Recommended heartbreak songs for women in their 40s: classic and popular Japanese hits
By the time you’re in your 40s, most people have gone through at least one or two heartbreaks.
There were probably songs that stayed close to your feelings during those past breakups, weren’t there?
In this article, we’ll introduce breakup songs recommended for women in their 40s.
We’ve gathered Japanese breakup songs that will bring back memories from those days.
Every once in a while, try looking back on the past as you listen to the songs you used to play back then.
By revisiting those moments now, your heart from that time may soften, even just a little.
It’s not about good or bad—those experiences can all become cherished memories.
Recommended breakup songs for women in their 40s: Classic and popular Japanese tracks (1–10)
A little; a bitMaki Ohguro
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.
Perfume of loveglobe
For those in their 40s, many probably immersed themselves in the height of the TK sound during their youth—it’s etched into their memories.
globe is one of the emblematic artists from that era, with numerous hit songs and many timeless tracks that are still listened to today.
While they have many songs about love, “Perfume of love” stands out as a popular number about a sorrowful romance.
It’s a deeply moving and relatable song that captures the sense of loss after a breakup and those helpless, aimless feelings.
No matter how…Kana Nishino
Released in 2011 as Kana Nishino’s 15th single.
It was featured in the SONY WALKMAN “Play You.” commercial and reached No.
5 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
This song is a love ballad in which Nishino candidly portrays complex emotions in romance, asking, “Why isn’t it okay to follow my true feelings in love?” and “Why does the heart drift farther away the more I think of someone?” The lyrics are highly relatable—something many women have likely experienced.
MPRINCESS PRINCESS
It was released in 1989 as the B-side to Princess Princess’s seventh single, “Diamonds.” The lyrics were written by band member Kyoko Tomita, and it’s said she wrote them as a kind of “payback,” capturing the heartache of her breakup with a man whose initial was “M.” It’s a classic that has been covered by many artists.
Perhaps because the breakup was so painful, the song still resonates deeply even now.
If you listen all the way to the end, I think it will gently comfort those unfading memories.
Listening to OliviaAnri
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.
BELIEVENEW!MISIA
For more recent listeners, MISIA is probably strongly associated with being a classic, orthodox diva, but for women in their 40s, doesn’t she evoke more of an R&B singer image? Among her songs from that era, the one I especially recommend is BELIEVE.
Although the chorus features a high-pitched phrase with quite dramatic pitch jumps, most of the rest sits in the low-to-mid range.
Since there are repeated falsetto passages, if you’re not comfortable with head voice, try lowering the key before you tackle it.
First LoveHikaru Utada
Hikaru Utada is loved by a wide range of people regardless of gender or age.
Many were captivated by her voice and have been fans ever since her sensational debut.
Her 1999 release “First Love,” which drew attention because she was just 16 at the time, likely remains vivid in many people’s memories.
The lyrics are mature, yet no matter your age, they can leave you feeling wistful and heartache; for many, the song is remembered hand in hand with their own romances from that time.