Recommended unrequited love songs for teenage boys: Classic and popular Japanese tracks

DOKIDOKI RhythmYamamoto Nozomi

"Deresute" DOKIDOKI Rhythm (Game ver.) Rika Jougasaki SSR

It’s a love song about a girl fussing over her very first romance, sung to a rhythm that feels exhilarating and fast-paced.

She’s far too shy to confess her feelings outright, so she prepares a love letter instead—but even handing that over becomes a source of adorable inner conflict.

It’s a charming track that we especially hope teens and students in their twenties who are currently in love will listen to.

Deadly Peril, or a Love You Can’t EscapeHirata Hiromi

[The Idolmaster] Desperate Danger, or an Inescapable Love (M@STER VERSION) (Vocals: Makoto Kikuchi)

It’s a love song sung from a man’s perspective, capturing the gradual descent that occurs in the midst of romance.

Its appeal lies in how vividly it conveys the feeling of drowning in love—and even taking pleasure in it.

For those not currently in a relationship, you can’t help but admire the artistry that makes even love’s darker sides seem alluring.

It’s a track I’d like teenagers who are new to love to hear.

lilac timekimura juri

[Deresute] lilac time (Game ver.) Yumi Aiba Limited SSR

It’s a love song that makes listeners feel as if they’re taking part too—preparing biscuits and tea and enjoying a tea party with someone they like.

As you listen, the song conveys such refined sensibility that you can almost hear the wind and smell fragrant flowers.

It’s a recommended track for those who want to relax and take a leisurely break while listening to a love song.

2nd SIDEMatsui Eriko

“Deresute” 2nd SIDE (Game ver.) Nao Kamiya SSR

It’s a love song that faintly captures both the shyness of bringing an umbrella to someone you like on a rainy day and the joy of being able to help.

It uses the motif that a beautiful rainbow always appears after any rain, and it teaches us that not only in love, but in everything, no matter how tough things get, there is always something that remains afterward.

Marshmallow☆KissMatsuzaki Rei

"Deresute" Marshmallow☆Kiss (Game ver.) Kirari Moroboshi SSR

This is a love song that likens the fluttering feelings you have for someone you love—and the space you share with them—to marshmallows, expressing sweetness and softness.

In the lyrics, there’s playful communication, like poking the person’s cheek, which makes listeners’ hearts skip a beat too.

It’s a track I’d recommend to anyone whose romance has started to feel a bit routine.

The Little Love Locked-Room CaseSakurazaki Chiyo

[Deresute] A Small Locked-Room Love Incident (Game ver.) Koume Shirasaka Limited SSR

It’s a love song with a slightly dark vibe that sets it apart.

One of its charms is the playful wordplay in the lyrics.

If you’re just listening, some parts don’t make sense, but when you actually read the lyrics, you can grasp their true meaning.

It’s a stylish track that blends the sweetness of romance with a mysterious atmosphere.

Pon De BeachNumakura Manami

[THE IDOLM@STER] Pon De Beach (M@STER VERSION) (Vocals: Hibiki Ganaha)

It’s a love song that gets you grooving to a rhythmic melody while its lyrics give you a gentle push forward.

It’s a fun track that makes you want to clap along, yet it still exudes the sweet atmosphere of a proper love song.

The music creates the illusion that the two of them are right in front of you, drawing closer to each other in time with the sound of fireworks.