Beautiful tear-jerking songs / songs that make you cry your eyes out

For When You Need a Good Cry: Soul-Soothing Tearjerker Classics — Life, Love, and Work

DancerFukkun:)Tatsuki Fukuda
Primarily active in Tokyo, I have experience as a backup dancer for artists, a music video dancer, and a commercial dancer. I continue to work as a dancer while also engaging in article production. After discovering Michael Jackson in junior high school, I began dancing in my second year of high school. Since starting dance, in addition to the J-Pop and Japanese rock I had been listening to, I began exploring Western R&B, rap, alternative music, and other tracks commonly used for dance. In elementary school, I spent three years in a choir, and because I love singing, I often go to karaoke for fun. These days, I enjoy a wide range of music, from Japanese rock and rap to K-pop.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

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.

[For When You Want to Cry] Soul-Soothing Tearjerker Classics. Life, Love, and Work (91–100)

Velvet Poemback number

Velvet Poem

Velvet Poemback number

There is a gemlike ballad by back number—known for lyrics and melodies that shake the heart—created as the theme song for the film Akira and Akira.

Shimizu Iyori’s voice, singing like a prayer and wishing that his laid-bare self could be seen as something beautiful, sinks deep into the chest.

The piece quietly yet powerfully seems to cheer on those who, despite their anguish and inner conflicts, keep moving toward their goals.

This moving song was released in August 2022 and was later included on the acclaimed album Humor.

Premiering alongside the film, it became beloved by many, debuting at No.

2 on the Billboard Japan Download Songs chart—a sign that its impact has resonated widely.

It’s the perfect song for moments when you’re wavering over a major life decision or need a gentle word of encouragement.

It will surely echo deep within your heart and give you the strength to take a step toward tomorrow.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

paintingŌmori Motoki

Motoki Ohmori – “Painting” Official MV

paintingŌmori Motoki

This work reveals a new side of him as a solo artist—one that stirs the heart deeply.

Released in May 2025 as part of Motoki Omori’s first solo digital single in about four years, it’s marked by quiet, mysterious soundscapes that seem to gently speak to the listener’s inner self.

The lyrics express a poignant wish: for someone to portray his existence using colors only he possesses, and to see even the parts of himself that feel wretched as something beautiful.

It’s a song whose warm melody soothes deep sorrow and loneliness, leaving a lasting impression.

Put it on during a quiet night when you want to be alone with your thoughts.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

[For when you want to cry] Tear-jerking masterpieces that heal the heart: Life, Love, Work (101–110)

sympathetic tearsHitoto Yo

Yo Hitoto / Borrowed Tears

sympathetic tearsHitoto Yo

A debut work by Yo Hitoto that delicately portrays people’s emotions in our lonely modern society.

Amid an information-saturated daily life, the protagonist searches for a place to belong, gently expressing the warmth of a heart that empathizes with others’ tears and stays by their side.

Its original sound weaves together elements of gospel, R&B, and oriental influences, beautifully harmonizing with her crystal-clear vocals.

Since its release in October 2002, the song reached No.

4 on the Oricon weekly chart.

The following year, it won the Japan Record Award for Best New Artist and was performed on the NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen.

It’s a song I sincerely want to share with those struggling with human connections or those who feel the urge to be there for someone.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

TOO MUCH PAINTHE BLUE HEARTS

TOO MUCH PAIN 【PV】

TOO MUCH PAINTHE BLUE HEARTS

THE BLUE HEARTS, a band still loved today as a legend.

“TOO MUCH PAIN,” included on their fifth album HIGH KICKS released in 1991.

When you think of THE BLUE HEARTS, many songs are youthful punk—reckless and earnest—but this one is gentle and bittersweet, with a wave of sadness that wells up.

The sound of the harmonica heightens that sense of poignancy.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Sake, Tears, Men, and WomenKawashima Eigo

Eigo Kawashima – Sake, Tears, Men and Women

Sake, Tears, Men, and WomenKawashima Eigo

“Sake, Tears, Men and Women” is a track included on Eigo Kawashima and Homo Sapiens’ 1976 album “Jinrui” (Humanity).

It’s a classic ballad that reveals both Kawashima’s gentle yet manly vocals and glimpses of his tumultuous life.

Just as the lyrics depict, even when men feel like crying, it might not be so easy for them to actually shed tears.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

maybeYOASOBI

YOASOBI “Tabun” Official Music Video

maybeYOASOBI

YOASOBI is known for producing songs based on novels.

While they often give the impression of upbeat tracks, this song, released in July 2020, takes a calmer, mid-tempo approach that invites a more reflective listen.

The piece portrays the quiet yet somewhat ambiguous emotions of two people on the morning of their separation.

Even as they try to accept that it’s no one’s fault, fleeting moments bring back memories of the past—those unresolved, wavering feelings align perfectly with Ikura’s clear, transparent vocals.

Chosen as the theme song for a short film, it resonated widely, with the music video surpassing 100 million views by July 2023.

If you’ve experienced the end of a romance and want to sink into a sentimental mood at night, this song might gently stay by your side.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Chuo LineTHE BOOM

The Boom Chuo Line Live

Chuo LineTHE BOOM

This is THE BOOM’s 19th single, “Chuo Line,” released in 1996.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed at night, or found old memories resurfacing and getting lost in thought? This is a song you’ll want to listen to at times like that.

With its relaxed tempo, it gently wraps everything up.

Try listening to it once without thinking about anything.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem