A fan anthem for a Western music band

Just oneHoobastank

Hoobastank – Just One

Released in December 2003, this song is included on Hoobastank’s second album, The Reason.

In Japan, it was also used as a theme song for sports programs and in TV commercials for beer.

The lyrics portray the importance of believing in a single possibility and trying the same thing over and over, conveying an encouraging message about continuing to take on challenges without fearing failure.

The Power of LoveHuey Lewis & The News

Huey Lewis and the News – Power of Love (Official Video)

Released in June 1985, this is the 12th single by Huey Lewis & The News, and it was also included on their fourth album, FORE!, which was released in Japan in September 1986.

The song’s lyrics convey the idea that loving someone helps people grow and enriches their hearts, and it serves as an encouraging anthem about romance, urging you not to be timid and to give love a try.

I bet my lifeImagine Dragons

Imagine Dragons – I Bet My Life

If you had a dream you wanted to pursue even at the cost of hurting someone important—like a parent or a lover—which would you choose? The protagonist of this song ended up “showing you hell” in their pursuit of a dream.

And yet there’s no regret; it’s precisely because it was a dream worth chasing even at the expense of someone precious that they staked everything on it.

The message really hits home.

The middleJimmy Eat World

Jimmy Eat World – The Middle (Official Music Video)

Released in November 2001, this was Jimmy Eat World’s fifth single and is also included on their fourth album, Bleed American, which came out in July of the same year.

The song’s lyrics convey that no matter how hard you try, things won’t always go well, and you might feel like giving up along the way; yet it’s an encouraging anthem that urges you not to quit, but to give it your all at your own pace.

RocksPrimal Scream

Primal Scream – Rocks (Official Video)

Featuring various characters—a drunken policeman, a thief, a casino dealer—this song proclaims, “They’re doing whatever they want as much as they like, so you should rock as much as you like too,” celebrating the importance of doing what you want.

CreepRadiohead

Creep – Radiohead

Released in September 1992, this is Radiohead’s second single and is included on their debut album, “Pablo Honey,” released in February 1993.

The song’s lyrics portray a lack of self-confidence, self-deprecating remarks, and a desire to be someone special, while also expressing a wish to keep living with hope—ultimately making it an encouraging anthem.

SideTravis

Travis – Side (Official HD Music Video)

We worry about how others see us and fear being called someone who can’t read the room.

We also compare ourselves to others and feel jealousy or envy.

But it’s precisely because everyone in this world is different that the world works—just like how music exists because there are both major and minor keys.

When I listen to this song, I feel encouraged that it’s okay to be myself.