Recommended breakup songs for women in their 50s: classic and popular Japanese tracks

A little; a bitMaki Ohguro

Maki Ohguro – “Chotto” with lyrics

Maki Ohguro is one of the defining figures of 90s J-pop.

Her song “Chotto,” released in 1993 as her third single, was a big hit—many people in their 40s and 50s today can probably sing it.

With its fast, intense tempo and Ohguro’s powerful vocals, you might wonder, “Is this really a breakup song?” But it’s a very passionate one that expresses a woman’s true feelings.

It portrays dissatisfaction with the partner and the desire for a cleaner, more decisive breakup—one that would make her resent him—capturing the feeling of wanting to forget but being unable to.

The Refrain Is ScreamingYumi Matsutoya

Yumi Matsutoya – The Refrain Is Shouting

If you’re looking for a breakup song that lets you fully sink into sadness and express exactly how you feel right now, I recommend Yuming’s “Reflections Cry Out.” The song is included on the 1988 album “Delight Slight Light KISS.” It’s widely known—a hit that even non-Yuming fans often recognize—yet there’s the surprising fact that it was never released as a single.

It’s a breakup song that conveys, almost painfully, the regret after parting ways—something anyone who’s been there can relate to.

Listening to OliviaAnri

Anri / Listening to Olivia [Official Video]

Since we’re recommending breakup songs for people in their 40s, many of the selections are tracks that were popular in their youth.

But this song—Anri’s “Listening to Olivia (Olivia wo Kikinagara)”—was released in 1978.

For many, it’s a song from around the time they were born.

Even so, it has been loved and passed down for many years, and chances are you’ve heard it or even sung it yourself.

As proof of its enduring appeal, numerous artists have covered this number.

Anri’s gentle, heartfelt voice is one that loosens listeners’ tear ducts—a song that can easily move you to tears.

Poem of SunlightLe Couple

Hidamari no Uta / Le Couple (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

“Hidamari no Uta” by Le Couple is a love song about a cherished person who has left the singer’s side.

It was a major hit when it was released and has been a popular choice for karaoke ever since.

It’s a very gentle-sounding ballad and tends to suit voices with a relatively higher range.

That's sad, isn't it?Misato Watanabe

Misato Watanabe - Kanashii ne

Misato Watanabe is a female musician known as the Queen of Summer Songs, who was especially active from the 1980s to the 1990s.

This song, “Kanashii ne” (“It’s Sad”), is filled with Misato Watanabe’s mature charm.

It’s a song that feels great to sing.

I can’t say it.Hiromi Go

Hiromi Go - I Can't Say It

Speaking of Hiromi Go’s bittersweet love songs, the famous one is “Ienai yo.” Although it’s a male ballad, Hiromi Go’s voice is so high—almost like a woman’s—that it’s relatively well-suited for women to sing at karaoke.

Mary AnnTHE ALFEE

Mary Ann THE ALFEE

One of the hit songs from the prime of the “rock band” The Alfee, it’s actually a heartbreak song with a chorus melody that really sticks in your head.

Their exquisite three-part harmony remains unchanged even now, and their youthful playing and vocals—despite being over 60—are something few can emulate.

I look forward to their continued success.