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

Sorrow like snowHamada Shogo

Sorrow Like Snow (ROAD OUT “MOVIE”)

When it comes to Shogo Hamada, this is the song that defines him.

The cool voice and guitar sound have an appeal that resonates even with today’s youth.

What I want you to focus on is his solid vocal ability, even with that deep, rugged tone.

It’s a song I’d love people living with sadness or loneliness to hear.

It tells you it’s okay to cry—everyone does sometimes.

It’s a song that makes you want to forgive yourself.

If you’re an adult, it’s the kind of track you’ll want to listen to with a whiskey on the rocks in hand.

Heretical StarOfisharu Higedan Dism

Heretical Star

If you’re seeking a heart-trembling thrill of emotion, this is the number you need to hear.

Written by Satoshi Fujihara of Official HIGE DANDism after overcoming a bitter past experience, it’s a soul-stirring anthem of encouragement.

Set to a driving melody, it teaches the importance of ignoring the noise around you, believing in your own path, and shining in your own way.

Its earnest message strikes straight to the heart and may bring a surge of emotion.

This track is included on the mini-album “Report,” released in April 2017.

Although it has no commercial tie-ins, it’s a staple at their concerts, beloved by many fans for the powerful sense of unity it creates.

If you ever feel like you’re losing yourself or need the courage to take a step forward, this song will surely give you strength—lighting a lamp in your heart and giving you the energy to move ahead.

heartaimyon

Aimyon – Heart [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

A poignant ballad that carefully portrays the complex emotions of love.

Released in 2021, this song was written by Aimyon as the theme for the TBS Tuesday drama “Only Just Married.” During production, she rewrote the lyrics from scratch for the first time, focusing on expressing feelings that are “not too cute, yet not too clumsy.” Inspired by the heart’s shape—round on top and pointed at the bottom—the song explores a relationship where affection and pain coexist.

It resonates deeply with those struggling with marriage or romance.

Night journeyYorushika

Yorushika – Night Journey (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

This is a moving song where a literary narrative and Suis’s pure vocals resonate deeply in the heart.

The melodies crafted by n-buna delicately portray the stillness and loneliness of the night, as well as a glimmer of hope.

Listening to this piece feels as if you’re standing beside the characters, and it might even bring some listeners to tears.

Released in March 2020, it is also included on the highly acclaimed album “Tōsaku” (“Plagiarism”).

This masterpiece won an award at the 13th CD Shop Awards in 2021, and it beautifully colored the story as an insert song in the anime film “A Whisker Away,” released in June 2020.

It’s perfect for listening when you’re gazing at the night sky alone or when you need a gentle push forward.

It’s an ideal song for those who want to feel the emotions woven into the lyrics.

Dedicated to the hippiesRC sakuseshon

Memorial: Kiyoshiro Imawano — Dedicated to Hippies / RC Succession

This song, said to be a requiem Kiyoshiro Imawano sang for his late former manager, is included on RC Succession’s 1976 album Single Man.

It was later performed at concerts in the 1980s as well, but watching Kiyoshiro sing it—collapsing onto the stage and crying out—was almost painfully difficult to witness.

To Those Daysanzenchitai

Anzen Chitai “Back to Those Days”

It’s a song that evokes nostalgia—a masterpiece that brings winter scenes to mind.

If you listen when you feel like crying, the tears will come naturally.

Especially with a drink in hand, the harmony of the music and the alcohol will loosen your tear ducts even more.

Alone at a snow-covered station—that’s the kind of scene it conjures up, and many men, in particular, might find themselves in tears.

It’s a song I’d like to dedicate to the grown-up you.

Dear dropsTani Yuuki

Dear drops

A tender, soaring vocal that sinks into your heart—this is an emotionally rich ballad by Tani Yuuki.

Based on the first song he wrote in high school, it represents the very origin of his journey as a singer-songwriter.

The lyrics, which layer subtle emotional nuances onto the motif of “tears,” gently touch the listener’s heartstrings and awaken a poignant ache.

Released as a digital single in June 2025, it also serves as an advance track from the album Navigator, released the same month.

Give it a listen when you want to quietly immerse yourself in music or spend a night reflecting deeply on your own feelings.