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, and work (41–50)

HikariAndrop

androp – “Hikari” Music Video Theme song for Fuji TV’s Thursday drama series “Good Doctor”

HikariAndrop

It’s a song that was chosen as the theme for the drama “Good Doctor.” The piano quietly yet intensely asserts itself throughout.

I think this song will evoke different thoughts for each listener.

Still, it’s bound to make you remember some place, someone, or something from your past.

It’s a captivating piece that powerfully stirs your emotions.

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[For when you want to cry] Tear-jerking masterpieces that heal the heart: Life, love, and work (51–60)

#302Hirai Ken

Ken Hirai '#302' MUSIC VIDEO

#302Hirai Ken

This song unfolds a story of everyday life, portraying the protagonist’s shifting emotions.

It was also used as the theme song for the drama “4-Minute Marigold,” and the changes in feelings and straightforward sincerity evoke a poignant sadness.

Ken Hirai’s gentle vocals and the bittersweet melody pierce the heart.

It’s a ballad that will move you to tears.

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passwordayaka

Ayaka / “Aikotoba” Music Video

passwordayaka

This song, included on her album released in 2018, was created as the theme song for the film “The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps,” based on a novel by Keigo Higashino.

The movie portrays a daughter who has fallen into a brain-dead state, and because this theme song was composed specifically with that story in mind, listening to it while recalling the plot is enough to bring you to tears—a truly moving piece.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Song of the WheelsBUMP OF CHICKEN

BUMP OF CHICKEN 'Song of the Wheels'

Song of the WheelsBUMP OF CHICKEN

A bittersweet feeling as a farewell draws near, and yet the desire to cheer on the one you love.

Those complex emotions are conveyed through a bright rhythm and the sound of a mandolin.

It brings back the pure feelings from childhood, like when the kid you liked had to transfer to another school.

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crescent moonayaka

Ayaka – Crescent Moon

crescent moonayaka

Ayaka’s signature song “Mikazuki.” It was released in 2006.

It’s a song that’s still loved today and you often hear it on TV or out in the streets.

The theme is long-distance love, and it poignantly expresses the loneliness and frustration of not being able to meet.

Even if you’re not in a long-distance relationship, it’s a tearjerker that resonates with anyone who has someone special in their heart—highly recommended.

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PrologueUru

[Official] Uru “Prologue” YouTube ver. — Theme song for the TBS Tuesday drama “Chugakusei Nikki (Junior High School Diary)”

PrologueUru

This is the theme song used in the drama “Chugakusei Nikki” (Middle School Diary).

It’s a song about unrequited love.

The pain and heartache felt in the midst of that one-sided love are scattered throughout the piece.

Uru’s clear, effortlessly soaring voice gently lends you a shoulder to lean on.

Please feel free to cry your heart out beside this song.

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Thank youikimonogakari

Arigatou – Ikimono-gakari (Full)

Thank youikimonogakari

One of Ikimonogakari’s classic songs, “Arigatou,” is a truly tear-jerking ballad.

The lyrics, which express everyday gratitude, have likely resonated with many people.

Even now, it remains a popular choice that many sing at karaoke.

When you can’t quite bring yourself to say “thank you,” this song might be a nice gift to offer.

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