[Neo-Visual Kei] A roundup of popular songs by V-kei bands from the 2000s
Visual kei, which reached its golden age in the 1990s and produced hits that ranked high on the Oricon charts, is now embraced overseas as a culture that transcends a Japanese music genre—so much so that the term “Visual kei” appears on Wikipedia.
Within the 30-plus-year history of V-kei, this article spotlights popular songs by the so-called “Neo-Visual Kei” bands of the 2000s.
We’ve compiled a selection of classics—hugely influential on today’s Visual kei bands—focusing on releases from the 2000s, spanning both major-label and indie acts.
Whether those years were your youth or you’ve only recently gotten into V-kei, enjoy!
- Iconic songs by Japanese rock bands from the 2000s [J-Rock]
- A classic masterpiece of visual kei. A staple and popular song representing V-kei rock.
- A collection of hit songs and classics that opened the door to 1990s Visual Kei
- Debut song of a 90s visual kei band
- Anisongs that were hits in the 2000s: a nostalgic collection of legendary tracks
- A melancholic “yami” song that was a hit in the 2000s. A bittersweet track.
- Nothing but iconic hits that defined an era! 2000s classics popular on TikTok
- Nostalgic even though it’s recent? Iconic 2010s songs that went viral on TikTok
- All big hits! A roundup of classic J‑Pop songs that were popular in 2000
- [Heisei Songs] Classic hits from the Heisei era that are popular on Instagram Reels
- Popular Heisei-era songs you can use on Instagram Stories
- Love songs that were hits in the 2000s. Classic and popular Japanese songs.
- Japanese Music of the 2000s: Revival Included! A J-POP Hit Song Special
[Neo-Visual Kei] A Compilation of Popular Songs by 2000s Visual Kei Bands (21–30)
DIRTYnaitomea
This is the 12th single by Nightmare, a five-member visual kei band from Miyagi Prefecture, selected as the opening theme for the TV anime Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro.
Its tight, heavy performance and complex song structure—showing clear influences from intense music like hard rock and metal—make it a perfect fit for the anime’s distinctive atmosphere.
While the song unfolds with rapid developments, its catchy, melancholic melody stands out, making it a quintessential Nightmare track.
Mr./Ms. Despairmetoronōmu
Metronome is a rock band that operates under the catchphrase “21st-century religious music” and made their major-label debut when they resumed activities in 2016.
Their 13th single, “Despair-san,” features a techno-pop-like sound and catchy backing vocals that stick in your head.
While the lyrics alone are as bleak as the title suggests, the somewhat comical delivery of the melody gives the song a uniquely addictive quality.
It’s a brisk rock tune where each member’s performance stands out—definitely listen for their individual presence.
Heaven’s PlaceJanne Da Arc
“If the person I love were sleeping right beside me…” This pure wish, spoken by yasu, is captured in a masterpiece painted over a beautiful melody.
The sweet yet heartrending feelings that sway between ideal and reality seize your heart and won’t let go.
Released in April 2000 as a recut from the album “D.N.A,” the song was also used as the ending theme for the TV program “ASAYAN” and for a video game.
Its dramatic development—from a relaxed opening into a rousing, fast-paced chorus—feels like being invited into a dream world.
When you’re a little worn out from chasing ideals, yasu’s soaring vocals may gently guide you to a paradise of the heart.
Goodbye, rainMerry
In 2001—the heyday of visual kei, when bands with glamorous vibes were hugely popular—MERRY, a five-piece visual kei rock band, deliberately launched with an underground concept.
Their song “Sayonara Ame (Rain)” is a number that, while firmly rock, carries a certain nostalgic atmosphere, making it easy to see why their sound, rooted in “melancholic kayō” (sentimental Japanese pop), is dubbed “retro rock.” Rather than the obvious flashiness or darkness often associated with the term visual kei, this track evokes a uniquely Japanese sense of wistful melancholy that perhaps only Japanese artists could create.
Occult ProposalVidoru
This is the first single by the visual kei rock band Vidoll, whose band concept is “occult romance,” and who have released many songs themed around non-fiction.
It’s a track packed with various twists: a tricky structure that incorporates irregular time signatures within a driving rhythm, and shifts in arrangement that move from rock sonics to a string-forward sound.
You could say the song’s highlight is its carefully crafted worldview, where the lyrical content and musical structure are seamlessly fused.
Kill my ex-boyfriendGōruden Bonbā
A song by Golden Bomber, known by the nickname Kinbaku, who joined the ranks of major bands with their unprecedented style as a visual kei “air band.” It’s a number that sets lyrics—characteristically Kiryuuin Shou’s, timid yet strangely relatable—to a catchy melody and a driving rock sound.
With a refreshing feel and pop sensibility reminiscent of ’90s J-pop, it could be called a masterpiece that rivals, if not surpasses, their massive hit “Memeshikute (Timid).”
23-ward geometric can.Shoujo-RoriiTa-23-ku
Shōjo-Lolita-23ku is a band formed in 2004.
Their name combines “Lolita,” one of the symbols of visual kei, with “Tokyo’s 23 wards = the city,” to express being at the very heart of visual kei.
Their debut was a three-track single, “23ku Kigaku Kan,” released in 2005 on an indie label.
The video features one of the included tracks, “Kakusan CHO-CO.”