Most Popular Western Music Bands Ranking [2025]

Original song92rank/position

This commercial shows neighbors excitedly chatting about using Cosmo’s personal car lease.

The conversation conveys the appeal of a personal car lease, while the friendly atmosphere among the neighbors leaves a strong impression.

In the background, a gentle melody plays that perfectly matches the tone of the commercial.

When it comes to Cosmo Oil commercials, many people probably associate them with this very song.

The piece is an original composition by Yoko Kanno created for Cosmo Oil’s commercials, titled “seeds of life.” The harmony of piano and orchestral instruments is beautiful—you could listen to it forever.

Karma ChameleonCulture Club93rank/position

Culture Club – Karma Chameleon (Official Music Video)

This is a song by Culture Club that was featured in commercials for NEC’s ValueStar desktop computer series.

The song is also known in Japan by the title “Karma wa Kimagure” (“Karma is Capricious”), and many people have probably heard it somewhere besides this commercial as well.

In particular, the chorus used in the ad is extremely catchy—once you hear it, you can’t help but want to sing along! Incidentally, there are comments online saying people mix it up with Yuji Oda’s “Love Somebody,” so it might be fun to listen to both and compare them.

LaylaDerek and the Dominos94rank/position

Layla

This commercial uses adventure as its central theme, portraying Mitsubishi vehicles dashing along rugged roads and the stories of the people within them.

It powerfully depicts various journeys into the unknown—trail runners, photographers, trips with old friends, and a young baseball player’s challenge.

The song that further highlights this bold leap into uncharted experiences is Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla.” Its distinctive guitar tones and the powerful band sound that unfolds from there evoke a sense of mustering courage.

SeptemberEarth, Wind & Fire95rank/position

Earth, Wind & Fire – September (Official HD Video)

This commercial highlights the excitement that comes from having Hon-Kirin, conveyed through the presence of Alice Hirose and Yosuke Eguchi.

Set during a cruise where they enjoy Hon-Kirin, the two actors’ smiles and the depiction of the breeze effectively communicate a refreshing feeling.

Further enhancing the fresh atmosphere of the visuals is the song “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.

With its striking blend of light, buoyant instrumentation and vocals, along with a rhythm that makes you want to move, it conveys a sense of positive fun.

Are You Gonna Be My GirlJet96rank/position

Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl (Official Music Video)

From HiKOKI, which meets diverse needs in electrical equipment construction, comes a cordless vacuum pump—featured in a commercial that highlights ease of use and an uplifting feel.

While the visuals show an actual job site, the workers’ smiles convey that the pump’s well-rounded features make it easy to handle.

The spot also seems to emphasize that safety on construction sites translates into peace of mind for the people who live or work there.

Further amplifying the sense of fulfillment depicted in the footage is the song “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by JET.

With its light, memorable rhythm and crisp band sound, it expresses a sense of fun perfectly.

Open ArmsJourney97rank/position

Journey – Open Arms (Official Video – 1982)

This is a 2001 commercial for the Elgrand, Nissan’s flagship minivan.

It highlights the powerful performance of its 3.

5-liter V6 engine, featuring striking, American-inspired visuals such as riding alongside a cruiser motorcycle and a cowboy on horseback crossing in front of the car.

The background music is “Open Arms” by the American rock band Journey, a beautiful rock ballad known for its grand sound, which was also chosen as the theme song for the 2004 film Umizaru.

Let It BeThe Beatles98rank/position

The Beatles – Let It Be

The Beatles’ “Let It Be” was released in 1970 and is one of the band’s signature songs, a classic that stands out in music history.

The fact that both the album title and the song share the name “Let It Be” also makes it feel like a particularly special track.

Its structure builds from a quiet piano-and-vocal opening to gradually layered instrumentation, conveying a sense of human connection and warmth.

In Japan, it was used in a commercial for Toshiba’s IC Stereo Boston, and the choice to feature a song by such a historic band in an audio equipment ad reflects strong confidence in the product’s quality.