[2026] Moving Western songs that touch the heart: A roundup of recommended classics

Fix youColdplay

Coldplay – Fix You (Official Video)

It’s a gem of a ballad by the British rock band Coldplay that has moved music fans around the world.

The song carries a message of finding hope and the strength to bounce back when facing life’s difficulties, inspiring and encouraging many people.

Released in September 2005 as a single from the album X&Y, it reached No.

4 on the UK Singles Chart.

It has been used in various films and TV shows and is widely loved.

It’s recommended for times when you’re feeling down or when you want to support someone important to you.

It’s sure to be a moving experience that resonates with your heart.

good 4 uOlivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo – good 4 u (Official Video)

The song released in May 2021 by Olivia Rodrigo, an artist from the United States, sharply captures the complex emotions that follow a breakup.

It expresses sarcasm and frustration toward an ex’s happiness through an upbeat, pop-punk–influenced sound that powerfully resonates with listeners.

Issued as a single from the album Sour, it became a massive hit, topping charts around the world.

It’s a track that resonates with people who are trying to move forward while carrying the pain of heartbreak.

For GoodCynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande

For Good

From a much-talked-about film adaptation of a globally beloved musical, we present a moving, heart-stirring ballad.

It’s a dream collaboration between powerhouse performer Cynthia Erivo—recipient of numerous honors including Tony and Grammy Awards—and pop icon Ariana Grande, a leading figure in today’s music scene.

The song powerfully captures how their lives changed by meeting each other, expressing gratitude and the bittersweet pain of parting, resulting in a sweeping number that deeply resonates with listeners.

Featured as an in-film song from the movie “Wicked: For Good,” released in November 2025, it serves as a pivotal final track on the album “Wicked: For Good – The Soundtrack.” Give it a listen when you want to convey thanks to a dear friend or spend a warm, heartfelt moment.

HallelujahJeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah (Official Video – Live at Bearsville)

The resonant, booming guitar tone makes you feel as if you’re gazing at a candle glowing in the darkness.

This is “Hallelujah,” the signature song by legendary singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley, who passed away at 26.

It’s a track with a mysterious power that seems to forgive anything.

It’s the kind of song you want to listen to on sleepless nights.

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Time After TimeCyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time (Official HD Video)

A signature ballad by Cyndi Lauper, a leading American female artist and a great Japanophile.

Released as a single in 1984, it reached No.

1 on the U.S.

charts.

At the time, it was given the Japanese title “Sugisarishi Omoi” (“Feelings Gone By”).

With a beautifully restrained melody and a calm, perfectly polished sound, it also features lyrics that could be called Cyndi’s own memoir—simply wonderful.

A timeless masterpiece that continues to move countless listeners.

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EternityAlex Warren

Alex Warren – Eternity (Official Video)

Singer-songwriter Alex Warren, who rose to stardom from social media, is also known as the youngest artist to top 17 Billboard charts simultaneously.

Opening his debut album, “You’ll Be Alright, Kid,” released in July 2025, this track is a quiet, beautiful piece of folk-pop born from his experience of profound loss.

Having lost his father at the age of nine, Warren expresses a longing to reunite with loved ones in paradise, conveyed through unadorned acoustic tones and a prayerful vocal delivery.

As the artist himself has said, it is a song of farewell that also sounds like a vow to someone he loves—resulting in a work with a mysterious depth.

On nights overwhelmed by inescapable sorrow, this quiet, prayer-like song will surely rest gently by your heart.

AfterthoughtCoast Arcade

Coast Arcade – Afterthought (Official Music Video)

Coast Arcade, a band based in Auckland, New Zealand, released a new single in December 2024—an energetic track that offers a contemporary take on ’90s alternative rock.

Blending a melancholic atmosphere with catchy melodies, the song explores universal themes like rejection and loneliness, resonating deeply with listeners.

Reflecting the band’s musical growth, it was recorded at Big Fan Studio in Auckland, mixed by Clint Murphy, and mastered by Ryan Smith.

Following the attention garnered by their debut EP “Next To Me,” released in May 2023, this track signals an even greater leap forward for the band.