Breakup songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke: timeless hits to heal the heart

Say goodbye to the love I clung to.festival

Say goodbye to clinging love. / Matsuri (Good bye, toxic love) [Official Music Video]

This is a song by Matsuri that delicately portrays the feelings of a woman breaking free from a past dependence on love and trying to take a new step forward.

Released digitally in June 2022, it features striking lyrics about the struggle between telling herself she’s forgotten her former partner and the bittersweet memories that occasionally resurface.

The track gained popularity on TikTok and resonated with younger listeners, and a music video starring Yuu Miyazaki was also produced.

It’s a warm breakup song that offers comfort to those trying to face forward despite heartache and to those who still feel lingering attachment to past love.

Why not me?Saki Misaka

Saki Misaka – Isn’t It Fine If It’s Me (Full ver.)

This song by Saki Misaka portrays the bittersweet feelings of gradually falling in love, even though you thought you were content just staying close as a friend.

With a clear, gentle voice, she expresses the conflict of wishing for the other person’s happiness while not wanting to see them with someone else.

Released digitally in February 2021, the track was also chosen as the theme song for ABEMA’s romantic reality show “Kyo, Suki ni Narimashita.” It’s sure to resonate with those who, despite knowing what would bring happiness, can’t let go, and who sense the other person’s feelings yet can’t bring themselves to speak up.

I don’t want to see you; I want to see you.Yuka Ueno

Yuka Ueno “Don’t Want to See You, Want to See You” Music Video

A ballad by Yuuka Ueno that sets painfully bittersweet scenes of heartbreak—so vivid they make your chest ache just remembering—against a simple, piano-led melody.

Six months after the breakup, the protagonist’s heart is still tangled in conflicting emotions born from being unable to forget their former lover: aching to see them, yet not wanting to.

Included on the January 2019 album “Sukina Hito wa Anata datta” (“You Were the One I Loved”), this song is sure to resonate deeply with anyone who has gone through a breakup and still hasn’t sorted out their feelings.

When they suddenly come to mind in a quiet moment, why not listen to this track and face your true feelings?

Someday Merry ChristmasB’z

B’z – Itsuka no Merry Christmas

A staple karaoke song that’s also popular as a Christmas tune.

Originally included on the 1992 mini-album “FRIENDS,” it later appeared on other albums in various versions—piano and orchestral instrumentals, drum arrangements—making a total of seven albums.

A renowned piece that has been covered by many artists on TV and in live performances.

The lyrics depict a man reflecting on a past romance behind the bustle and glamour of Christmas.

Cotton HandkerchiefHiromi Ohta

Cotton Handkerchief (with lyrics) - Song by Hiromi Ohta

This song was released in 1975, and it has been covered by many artists and is still loved by people of all ages.

The lyrics depict an exchange of letters between a man who moved to the city and a woman who stayed in their hometown.

It’s bittersweet, but I’m sure it’s a song that will get everyone excited.

While Listening to OliviaAnri

Anri / Listening to Olivia [Official Video]

It was the debut single and her biggest hit.

The Olivia in the title refers to the British singer Olivia Newton-John, and the song’s protagonist is a woman who enjoys listening to her.

It conveys a distinctly feminine strength—the resolve not to look back on a love that has ended or on the person she once loved.

Yorunagi feat. nishinaindigo la End

indigo la End – Night Calm feat. nishina

A heart-stirring ballad by indigo la End that, with a gentle melody wrapping the hush of winter, portrays the bittersweet feelings of two people facing a farewell.

The wish to stay together a little longer, to postpone goodbye until winter ends, resonates deeply.

Enhanced by a collaboration with female artist nishina, the song gains even greater depth.

The music video, directed by filmmaker Aya Igashi, beautifully captures the stillness and fragility of a winter night.

It’s a song that stays close to the hearts of those who want to cherish their final moments with a lover.