a wounded heart or face their own emotions.
Dreamersadamasashi
From the 2015 album “Kaze no Kiseki” (Trail of the Wind), this is a moving masterpiece by Masashi Sada.
It was the theme song for TBS Television’s 60th Anniversary Special Project, the Sunday drama “The Emperor’s Cook.” The work portrays how a hopeless boy grows up to become the Emperor’s chef, with Sada’s vocals in the drama resonating deeply in the heart.
applausechiaki naomi
This is Naomi Chiaki’s 13th single, released in 1972.
Just three months after it came out, the song won the Japan Record Award—still the fastest on record.
The lyrics tell the story of a woman who takes the stage unable to come to terms with the news of her lover’s death.
Rainy BlueTokunaga Hideaki
A song released in 1986.
It’s been revived in recent years, but its wet, lush sound still brings back nostalgic scenes from that time.
With its refreshing vocals, listening alone on a rainy day can set a wonderfully moody atmosphere.
When it swells at the end, your tear ducts will likely reach their peak.
As an adult, give it a listen when you want to immerse yourself in past memories or when you’re going through something difficult.
If I Could Play the PianoNishida Toshiyuki
This is a hit number from the youth of Toshiyuki Nishida, an actor who has appeared in numerous films and TV dramas and is loved by many for his approachable character despite his veteran presence.
The opening lyrics, which also serve as the title, are particularly memorable and may be even more famous than the chorus.
It’s a classic that expresses the feelings of a clumsy man who wants to deliver something to the one he loves but can’t.
loadTHE toraburyū
Released in 1993, THE Toraburyu’s “Road” gradually caught on and became a massive hit.
It’s such a famous song that it’s essentially their signature track.
Amazingly, the song has as many as 14 chapters.
I think it’s known across generations, often played in somber scenes.
When you really listen closely, it’s a very sad song, and the sound of the harmonica further deepens the melancholy.
