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] Tear-jerking masterpieces that heal the heart. Life, love, work (11–20)

balladKetsumeishi

Ketsumeishi “Ballad”

balladKetsumeishi

You can really feel Ketsumeishi’s determination to “make a ballad!” (and then some) in this song.

The title is simply “Ballad,” which says it all.

The theme here is an unattainable love.

There are many possible reasons, and sadly, even mutual love can sometimes be impossible.

The song conveys the truly painful feelings you come to know precisely because you genuinely love someone.

It’s unbearably heartrending and brings you to the verge of tears.

The sentimental guitar tones in the final part come in to make us cry, too!

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rendezvousshaitoopu

rendezvous

rendezvousshaitoopu

This song delicately portrays the bittersweet emotions of heartbreak.

It’s a signature work by Shytoop, released in April 2023, and it quickly became explosively popular.

The lyrics trace the complex feelings of a man right after a breakup, opening with the striking line “There’s no such thing as God,” which sets a memorable tone.

Its pop, catchy melody and relatable lyrics have captured the hearts of many listeners, earning strong support especially among young people, including reaching No.

1 on Spotify’s Viral chart.

If you’re feeling the pain or lingering attachment of a breakup, this is a song that will stay by your side—give it a listen.

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It’s okayRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – It's All Right [Official Music Video]

It's okayRADWIMPS

The theme song of the 2019 animated film Weathering with You.

As with the 2016 blockbuster Your Name., it was created by RADWIMPS.

While this song doesn’t dwell on sadness or heartbreak, it’s a tearjerker for the gentle, pure feelings of caring for someone dear.

The lyrics—hoping that one’s very existence can be a safe place for a loved one—combine with the sweeping melody to strike straight at the heart.

It’s a song that, when you listen to it in tough times, somehow makes you feel as if you yourself have been saved.

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futureKobukuro

Kobukuro “Mirai” Comics “orange” ver.

futureKobukuro

This is a song said to be inspired by the manga Orange.

It portrays a heart that continues to wish for someone’s happiness despite unrequited love.

Both the melody and the lyrics reflect that feeling, making it a quietly heartrending piece—yet the impression that comes to mind most strongly is “beautiful.” The emotions woven by Kobukuro’s exceptional vocal prowess are truly moving; please give it a listen.

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NonfictionHirai Ken

Ken Hirai “Nonfiction” MUSIC VIDEO (Short Ver.)

NonfictionHirai Ken

This song probes deeply into the anguish of life and the meaning of living.

Released in June 2017, it was written as the theme song for the TBS drama “Little Giants.” Born from Ken Hirai’s experience of losing a close friend, the piece is imbued with feelings for the person he lost and a profound sense of bereavement.

The lyrics candidly express the hardships of living and convey the importance of continuing on while accepting human frailty.

The music video, set in a nighttime amusement park, is striking for Hirai’s powerful vocals alongside a dancer’s performance.

It’s a tear-jerking track that offers solace to those who question life or have experienced the loss of someone dear.

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KanadeSukima Suichi

Sukima Switch – “Kanade” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / KANADE Music Video

KanadeSukima Suichi

Released in 2004, this song is one of Sukima Switch’s signature tracks—a timeless tearjerker that never loses its luster.

It begins with a heartbreaking scene of two lovers being separated.

A partner who makes your life feel brighter and different from before is someone you don’t meet many times in a lifetime.

While conveying the pain of parting from someone truly precious, the earnest lyrics that wish for their happiness are deeply moving.

This is a song that carries your feelings across the distance.

Even when you’re far apart, it gives hope that your hearts can still be connected, doesn’t it?

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[For when you want to cry] Tear-jerking masterpieces that heal the heart. Life, love, and work (21–30)

The summer you gave meieiri reo

The Summer You Gave Me – Leo Ieiri (Full)

The summer you gave meieiri reo

This song, themed around a one-summer experience, is a pep song that Leo Ieiri wrote in her twenties for people of the same generation.

Being young can feel like a fun time, but there are also many moments when it isn’t.

It’s a period full of anxiety and sadness—worrying about the future, facing setbacks, navigating relationships with a partner, and experiencing heartbreaking farewells with important people.

I think it expresses the poignant events that, precisely because we’ve become adults, we have to accept.

When you face those moments, this is a song that gives you a push forward toward the future.

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