[2026] Japanese songs to listen to when you're in love: A collection of J-pop classics

Orihime and BABY (feat. Shio Reira)NEW!neguse.

Bedhead: 'Orihime and BABY feat. Reira Shio' Official Music Video

It’s a song that gently embraces that bittersweet, tender feeling of wanting to see someone you love but not being able to.

Created by the Nagoya-born band Neguse.

with singer-songwriter Reira Ushio as a guest, it was released in June 2025.

Its mellow sound grounded in R&B and soul, along with the comfortable call-and-response between male and female vocals, is truly captivating.

It also drew attention as the ending theme for the TV Asahi variety show “Azatokute Nani ga Warui no?” Using Tanabata as a motif, it portrays a pure love that persists even across distance.

It’s a heartwarming masterpiece to listen to on nights when you can’t meet the one you love, or when you want to believe in the future you’ll share.

I hope I can be your lover.NEW!Kaneyori Masaru

Kaneyori Masaru [I Hope I Can Be Your Lover] Music Video

Kaneyori Masaru is a girls’ band that resonates with relatable, true-to-life lyrics capturing everyday moments.

This work of theirs is a love song that straightforwardly conveys the swelling feelings for someone you like and the frustrating inability to take that one last step.

Even when you know it might be a love that won’t come true, the aching wish to share a future with them tightens the hearts of anyone nursing a crush.

It’s included on the mini-album “To Us Who Won’t Live Yesterday,” released in January 2025, and was also chosen as the theme song for the film “Yoyogi Johnny’s Melancholy After School.” Riding on a driving band sound, Chitose Mina’s emotionally rich vocals ring out in this track.

Let this message gently give a push to a heart that’s grown timid about love.

Assaulted by a love songNEW!＝LOVE

=LOVE (Equal Love) / 19th Single “Attacked by a Love Song” [MV full]

=LOVE is a voice-actor idol group produced by Rino Sashihara.

Released in October 2025 as their 19th single, this track also drew attention for featuring popular member Maika Sasaki as center.

The lyrics—wishing for their feelings of “love” to be noticed, even if it gives them away—are sure to set the hearts of anyone with a crush racing.

It was unveiled as a surprise on the first day of their September 2025 tour, a moment that’s still fresh in fans’ memories for sending the excitement into overdrive.

With catchy wolf-inspired choreography and an effervescent sound, it’s a classic pop tune dedicated to everyone in love.

PresentNEW!INI

INI | ’Present’ Official MV

INI, a boy group formed through an audition program and loved for their powerful dancing and vocals.

The title track of their single “THE WINTER MAGIC,” released in November 2025, is a holiday pop tune packed with the sparkle of winter.

Shimmering synthesizers and bell sounds heighten the festive mood of the season.

Members Rihito Ikezaki and Hiroto Nishi penned the lyrics, which are striking for their down-to-earth lines themed around a “gift” for someone special.

The release was also tied to an illumination event at Roppongi Hills, and its dreamlike worldbuilding drew significant attention.

It’s a heartwarming number you’ll want to listen to on a special night with your loved one, soaking in the happy afterglow.

GravityNEW!Omoinotake

Omoinotake | Gravity [Official Music Video] (Theme song of the film “(LOVE SONG)”)

Omoinotake is a three-piece band from Shimane Prefecture with roots in Black music.

Their latest work is a medium-tempo ballad graced by beautifully resonant piano melodies.

The lyrics depict a fated love that draws two people together even when they’re apart, sure to strike deeply at the hearts of those in love.

It’s included on the double A-side single released in October 2025 and was written as the theme song for the Japan–Thailand co-produced film “(LOVE SONG).” Its worldview, linked to the film’s theme of love that transcends borders, is moving, pairing aching poignancy with a warm ensemble.

This emotional number is one you’ll want to hear on nights when you feel the frustration of physical distance or want to keep thinking of someone precious.

Sniper.NEW!Yuika

Sniper. / “Yuika” [MV]

With lyrics that feel like they’re taking aim and shooting straight through a crush—both comical and cute—this uptempo track plays like a love-strategy meeting, sung by singer-songwriter Yuika, a favorite especially among Gen Z.

Released digitally in April 2024 and also included on the album “Yearning for Navy,” it’s hardly surprising to learn the song was written when she was a second-year high school student.

Many listeners will relate to the play-by-play, real-time broadcast of a budding romance woven through the lyrics.

It went viral after dance videos on social media sparked buzz.

If you’re in unrequited love and want to make a move but can’t quite find the courage, this song will surely give you a gentle push.

wishNEW!Marushii

Marcy – Wish (Official Music Video)

A love ballad whose lyrics, depicting a faint crush on a childhood friend and the preciousness of wholeheartedly caring for someone, tightly grip the listener’s heart.

The meticulously crafted sound—reworked many times to align with the work’s world—and the waves of emotion that are both heartrending and warm leave a strong impression.

The rock band Marcy, known for resonant, down-to-earth words that garner broad support, digitally released this track in January 2025; it was newly written as the ending theme for the TV anime “Anyway, I’m Going to Fall in Love.” It is also included on their third album, “Flavors,” released in November 2025.

It’s a song we especially want people to hear who cherish someone not only for the joy of being in love, but also while embracing the bittersweetness that lies behind it.