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 50s: classic and popular Japanese tracks
- [Female Heartbreak Song] A soul-stirring song dedicated to you, who loved with all your heart.
- Popular Japanese songs among women in their 40s: recommended classics and standard hits
- [Remembering the Pain of Love…] Breakup Songs Recommended for People in Their 60s
- [For Women in Their 40s] A Collection of Songs That Score High at Karaoke [2025]
- Karaoke songs for men in their 40s: a curated selection of hit tracks women want to hear!
- Love songs recommended for women in their 40s: classic and popular Japanese hits
- Popular Japanese songs among women in their 30s. Recommended masterpieces and classic tracks.
- Famous songs we’d like women in their 40s to sing, by age group
- Attractive songs recommended for women in their 40s: Karaoke tracks that are popular with men
- [For Women] Attractive Songs That Appeal to Men in Their 40s
- Songs popular among men in their 40s. Timeless classics that bring back memories.
- Songs That Attract Women in Their 40s: A Curated Selection of Male-Vocal Tracks That Women Love!
Recommended breakup songs for women in their 40s: Classic and popular Japanese tracks (21–30)
Longing, poignancy, and strength of heartRyoko Shinohara with Tetsuya Komuro
Ryoko Shinohara’s classic song “Itoshisa to Setsunasa to Kokorozuyosa to.” Since it was composed by Tetsuya Komuro, you can feel that distinctive Komuro sound throughout the track.
For men in their 40s, it likely stands out as the theme song for the legendary game Street Fighter.
The song features expansive, soaring vocals, but the overall range—mid2B to hiD—isn’t particularly wide, so it’s surprisingly easy to sing.
There’s no use of falsetto, and the melody is fairly simple, so as long as you set the key appropriately, you should be able to sing it without issue.
HeyDREAMS COME TRUE
It was released in 2010 as DREAMS COME TRUE’s 46th single.
As the first of DCT’s two consecutive weekly single releases, it features lyrics that many can relate to, as if speaking on behalf of a woman’s feelings after a breakup.
It’s a song that lets you cry your heart out and gives you the strength to move forward again.
I love you more than anyone.Toko Furuuchi
Released in 1996 as Tokiko Kounouchi’s seventh single.
It was used as an insert song for the YTV/NTV drama “Oretachi ni Ki o Tsukero,” and both the lyrics and music were written by Kounouchi herself.
A classic heartbreak song that has been covered by many artists, regardless of gender, and continues to be sung.
wailing in griefShizuka Kudo
Among Shizuka Kudo’s discography, which has produced numerous hit songs since her solo debut in the late 1980s, the best-selling is Dokoku, released in 1993.
It’s a masterpiece with lyrics by Miyuki Nakajima and music by Tsugutoshi Goto, and many women in their 40s today likely have this song in their karaoke repertoire.
The song is set in a relatively low key for a female vocal, making it a great choice for women with lower voices who struggle with high notes.
Kudo’s characteristic, sultry vibrato is applied naturally, yet the difficulty level is modest, with a very memorable and easy-to-sing melody line.
It’s also recommended for those aiming for high scores at karaoke.
Goodbyes still dwell in my heart even now.ZARD
It was released in 1995 as ZARD’s 16th single.
It was chosen as the theme song for our film series “Reiko Shiratori de Gozaimasu!” and reached No.
1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
You can feel the resolve to look at heartbreak positively by retracing the places filled with memories of him.
It’s a song that gives strength with lyrics about sorting through those memories and graduating from him.
Let's count your kissesYuki Koyanagi
It was released in 1999 as Yuki Koyanagi’s debut single.
Chosen as the theme song for the WOWOW-broadcast anime “Reign: The Conqueror,” it became a long-running hit, selling a total of 736,000 copies.
Many people were astonished by her extraordinary vocal ability—unusual for a Japanese singer—and by how she delivered this song at such a young age, while still in high school.
It’s a song notable for its poignant lyrics.
Dreaming I was dreamingNamie Amuro
It was released in 1997 as Namie Amuro’s 11th single.
It became a hot topic as her last single before going on maternity leave the following year, in 1998, and also because she dramatically cut her hair short.
The song was used as the TV commercial image song for Miki’s “Ginza Jewelry Maki Estate Twin Jewelry,” and it also drew attention for her dancing while cradling her pregnant belly.