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 Need to Cry] Tear-jerking masterpieces that heal the heart. Life, love, and work (121–130)
If you call it loveUru
A gem-like ballad by Uru that leaves a strong impression as it reflects on a relationship with a precious person that was on the verge of being lost.
It served as the theme song for TBS’s Sunday drama “My Family” and was released in June 2022.
The song conveys a resolve to recognize past mistakes and restore bonds, as well as the strength that arises precisely because there is something to protect.
Centered on a simple, piano-led arrangement interwoven with strings, it resonates deeply with listeners’ emotions.
It is a gentle piece that quietly stays by your side when you feel you might lose sight of what matters in life or when you’re hoping to mend a relationship with someone.
reverse dreamKing Gnu
A beautiful ballad that begins with a dreamy piano melody and unfolds into a grand string arrangement.
Its lyrics, interweaving love and curses, hope and despair, delicately portray the sorrow of losing someone precious and the deep reverence for the bond shared with them.
While tinged with melancholy, the warm vocals resonate deeply, making it a gem of a song.
Released by King Gnu in December 2021, it was used as the ending theme for the anime film Jujutsu Kaisen 0.
It topped Billboard JAPAN’s Download Songs chart for three consecutive weeks and won the Excellent Work Award at the Japan Record Awards.
Brimming with feelings for a cherished person, this piece gently accompanies those who have experienced heartbreak or farewell, and is a song best heard on a quiet night.
rootKing Gnu
This song paints a hope for life nestled within a quiet melody.
Created by King Gnu as the theme for TBS’s Sunday drama “The Diamond Sleeping in the Sea” in October 2024, it’s crafted as a mid-tempo ballad characterized by the graceful tones of piano and strings.
While understated, it powerfully portrays the act of living, likening it to a plant that firmly takes root in the earth, and it deeply questions what it means to live true to oneself for someone else.
It also gently sings of accepting past pain and memories, yet still choosing to face forward with resolve and hope.
It’s a track you’ll want to listen to when you’re thinking of someone dear or when you’re unsure of your own self-worth.
I LOVE YOUkurisu haato
A heart-stirring ballad that poignantly sings of a love growing cold.
Released in February 2014 as Chris Hart’s first original single, the song is known as the theme for the ACE JTB TV commercial.
While cherishing the happy memories with a lover, it vividly portrays the emotional turmoil of drifting apart.
Though American-born, Hart masterfully conveys the delicate nuances of Japanese and delivers a warm vocal that resonates deeply with listeners.
Scenes of memories unfolding with the changing seasons—like springtime cherry-blossom viewing and winter kisses indoors—further heighten the ache of heartbreak.
It’s a song that gently supports those who have lost someone precious or who are seeking closure.
[For when you need a good cry] Tear-jerking masterpieces to heal your heart: life, love, and work (131–140)
Write it as “regret,” read it as “future.”mafumafu
A rock ballad by Mafumafu that gently resonates with the hearts of those carrying sorrow and despair.
Through delicate lyrics and an emotional melody, it portrays the inner cries of a protagonist tormented by anguish so deep they wish for death, yet lacking even the courage to end their life.
Released in January 2021 and included on the album “Yoaiseki Universe,” the song was written for the smartphone rhythm game “Project SEKAI COLORFUL STAGE! feat.
Hatsune Miku.” It is a track that tenderly embraces those who are exhausted by living or burdened by pain they cannot share with anyone around them.
wicked womanNakajima Miyuki
Released in 1981, it became an unusual hit, selling over 800,000 copies.
The lyrics portray a woman who, even while knowing her partner is cheating, deliberately makes herself disliked.
Knowing this story before listening links with the feeling of wanting to cry and brings tears to your eyes.
It might be more tears of frustration than sadness.
Please listen to it when you want to face heartbreak with a strong, defiant spirit.
SAD SONG feat. No No Girls FINALISTSchanmina
A special song by Chanmina and the “No No Girls” finalists has moved many to tears with its stirring performance.
The lyrics—filled with the bittersweetness behind happiness and a strong resolve to believe in the future—captivate listeners and make the piece deeply compelling.
Said to be based on Chanmina’s real experiences, it conveys the loneliness of chasing a dream and the importance of bonds with fellow travelers.
Released in January 2025, the song’s performance on THE FIRST TAKE in May of the same year tied in with the audition project and generated great emotion, topping YouTube for 10 days.
If you’re working hard at something, this song is sure to gently nudge you forward.
Don’t miss the chance to experience it.