![[2025] Uplifting songs recommended for people in their 50s: A collection of nostalgic classics](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/InPGzqxwlFg/maxresdefault.webp)
[2025] Uplifting songs recommended for people in their 50s: A collection of nostalgic classics
When we think of people in their 50s today, many likely spent their formative years during Japan’s musical golden era: late-1970s to 1980s TV shows like “The Best Ten,” the late-80s band boom, and the early-90s J-POP and trendy drama boom.
In this article, we’ll introduce high-energy songs that 50-somethings can enjoy and feel nostalgic about.
In the midst of busy, demanding daily life, music can bring back memories you’d almost forgotten.
We hope this article can be that spark for you!
It can also serve as a helpful guide for younger generations when choosing songs for karaoke with people in their 50s.
[2025] Uplifting Songs Recommended for People in Their 50s: A Collection of Nostalgic Classics (1–10)
BEYOND THE TIME (Beyond the Möbius Universe)TM NETWORK
When it comes to TM NETWORK, who took the world by storm with their synth-driven sound, many will surely recall this masterpiece that plays like a grand sci-fi epic.
Released in March 1988 as their 13th single, the track was used as the theme song for the film Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack.
More recently, it suddenly found new life when it was featured as an insert song in episode 11 of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, which aired in June 2025, sparking huge buzz and rocketing to No.
1 across various streaming charts.
The song portrays a fate that repeats like a Möbius strip, and the powerful emotions that connect people across time and space.
The torrent of sound woven by futuristic synthesizers and dramatic strings hasn’t faded one bit even today.
If you were immersed in the film’s world back then, just hearing the intro is enough to set your heart ablaze.
It’s also a surefire crowd-pleaser at karaoke!
Mi Amore [Meu amor é…]Akina Nakamori
![Mi Amore [Meu amor é…] Akina Nakamori](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vNrGfZ-1Ngc/sddefault.jpg)
Akina Nakamori’s songs, which blend the passionate sound of Latin fusion with the wistful sentiment of Japanese kayōkyoku, captivate listeners across generations.
Released in March 1985, this work won the 27th Japan Record Award, marking a masterpiece that signaled a new pinnacle in her expressive artistry.
Carried by an exotic, internationally flavored soundscape, the world it paints—singing of a love set ablaze—surely enthralled many at the time.
For those who experienced the music scene of the 1980s in real time, the glittering samba rhythm may evoke a warm sense of nostalgia.
If you aim for a slightly languid yet passionate delivery, you’ll likely nail it stylishly at karaoke, too.
Midsummer FruitSouthern All Stars
It’s a heart-wrenching ballad where the melancholy of summer’s end intersects with the memory of an unforgettable love.
Keisuke Kuwata’s poetic world, likening a passionate, bygone romance to a sweetly bittersweet fruit, makes you sigh without thinking.
This classic was released in July 1990 as his 28th single and also served as the theme song for the film Inamura Jane, which Kuwata himself directed.
Many listeners may find the film’s scenes resurfacing along with the song.
It’s a perfect track for nights when you want to soak in a slightly sentimental mood.
A One-Night LoveShizuka Kudo
Among Shizuka Kudo’s discography, which saw a string of hits in the late 1980s, the single released in December 1988 shines with a distinctly mature allure.
Chosen as the image song for the Hakone Open-Air Museum, it became the first Oricon No.
1 of the Heisei era—a classic in every sense.
The song depicts a bittersweet, adult romance where fleeting passion—perhaps just a one-night love—intertwines with anxiety about a future that cannot be seen.
Its gentle, tender ballad style makes it easy to empathize with, and it seems perfect for those who want to sing with rich emotional expression.
DiamondsPrincess Princess
When it comes to landmark achievements in Japan’s girls’ band scene, many people will immediately think of this song.
Released in April 1989 as Princess Princess’s seventh single, it shot up the charts after being featured in a Sony cassette tape commercial and became the first CD single in Japan to sell over a million copies.
The song celebrates the small joys found in everyday life and the wonder of discovering treasures that are uniquely your own.
As a timeless anthem of encouragement, it continues to be loved in many contexts today.
It’s the perfect track for when you want to lift your spirits or get pumped up with friends.
Surely more than anyone else in the worldMiho Nakayama & WANDS
When it comes to duet songs that symbolize the J-POP scene of the 1990s, many people will think of this classic.
Released in October 1992 by Miho Nakayama & WANDS, it was chosen as the theme song for the drama “Dareka ga Kanojo wo Aishiteru,” starring Miho Nakayama, and became a million-seller in just 20 days after its release.
Written by Nakayama and Sho Uesugi, with music by Tetsurō Oda—an unbeatable creative team—the song’s earnest belief in a fateful reunion, set against the backdrop of a radiant season, has warmed listeners’ hearts across generations.
The chorus is a guaranteed sing-along, so be sure to belt it out with your friends and get the energy going!
Love will winKAN
When it comes to anthems that defined the early 1990s music scene, many people will think of this classic created by KAN.
Released in September 1990 as his eighth single, the song was featured as an insert track on Fuji TV’s “Hono-chan no Yamadakatsutenai Television” and became a massive hit, selling over 2.
01 million copies.
Singing of a conviction that never yields to any hardship, this work can now be called a Japanese standard loved across generations.
Its irresistibly bright piano melody and straightforward lyrics gently comfort a discouraged heart and give you the strength to face tomorrow.
Listen to it when you hit a wall in life and let it lift your spirits.