Recommended unrequited love songs for teens
If you’re a teenager, chances are you’re right in the middle of romance—and many of you are probably struggling with a crush.
Whether it’s someone in your class, an upperclassman or underclassman in your club, that person at your part-time job, or someone you pass by every morning, the situations vary.
We’ve gathered a selection of one-sided love songs that are perfect for teens.
Sometimes you’re buzzing with excitement from being in love, and other times you get anxious and down wondering if your feelings will ever be returned—those emotional ups and downs are classic crush experiences.
We hope you find one song that resonates with how you feel right now.
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Unrequited Love Songs Recommended for Teens (41–50)
Love is hard.riria.
This song gently accompanies the start of love, portraying the bittersweet feelings within.
It interweaves the perspective of a girl who struggles because she can’t read the other person’s feelings and a boy who can’t quite express his own, vividly capturing the miscommunications of romance.
Riria’s clear, translucent voice and Aru.’s gentle vocals match exquisitely, resonating deeply with listeners.
Released digitally in November 2023, it sparked a big response, especially on social media.
It’s a must-listen for high school students wrestling with love.
If you listen while thinking of someone you like, you’re sure to find moments you can relate to.
the depths of the heartrokudenashi
A bittersweet love ballad by Rokudenashi that resonates deeply.
It weaves delicate words about the loneliness that comes at dusk and the urgent feelings hidden behind a smile.
While yearning to be loved, the wavering heart that hesitates to face its true feelings seeps in along with gentle piano melodies.
Released in February 2025 as the lead track from the album “Sigh,” this song reaches out to those who, even while carrying wounded, unsettled hearts, try to look ahead with cherished memories held close.
Why not me?Misaka Saki
This song delicately portrays the bittersweet feelings of unrequited love.
They were close as friends, but before he knew it, romantic feelings had begun to grow.
Those complex emotions of a boy are expressed through a clear, transparent singing voice.
Released in February 2021 as the theme song for ABEMA’s popular romance reality show “Kyo, Suki ni Narimashita” (Today, I Fell in Love), it resonated with many listeners.
It’s a perfect track for anyone struggling with their feelings for a crush.
Listening to this song might give you the courage to take a step forward.
Goodbye-byeTomioka Ai
A delicate song by Ai Tomioka that sings of a love so pure it almost hurts.
The transparent vocals capture the frustrating feeling of almost closing the distance with someone, yet never quite getting there.
Even while knowing the other person has someone special, the complicated emotions of being unable to let go resonate deeply.
Released in September 2023, it captured many hearts, reaching the Top 10 on Spotify’s Viral charts in six Asian countries.
The song is memorable for its blend of English and Japanese lyrics and its catchy melodic line.
It’s a track that comforts anyone holding onto unspoken feelings for someone they love, or struggling with a love that may never come true.
Feeling in loveNishino Kana
A love song by Kana Nishino that portrays the struggles of two people who are more than friends but not quite lovers.
The secret feelings harbored for a longtime best friend are expressed with heartrending delicacy.
Even when the mind has given up, the heart can’t help but hold onto a faint hope—an emotion anyone who’s experienced unrequited love can relate to.
Featured on the album “with LOVE,” this track was released in November 2014 and captured the hearts of many listeners.
It’s a must-listen for anyone wavering between friendship and romance.
Sorry for dreamingAKB48 U-21 senbatsu
Sung by AKB48’s U-21 selection, this song was included as a B-side on the single “Koi Tsunja tta,” released in July 2024.
The lyrics, which focus on a bittersweet unrequited love, are striking, and the scene of standing up to pedal a bicycle along the route to school at summer’s end feels symbolic of youth.
The repeated apologies—“I’m sorry”—convey the protagonist’s complicated feelings as they struggle to let go of a love that cannot be.
It was also used as the ending theme for the drama Hoshikuzu Telepath, garnering attention.
It’s a perfect track for teens troubled by unrequited love or for anyone who wants to reminisce about the delicate romances of their youth.
It feels like I’m in love.Yuika
A song that beautifully captures the sweet-and-sour feelings of teenage love has been born.
Singer-songwriter Yuika breaks new ground in love songs.
This track, released in February 2024, marks her major-label debut.
It was selected as an insert song for ABEMA’s original romance show “Koisuru Weekend Homestay 2024 Winter.” The lyrics delicately portray the emotions of a single-minded girl—the frustration of wanting to confess her feelings but lacking the courage comes through vividly.
It’s a warm, comforting piece that resonates with young people struggling in love.
Recommended not only for those nursing a crush but also for anyone feeling nostalgic for their youth.