Lovely spring song

[Karaoke Songs for May] A list of classic tracks that capture the lingering spirit of spring and the arrival of early summer

Accompanist / Piano InstructorYuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICSasashina
Deputy Editor of the web media RAG MUSIC. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. In my student days, I studied broadly at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, covering sound, lighting, and video technology, and acquired skills from comprehensive stage production to the fundamentals of creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, and have consistently built my career on the production side, taking on diverse tasks centered around music. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting in my own way, as well as insights and discoveries from interacting with my kids every day. I hope I can be of help to you, even just a little!

May brings the season of fresh green, carried by a refreshing breeze.

With the long holiday and new-student welcome season, you might find yourself invited to karaoke more often.

In this article, we’ll introduce songs perfect for May—from cherry blossom tunes that still carry a hint of spring, to tracks ideal for Mother’s Day, and breezy numbers that evoke early summer.

They’re all classics that will beautifully color your May karaoke time, capturing the excitement of meeting new friends even as you navigate changes in your surroundings.

[May Karaoke Songs] A List of Classics That Capture Spring’s Farewell and Early Summer’s Arrival (1–10)

early summerAdo

Early Summer (Shoka) by Ado

Early Summer Ado

A bold work by Ado that channels the pain and inner conflict lurking deep in the heart through a powerful vocal performance and alternative rock sound.

It’s her first self-written and composed piece, nurtured since she was 17, released in October 2024 as a double A-side single.

Her full-throttle, throat-wringing vocals and Ritsuro Mitsui’s arrangement with distorted guitars vividly portray the complex emotions of a young person struggling with despair and self-loathing.

In the music video, the striking confrontation between her past and present selves further enriches the work’s worldview.

This song offers empathy and comfort to those carrying the grief of losing someone precious or the ache of a wounded heart.

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Daphne (winter daphne)DISH//

DISH// – Sweet Daphne [Official Video]

Daphne (DISH//)

May is all about Mother’s Day.

A perfect way to express your everyday gratitude to your mom on that day is with DISH//’s song Jindouge (Winter Daphne).

Released in 2021, this track was co-written by member Takumi Kitamura and Hattori from Macaroni Empitsu, and it was chosen as the theme song for the drama Jigen no Winner: The Classroom of Guaranteed Success.

Even though we always feel thankful to our mothers, it’s hard to say it outright in daily life, isn’t it? If you sing this song—filled with those honest feelings we struggle to express—to your mom at karaoke on Mother’s Day, your feelings will surely come across!

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At all times.Noriyuki Makihara

[Official] Noriyuki Makihara “No Matter What” (Music Video) [3rd Single] (1991) Noriyuki Makihara/donnatokimo [No. 1]

Always, by Noriyuki Makihara

The golden rule for getting a karaoke crowd going is, of course, to sing songs everyone knows.

For springtime karaoke—when many people are starting new chapters in life—I especially recommend “Donna Toki mo.” It was released in 1991 as the theme song for the film No Problems on the Job Front, and it has since been used in numerous commercials, making it a song beloved across generations.

Makihara Noriyuki’s songs are relatively high-pitched for male vocals and can be challenging to pull off, but if you sing it in the original key, it’s also a great choice for women.

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[Karaoke Songs for May] A list of classic tracks that capture the lingering feel of spring and the arrival of early summer (11–20)

OtonokeCreepy Nuts

Creepy Nuts – Otonoke [Official MV] [Dandadan Opening]

Otonoke Creepy Nuts

It’s a masterpiece that eerily yet beautifully portrays how music slips into the human heart, gently intersecting the worlds of the occult and animation.

The unconventional track by Creepy Nuts was released in October 2024 as the opening theme for the popular anime “Dandadan.” Featured on the album “Legion,” the song has earned high acclaim, including reaching No.

1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.

It’s an ambitious work that reinterprets the power and influence of music through the lens of “kaiji” (supernatural phenomena) and fuses it brilliantly with the anime’s worldview.

Highly recommended not only for fans of ghost stories and urban legends, but also for anyone intrigued by the mysterious allure of music.

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Heralding springyama

yama – Harbinger of Spring (Official Video)

yama who heralds spring

Alone in late-night Tokyo, dreaming under the glow of a fluorescent light in a cramped apartment.

The inner landscape yama weaves—where urban solitude and hope intersect—resonates with feelings everyone has experienced at least once.

It delicately portrays a heart swaying between escapism and self-stylization, leaving a vivid impression of a worldview where a sense of an ending overlaps with a desire for renewal.

Released in April 2020, the song was written and composed by Kujira and is included on the album “the meaning of life.” It reached No.

7 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and sparked a huge response, surpassing 300 million streams.

It’s a song that gently stays close to those who, even while bearing deep loneliness, are trying to look ahead.

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A flower that blooms only hereKobukuro

A Flower That Blooms Only Here / Kobukuro

A flower that blooms only here - Kobukuro

The exquisite ballad crafted by Kobukuro gently guides you to that precious place in your heart, no matter how far away you may be.

With the warmth of acoustic guitar tones and the duo’s soul-stirring harmonies, this work, released in May 2005, moved countless listeners as the theme song for the drama “Ruri no Shima.” Within its acoustic resonance, it tenderly sings of the dignity of being able to shine even in the middle of nowhere, and the importance of a place where the heart can be at ease.

When you feel anxious in a new environment, when you live apart from someone dear to you, or when you are searching for where you belong—this song will stay close to your heart and quietly give you the courage to face forward.

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But you know, sometimesimase

[imase] But you know, sometimes (MV)

But you know, sometimes imase.

This is a song by imase that gently conveys the importance of taking a breather in our busy daily lives.

With a soothing melody and warm vocals, it tenderly embraces the feelings of modern people who are so caught up in hectic days that they don’t even have time to gaze at the sky.

Released in July 2022 and written as the theme song for JT’s corporate ad series “Hitoiki Shūkan” (A Breather Habit), the track was included on the first EP, “POP CUBE,” and sparked conversation.

It’s recommended for moments when you want to spend time facing your own feelings, on the way home after a day of pushing yourself too hard, or whenever you want to calm your mind.

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