A melancholic “yami” song that was a hit in the 2000s. A bittersweet track.
Everyone must have experienced it at least once.
In those moments when you feel like your heart is about to break, a lyric or melody suddenly reaches your ears and, in a mysterious way, resonates with you and lifts you up.
The 2000s in particular were a tumultuous era when the way we enjoyed music changed dramatically.
Amid the shift from CDs to online distribution, countless “yami songs” (songs that grapple with darkness or emotional pain) were born, and they still support many people’s hearts today.
Lyrics you can’t help but relate to, melodies that pierce the chest.
Let yourself sink into that bittersweet feeling, along with the nostalgic memories of those days.
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Yami songs that were hits in the 2000s. Bittersweet tracks (21–30)
FINAL DISTANCEUtada Hikaru
Debuted in 1998.
It’s said that Tetsuya Komuro, a leading figure in 90s J-pop culture, recognized her talent at first listen, admitting, “I can’t measure up to her.” This is her eighth single, released in 2001.
The song was dedicated to a girl who was a fan of hers and a victim of the Ikeda Elementary School incident.
It’s a ballad that resonates deeply with troubled hearts.
Blue BenchSasuke
This is the debut single by Sasuke, a male duo formed by high school classmates who disbanded once before reuniting in 2014.
It was a popular song from their days performing street live shows before their major-label debut, and it drew attention in 2008 when it was included in a music textbook.
The depiction of someone unable to forget a love from their school days, yet pained by the reality that things can never go back to the way they were, may especially resonate with men.
With its poignant message and nostalgic melody, it is a heartbreak song that became a major hit in the 2000s.
Yami songs that hit in the 2000s. Heart-wrenching tracks (31–40)
swallowtail butterflyPorunogurafiti
Most people probably become greedy when they fall in love.
Even if you thought you were fine with unrequited love at first, the closer you grow and the more your distance shrinks, the more you find yourself wanting to make that person yours.
It’s a bittersweet yet pop song about wishing the person you like would like you back, only for that wish not to come true.
SaudadePorunogurafiti
This is the fourth single by Porno Graffitti, the rock duo that has released numerous hits since their debut, including Apollo and Agehachō.
The song had multiple tie-ins with TV dramas, commercials, and anime, and it was the first track to incorporate the Latin-style arrangement that has now become synonymous with the band.
The dilemma of still thinking about someone despite having reasons and reality leading to a breakup is something both men and women may relate to.
With the pleasant sound of a lively acoustic guitar, it’s a track that, true to its title, evokes a sense of melancholy.
SakurazakaFukuyama Masaharu
This is the 15th single by Masaharu Fukuyama, a singer-songwriter who continues to showcase his talents not only as a top-tier actor but also as a radio DJ and photographer.
The single achieved the last double million in the 20th century according to Oricon’s tally and is widely known as one of Fukuyama’s signature songs.
The poignant lyrics, themed around his own heartbreak, are something anyone who has experienced parting with an irreplaceable person will likely see themselves in.
With its sexy low-register vocals and lyrical melody that tugs at the heartstrings, it’s a classic “sakura song” from the 2000s onward.
Cold seaKuraki Mai
Debuted in 1999.
This is the seventh single, released in 2001.
It’s a serious song themed around the juvenile crimes that were occurring frequently at the time.
The music video features their first-ever acoustic solo performance.
The coupling track was Start in my life, which served as the ending theme for the Nippon TV/Yomiuri TV anime Detective Conan.
WindAkeboshi
They made their indie debut in 2002 with the mini-album “STONED TOWN.” A track from that release became the ending theme for the TV anime “NARUTO,” which drew significant attention.
They made their major-label debut in 2005.
The artist has created many songs that comfort and heal troubled hearts, and has worked on the music and theme songs for films such as “All Around Us” (released in 2009) and “Three Stories of Love” (released in 2015).
Highly recommended.