Love songs that were hits in the 2000s. Classic and popular Japanese songs.
We’ve put together a collection of love songs that were hits in the 2000s.
When you think of hit songs from the 2000s, what tracks come to mind?
For those who spent their youth in that era, you might recall so many classics that it’s hard to choose just one.
This isn’t a list of every song that charted between 2000 and 2009, but we’re highlighting beloved love songs that almost everyone has heard at least once—timeless favorites that are still cherished as staples of romance today.
If you’re feeling nostalgic for those days, be sure to give them a listen!
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Love songs that were hits in the 2000s. Classic and popular Japanese songs (31–40)
Pure Love SongShonan no Kaze
A very straightforward, single-minded, masculine love song.
The story unfolds from the moment they meet over a light, upbeat rap, and the lyrics inspire growing empathy as you share in the excitement of the romance.
The words are woven without pretense or swagger, making the feelings easy to grasp, and I think it’s a song people often sing at karaoke.
DarlingV6
In Japan, the word “darling” gives the impression of being used by women toward men, but from this song I learned that it’s actually used to mean “beloved person.” It’s a love song that makes sense even from a male perspective.
The chorus lyrics are distinctive—rhyming, layering words, and feeling ahead of their time, even futuristic, rather than fitting the era.
Moon DropsRUI (Shibasaki Kou)
This song, performed by Kou Shibasaki under the character name RUI from the film Yomigaeri, was released in January 2003 as her second single.
As the movie’s theme song, it weaves in classical expressions like “kotonoha” (words) and “utakata” (ephemeral bubbles) to portray the bittersweetness of love under the moonlight.
It debuted at No.
14 on the Oricon chart and reached No.
1 in its fifth week, becoming a long-running hit with total sales of about 830,000 copies.
With a dreamlike string arrangement and a clear, translucent vocal, it’s a track that gently resonates with the heart—perfect for listening on an autumn night while gazing at the moon.
sympathetic tearsHitoto Yo
The debut single by singer-songwriter Yo Hitoto, who has a Taiwanese father and a Japanese mother and continued making music in an a cappella club while attending Keio University.
Released in October 2002, the song reached No.
4 on the Oricon charts without a major tie-in and became a long-running hit, staying on the chart for 70 weeks.
The lyrics, which depict how a friend’s tears set off a chain reaction of emotions, are said to have been inspired by a heartbreak she experienced during her university years.
The striking chorus was crafted so that it can be sung universally using only vowels, creating a unique world where an Oriental, R&B-tinged arrangement and her resilient, powerful vocals blend exquisitely.
In 2003, the song earned her the Japan Record Award for Best New Artist and her first appearance on the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen, making it the track that defined her career as an artist.
I like you.Mr.Children
Is there any other title that puts such unadorned, straightforward feelings into words? It’s a masterpiece that packs those feelings firmly into both the title and the lyrics, while also letting you enjoy Kazutoshi Sakurai’s signature wordplay.
If there are feelings you can’t express, you might want to borrow the power of this song.
Love songs that were hits in the 2000s. Classic and popular J-Pop songs (41–50)
StoryAI
It’s a love song that uses AI’s powerful vocals to sing about a girl’s strength.
There are many songs from a male perspective that say “I’ll protect you,” but aren’t there far fewer that say “I’ll protect you” from a female perspective? It’s a soulful track that feels distinctly AI-like.
Love Dance SiteMōningu Musume.
An unmistakable track defined by its iconic “Sexy Beam.” Just when you think it’s simply a feel-good bop, the finely tuned Tsunku-style lyrics sneak up on you and become addictive.
It vividly captures that heart-thumping, can’t-help-but-dance feeling of falling in love, expressed with lyrics that are both fun and playful.