[For when you want to cry] A ballad love song. A heartbreaking love song.

KoiAndrop

androp – “Koi” Music Video, theme song for the film “Until I Meet September’s Love”

The theme song for the film “Until I Meet September’s Love,” starring Issey Takahashi and Haruna Kawaguchi.

No matter the fate, no matter the constraints, I’ll search for you—because it has to be you! Have you ever met someone who makes you feel, or who feels for you, that deeply? That kind of straightforward, wholehearted love that seems to exist only in movies and dramas is something we all admire.

Takahito Uchizawa’s gentle vocals make this a heartfelt track overflowing with love.

Close your eyesNEW!Ken Hirai

Ken Hirai 'Close Your Eyes' MUSIC VIDEO

This is a song that resonates with the aching feeling of holding on forever to the memory of a beloved person you’ve lost.

It’s the 20th single by singer-songwriter Ken Hirai, known for his unique musical world, released in 2004 and written as the theme song for the film “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World.” It topped the year-end Oricon singles chart and became a massive hit, with total shipments exceeding one million copies.

It’s a ballad overflowing with the sorrow of only being able to meet that person in memories—when closing your eyes brings their smile to mind.

If you’ve experienced parting from someone dear, or if you want to quietly reflect on the past, please give it a listen.

Because I fell in loveAimyon

Aimyon “Because I Fell in Love” Studio Recording Scene

Unrequited love is something that tangles your feelings into a messy jumble, isn’t it? Aimyon’s “Koi wo Shita Kara” is a song that expresses the pain of thinking only of someone you love one-sidedly.

Her expressive vocals further heighten the sense of heartbreak.

If you’re experiencing unrequited love, there will surely be many parts you can relate to.

Unfit to be a loverKoresawa

Koresawa “Unqualified as a Lover” [Music Video]

This is a self-cover by Koresawa of a song she originally wrote for singer-songwriter Miyuhan.

Miyuhan liked Koresawa’s song “Tabako” (“Cigarette”), asked her to write an answer song, and this track was the result.

The lyrics lament that, to the ex-girlfriend, he was weak and unfit to be a boyfriend.

But back then, there’s no doubt she was the one who mattered… The feelings after breaking up with someone—when it’s too late to say or think anything—are something anyone can relate to.

evening primroseNEW!Novelbright

Novelbright – Evening Primrose [Official Music Video]

This work portrays a poignant state of mind: unable to forget a once‑beloved person, the protagonist can’t help but keep chasing their lingering shadow as memories of days gone by well up.

Vocalist Yudai Takenaka’s delicate high-tone voice gently envelops the pain of a protagonist who cannot accept the breakup.

The grand sound centered on piano and strings is another highlight.

It’s a song to listen to when you want something to stay close to the pain of heartbreak, or when you can’t take a step into a new love.

rainbowMasaki Suda

Masaki Suda 'Niji' (Rainbow)

Masaki Suda, who’s also active as a singer, has released a string of hit songs, many of which you often hear as tie-in tracks.

His song “Niji” serves as the theme for the film STAND BY ME Doraemon 2, making it a love song well known across a wide range of ages.

While the song evokes weddings and proposals, it overflows with love to such an extent that calling it a “song of love” might feel more fitting than simply a love song.

Happinessback number

Happiness / back number (cover)

A song included as the B-side to back number’s 2011 single “Hanabira.” Told from a female perspective, it expresses the bittersweet feelings of a girl in unrequited love.

It’s a poignant breakup song in which she hides her true feelings while wishing for the happiness of the boy she loves with someone else.