Masterpieces in 3/4 Time: That Hit Song Too!? A Curated Selection of Popular Japanese and Western Tracks
When you think of hit songs in triple meter, what kind of tracks come to mind?
Triple meter is known as the waltz rhythm and is popular in classical music; it’s also commonly used in other genres, especially in Western music.
Interestingly, it’s often said that Japanese listeners are not as comfortable with triple meter, so it doesn’t appear much in J-pop hits.
In this article, we’ve selected songs in triple meter from Japanese and Western pop and rock.
From timeless favorites to lesser-known hidden gems, we’ve got a wide-ranging playlist for you!
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Masterpieces in 3/4 Time: That hit song too!? A curated selection of popular Japanese and Western tracks (31–40)
Nothing Else MattersMetallica
Metallica is generally well known worldwide as a metal band.
However, they’re popular not only for their heavy songs but also for their calmer tracks.
The piece we’re introducing today, “Nothing Else Matters,” begins as a slow ballad, but its shift into a more intense development partway through is a highlight.
If you listen closely, you’ll notice the song maintains a triple meter from start to finish.
This distinctive rhythm conveys emotions like melancholy and inner conflict that you don’t often feel in other tracks, making the song itself particularly memorable.
Waltz #2Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith, a singer-songwriter who emerged from the 1990s indie rock and alternative rock scenes, continues to influence countless artists.
Beyond his superb body of work—colored by an innate melodic sensibility and delicate emotional touch—the tragedy of his passing in October 2003 at the young age of 34 has also cemented his status as a legend well into the 2020s.
Among the many classics he left behind, let me introduce the 3/4-time gem whose title says it all: “Waltz #2.” Included on XO, his fourth album released in 1998, it’s a fan favorite that showcases Smith’s outstanding talent as a melodist.
From the simple drum intro to the strummed acoustic guitar and lyrical piano phrases, the song isn’t necessarily dark melodically—but reading the lyrics, which can be described as nihilistic reflections of Smith’s state of mind at the time, is heartbreaking.
Even so, the sheer brilliance of the music ultimately gives us something that outweighs the tragedy.
ShiverColdplay
Coldplay is a British band known for hit songs like “Fix You,” “Viva La Vida,” and “Yellow.” Their song “Shiver,” included on their debut album Parachutes, is set in triple meter.
The song seems to elevate the mysterious atmosphere created by vocalist Chris Martin’s beautiful falsetto even further through its 3/4 time.
Although it features a simple arrangement of vocals, guitar, bass, and drums, it offers a floating, ambient-like sensation.
Caribbean BlueEnya
Enya, a singer from Ireland who enjoys worldwide popularity, anchors her music in traditional Celtic roots while fusing elements like digitally crafted sounds using cutting-edge technology, classical, and New Age to create a grand sonic landscape.
Hugely popular in Japan as well for her soothing sound, she also has a celebrated piece in triple meter! The featured track, Shepherd Moons, is included on the Grammy-winning 1991 album of the same name and was released as the album’s lead single.
Guided by a waltz rhythm, its refined, beautiful yet avant-garde sound combined with Enya’s understated vocals is uniquely original; together with a music video that evokes painterly imagery, it has a transportive effect, as if leading you into another world.
This is precisely the kind of music that makes you feel the distinctive power of triple-time rhythm.
Moon RiverHenry Mancini
Every time you hear “Moon River,” many who have seen the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s will surely recall that unforgettable scene where the great actress Audrey Hepburn sings and plays the guitar.
Composed by the master of film music, Henry Mancini, “Moon River” is also famous as an instrumental piece and is a timeless masterpiece in 3/4 time that almost everyone has heard at least once.
Its gently lilting waltz rhythm and wistful melody evoke a sense of nostalgia.
As a standard immortalized in music history, it has been covered by many singers; among the most famous is the version released in 1962 by America’s celebrated pop vocalist Andy Williams, which became a major hit.
That said, it’s said that Mancini himself considered Hepburn’s rendition to be the definitive “Moon River.”
Masterpieces in 3/4 Time: That Hit Song Too!? A Curated Selection of Popular Japanese and Western Tracks (41–50)
Children’s CrusadeSting
As the bassist and vocalist of The Police, and later as a solo artist after the band went on hiatus, Sting has achieved worldwide acclaim and continues to be active today.
This song is a track from his first solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, released in 1985, the year after The Police suspended their activities.
Its title and lyrics tackle weighty social themes, and the song is set in a heavy, somber 3/4 time.
Over that, Sting’s beautiful voice and a jazzy saxophone solo weave in, lending the piece a poignant, sorrowful resonance.
A Midsummer Day’s DreamOhtaki Eiichi
“A Midsummer Daydream” is a love song with a waltz-like feel that highlights a triple meter.
It’s a track by Eiichi Ohtaki—vocalist and guitarist of Happy End, pioneers of Japanese rock.
While celebrating the sweetness of love, the song also carries a hint of melancholy, making full use of the dreamy qualities inherent in 3/4 time.
His falsetto-heavy singing style is so soothing that, as you listen, it practically lulls you to sleep!