Lovely karaoke song

A medley of crowd-pleasing classics. Iconic Japanese songs and recommended popular tracks.

DancerFukkun:)Tatsuki Fukuda
Primarily active in Tokyo, I have experience as a backup dancer for artists, a music video dancer, and a commercial dancer. I continue to work as a dancer while also engaging in article production. After discovering Michael Jackson in junior high school, I began dancing in my second year of high school. Since starting dance, in addition to the J-Pop and Japanese rock I had been listening to, I began exploring Western R&B, rap, alternative music, and other tracks commonly used for dance. In elementary school, I spent three years in a choir, and because I love singing, I often go to karaoke for fun. These days, I enjoy a wide range of music, from Japanese rock and rap to K-pop.

Doesn’t your heart feel warm with memories when you listen to a medley of nostalgic J-pop hits? Timeless masterpieces that continue to be loved are filled with special moments etched into our memories.

In this article, we’ve gathered popular Japanese songs that anyone will find themselves humming along to.

From theme songs of TV anime and dramas, to unforgettable tracks once heard on the radio, and timeless classics that still shine today, we present a collection of gems cherished across generations.

A medley of exciting classic hits. Famous Japanese songs and recommended popular tracks (51–60)

Swan[Alexandros]

[Alexandros] – Swan (MV)

Swan[Alexandros]

Their 13th single, and the theme song for “ON: Abnormal Crime Investigator, Hinako Todo.” [Alexandros] became so popular that it’s no exaggeration to call them the most successful rock band of 2016.

Their signature 2015 track “Wataridori” was also used in a beer commercial featuring rugby player Ayumu Goromaru, gaining major popularity.

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Happy Endingback number

back number – “Happy End” Music Video

Happy End back number

A song written as the theme for the film Tomorrow I Will Date With Yesterday’s You, starring Sota Fukushi.

The same group’s “Christmas Song” was used as the theme for the 2015 Getsu-9 drama From Five to Nine and became a major hit.

Including their lyrics, the group is popular especially among young people.

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Erotica SevenSouthern All Stars

Erotica Seven - Southern All Stars [Home Recording]

Erotica - Southern All Stars

It’s a song by Southern All Stars that was used as the theme song for the drama “Devil’s Kiss,” which starred Yoshie Okuyama, Eri Fukatsu, and Takako Tokiwa.

With its rock style and catchy vibe, it was one of the nostalgic hits everyone was humming back then, and it’s still frequently sung today.

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Sly womanSharam Q

Sharan Q “Sly Woman” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

Sly Woman by Sharam Q

This is a representative song by the big band Sharam Q, made up of members like Tsunku, Hatake, Taisei, and Makoto, who scored smash hits in the ’90s.

They also kicked off that year’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

It’s a nostalgic old favorite known for the line, “Goodbye, arigatou, sayonara.”

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An exciting medley of classic hits. Japanese masterpieces and recommended popular songs (61–70)

Harbor Yoko, Yokohama, YokosukaDown Town Boogie Woogie Band

Harbor Yoko, Yokohama, Yokosuka

Yoko of the Port, Yokohama Yokosuka Downtown Boogie-Woogie Band

An impressive song title and narration like lines from a drama.

Sound effects like whistles and sirens.

And above all, “Hey you, what are you to that girl?!”—a shockingly great line in a masterpiece.

I’ve never heard another song like this, before or since.

A must-listen.

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Shadows of YouthTulip

Shadows of Youth

Youthful Shadow - Tulip

It has a certain wistfulness and has been described as a song that can be taken as either a beginning or a farewell.

According to its creator, Kazuo Zaitsu, it’s simply that “romance turned into love.” There isn’t any particularly striking phrase, and it’s somewhat abstract, but even so, it can be called a “love song” that gets its message across.

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Strawberry Statement Once Againbang bang

Strawberry Statement Once Again

I Want to Hear “Strawberry Statement” Once Again — by Banban

This is the song by the folk band Banban, which Hirofumi Banba—who is still active today—was a member of, that reached number one on the Oricon charts for the first time.

The lyrics and music were written by Yumi Arai (now Yumi Matsutoya).

The song is set against the backdrop of the student movements of the time.

Reading the lyrics gives you a clear sense of the era’s social context.

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