![[Tear-Jerking] Classic and Recommended Love Ballads](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YapsFDcGe_s/hqdefault.jpg)
[Tear-Jerking] Classic and Recommended Love Ballads
This is a playlist that spotlights ballads among love songs—nothing but love ballads.
These ballads are filled with tender, heartrending emotions unique to romance, from sorrowful love to songs that gently draw you in.
There are nights when you just want to dive into love ballads and have a good cry, right?
We’ve gathered a wide selection, from recent hits to timeless classics.
Even when they describe happiness, they somehow bring tears—so immerse yourself in these exquisite love ballads and let it all out.
[Tearjerkers] Classic and Recommended Love Ballads (1–10)
MapleNEW!Spitz
A ballad that sings of the resolve to live on with the pain of parting.
Those warm days when even casual exchanges with a loved one—and the ache in your heart—were all wrapped in their smile.
Yet even as the protagonist accepts a daily life that will never return, the way they move forward as if embracing a voice is deeply moving.
After being included on the album “Fake Fur,” it was released in July 1998 as a double A-side single with “Spica.” It has been used in numerous dramas, including as an insert song for Fuji TV’s “Over Time” and in NTV’s “Zambi.” It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone who can’t stop dwelling on a lost love or who can’t forget someone dear.
Masamune Kusano’s clear, translucent vocals deliver a ray of hope within the sorrow.
Song of LoveNEW!Kumi Koda
Released in September 2007 as her 37th single, this work is a deeply resonant ballad in which Kumi Koda sings from a new perspective she realized through giving love advice to friends and fans: “love is something you give.” She found inspiration while driving along the coast on a getaway to a hot spring inn, and wrote the lyrics immediately upon arrival.
They delicately portray a young woman’s aching heart as she senses a breakup approaching yet tries to convey unwavering love.
The song was featured in the MTI “music.
jp” commercial and served as a support song for Fuji TV’s World Judo 2007.
Composed entirely of Kumi Koda’s vocals without any backing chorus, it centers on mid-to-low registers, making it easy to sing even for those who struggle with high notes, and it’s a track anyone who has experienced the end of a romance can relate to.
A New StoryNEW!Emiko Suzuki
A pure-love ballad by Emiko Suzuki that delicately portrays the special brilliance hidden in everyday life.
Listening to it makes you realize that the days of laughing and crying on repeat are, in fact, an irreplaceable story.
Released in advance in February 2022 as the lead track from the album “5 senses,” it drew attention for its tie-in with a bridal jewelry brand on TV Asahi’s “Promercial.” It’s a piece we hope you’ll listen to if you’re feeling the desire to cherish the time you spend with your partner anew.
blinkback number
Mabataki, which was chosen as the theme song for the film The 8-Year Engagement: A True Story, was released in 2017 by back number, a rock band indispensable when talking about J-pop love songs.
The band’s sound resonates with the addition of beautiful string tones.
It portrays a couple supporting each other, and Iyori Shimizu’s straightforward, passionate vocals move listeners to tears.
It’s a warm song filled with the desire to be a source of strength precisely when a loved one is going through pain or hardship.
Why not listen to it while thinking of someone you love?
StoryAI
A love ballad released in May 2005 that’s synonymous with the Japanese songstress AI.
Its lyrics, which sing of a universal “love” that applies not only to lovers but also to married couples and siblings, resonate no matter the situation in which you listen.
Her sweet, gentle, enveloping middle register showcases the vocal prowess AI honed through rap and gospel.
It’s perfect for those moments when you want to listen closely, thinking of someone special, and take in the message: “Cherish this very moment.”
One more time, One more chanceMasayoshi Yamazaki
One of Masayoshi Yamazaki’s signature songs, and a timeless tear-jerking ballad, “One more time, One more chance” has been loved for years.
It’s also famous as the theme song for the film “The Moon and a Cabbage,” in which Yamazaki himself appeared, as well as the animated film “5 Centimeters per Second.” The lyrics, which feel like they’re chasing after the image of a former lover who lingers in the heart even after a breakup, can move you to tears even without a similar experience.
Released in 1997, time has passed, but it remains a beloved classic.
366 daysHY
When it comes to a gem of a love ballad that lays bare unwavering feelings for an ex, “366 Days” tops the list.
The song by the hybrid band HY was included on their 2008 album HeartY.
Many may know it as the theme song for the drama and film Threads of Destiny (Akai Ito).
Izumi Nakasone’s soulful vocals, perfectly matched with the band’s slow-tempo performance, are deeply moving.
It’s a sweeping love ballad that embraces the feeling of “I can’t help but think about that person all the time.” Give it a listen on a night when you just want to have a good cry.