![[Empathetic & Tear-Jerking] A love song about an unrequited romance](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/IsFs06cw-gY/maxresdefault.webp)
[Empathetic & Tear-Jerking] A love song about an unrequited romance
Even when you know it’s a hopeless love and your feelings won’t be returned, you still can’t stop your heart—it’s just impossible, isn’t it?
Your head says it might be no good, but your heart won’t follow so easily, and your feelings only grow stronger.
For you who feel this way, here are love songs that sing of the aching emotions of unrequited love—songs I want you to hear.
Some are from a woman’s perspective, some from a man’s, but whichever you listen to, your chest will surely tighten, and you may find yourself relating as if the song were about you.
Soothe the feelings you can’t tell anyone by listening to tracks from those in the same situation.
[Empathy & Tearjerker] Love Songs About Unrequited Love (1–10)
HAPPY BIRTHDAYback number
Back number is a three-piece rock band beloved by younger generations for their sentimental, vividly evocative lyrics and a trademark falsetto that heightens the sense of longing.
Their 20th single, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY,” used as the theme song for the TV drama A Story to Read When You First Fall in Love, features a delicate ensemble highlighted by resonant acoustic guitar tones that feels wonderfully soothing.
The unadorned, down-to-earth words carry a persuasive power that many listeners can’t help but take personally.
It’s a love song anyone can relate to, with a superb title that likens the day you realize you’re in unrequited love to a birthday.
From the season that feels like it will freezeNEW!Aimer
A winter song by Aimer that sings of a poignant heart trapped in an irreversible flow of time amid an icy cold.
Released in February 2017, it was chosen as the opening theme for the TV drama “Love Theft, Winter,” whose love-and-hate twists drew much attention.
An extended version was later included on her best album “BEST SELECTION ‘noir,’” and this work stands as a symbol of the darker side of her discography that carves deeply into the emotions.
Even knowing it won’t be rewarded, one cannot sever the obsession and lingering attachment that continue to burn deep inside.
It’s a quiet companion for those who bear the pain of a secret love they cannot tell anyone about.
lingering scentNEW!indoor cats.
Though the romance should be over, even when I swear to forget, the memories left behind keep holding me back.
This song captures the aching feeling of a presence that should be gone and the heart-clenching emotions that linger in the room like a scent.
indoor cats., a band rooted in R&B, weave a jazzy sound centered on piano and organ that quietly seeps into unresolved memories and the aftertaste of a forbidden love.
The track appears on their first album, “Hodokenai Blue,” released in March 2024.
It’s sure to gently accompany those who are struggling with a love they just can’t cut off, and those who, late at night, hold feelings they can’t tell anyone.
That’s not fair.NEW!Ochiai Wataru
Even knowing it won’t be reciprocated, you’re drawn to those gentle hands and that soft voice, unable to walk away…
This song vividly portrays the emotional turmoil of being trapped in such an ambiguous relationship.
Sung by Wataru Ochiai, a singer-songwriter from Osaka, it’s a track overflowing with heartache.
Released in May 2021, it’s known as one of his signature works, alongside albums like “Nonfiction,” where he has expressed a down-to-earth view of love.
The weakness and jealousy of clinging to someone even while realizing you’re being treated as a convenient option come through raw and real over an acoustic sound.
A ballad for anyone who can’t break free from a painful, forbidden love they want to end but can’t.
PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism
Official HIGE DANDism is a four-piece piano pop band that draws listeners in with the depth and evolution of their sound every time they release a new song.
Their second single, “Pretender,” written as the theme song for the film The Confidence Man JP: The Romance, is known as the smash hit that cemented the band’s popularity.
Its story portrays the feeling of loving someone yet sensing that something is off even when you’re together—an experience that many who’ve felt the same will relate to.
With its wistful, lyrical melody that feels so pleasant, it’s a new-generation love ballad.
NAOHY
HY is a four-piece mixture band based in their local Okinawa, known for their expansive sound featuring male–female twin vocals.
NAO, included on their fourth album Confidence, is a ballad modeled after the best friend of Izumi Nakasone, who wrote the lyrics.
The story portrays a painful love in which feelings won’t fade even when you know they won’t be reciprocated—something that may leave many listeners feeling anger toward the indecisive man.
It’s a sentimental love song whose powerful vocals and gospel-like grandeur stir the heart.
dearestKOH+
KOH+ is a musical duo formed by Kou Shibasaki and Masaharu Fukuyama for the theme song of the TV drama Galileo.
Their second single, Saiai, written as the theme song for the film The Devotion of Suspect X, draws you in from the outset with a deep, piano- and strings-driven introduction.
The lyrics evoke an image of unwavering love that asks for nothing in return—something that anyone who has experienced unrequited love will surely relate to.
It’s a gem of a love ballad, with a sentimental melody that moves the heart.
Snow WhiteFlower
After working as support members for EXILE’s live performances, the dance and vocal group Flower made their debut in 2010.
Their 6th single, Shirayukihime (Snow White), used as the theme song for the NOTTV drama “We’re All Dead♪,” features a dreamlike ensemble that perfectly evokes its title.
A love you can’t stop even though you know from the start it won’t be rewarded is a feeling many people have likely experienced at least once.
It’s a heartbreaking number whose sentimental piano and strings melody pierces the heart.
Stop this nightJUJU
Singer-songwriter JUJU, who moved to the United States in her teens and gained popularity for her highly original musical style infused with authentic Black music, delivers a captivating track with her 15th single, “Kono Yoru wo Tomete yo,” the theme song for the TV drama Guilty: Akuma to Keiyaku Shita Onna.
JUJU’s vocals are both delicate and soulful, making the song a pleasure to listen to.
Its message—wanting to be seen, just for now, even in a love with no clear future—evokes the feeling of being unable to suppress your emotions despite knowing in your head that it’s not allowed.
For those in a similar situation, this heartbreaking ballad is sure to tighten the chest.
You&MeMiura Daichi
Daichi Miura, a singer-songwriter often dubbed the “Japanese Michael Jackson” for his overwhelming dance performances, continues to deliberately pursue originality.
“You & Me,” included on his second album Who’s The Man, is a track marked by its striking piano-and-strings intro.
The story portrays a fragile relationship that would likely shatter if the feelings were spoken aloud—something anyone who’s fallen for someone they shouldn’t can relate to.
It’s a sentimental love ballad whose emotional ensemble stirs the heart.