RAG MusicNostalgic Youth songs
A wonderful youth song

A coming-of-age song that was a hit in the ’90s. A classic and popular track in Japanese music.

“SAY YES,” “Tomorrow never knows,” and “Nani mo Ienakute… Natsu”—

The youth songs of the ’90s hold treasured memories hidden in everyone’s heart.

The bittersweet love of CHAGE and ASKA, the hope for the future from Mr.Children, the summertime melancholy of THE JAYWALK.

It’s as if we’ve boarded a time machine, and those shining memories of back then come flooding back.

Shall we look back on that page of youth engraved in our hearts, together with those nostalgic songs?

Ah.

Coming-of-age songs that were hits in the ’90s: classic and popular Japanese tracks (81–90)

Red tambourineBLANKEY JET CITY

Akai Tambourine (Live At Yokohama Arena / July 8, 2000)
Red tambourineBLANKEY JET CITY

A quintessential 90s love song that symbolically portrays pure feelings and passion for a beloved.

Released by BLANKEY JET CITY in January 1998, the track weaves a unique tapestry of metaphors to explore what love is.

The protagonist longs to gift a shooting star to the one they love, and the way their heart trembles in everyday, fleeting moments is strikingly depicted—evoking the bittersweetness of love that resonates with anyone.

Included on the album “Romeo no Shinzou” (Romeo’s Heart) and used as the opening theme for TV Asahi’s ‘Sunday Jungle,’ the song reached No.

11 on the Oricon weekly singles chart.

With its heartwarming melody and lyrics, it’s a track you’ll want to play when healing from heartbreak or reaffirming your feelings for someone special.

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DiamondsPRINCESS PRINCESS

Princess Princess 'Diamonds <Diamond>'
DiamondsPRINCESS PRINCESS

Princess Princess spread as a pioneering all-girl band.

Many women likely started playing instruments in junior high or high school because they admired them.

Their upbeat, catchy songs haven’t lost their shine even today, and hearing them probably brings back memories of youth for many people.

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Unwavering WishTamura Naomi

A song that became the opening theme for the TV anime “Magic Knight Rayearth.” The anime I watched back then comes back to life along with the memories of that time.

It feels like it opens the door to memories of my school days, including youthful moments like talking at school about the anime we watched the night before.

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loadTHE toraburyū

While the song progresses in a rather monotonous way, the lyrics are truly wonderful, as if reminiscing about one’s youth.

It reminds you of that sensitivity—how things that seem insignificant now felt incredibly joyful back then.

Precisely because we can’t go back, this is a song that makes you long even more for those youthful days.

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That’s important.Daiji MAN Burazāzu Bando

That's Important ~Complete Version~ / DAJIMAN Brothers Orchestra
That's important.Daiji MAN Burazāzu Bando

Adolescence is a time of daily inner conflict, caught between feelings, ideals, and reality.

This is an uplifting, positive song that blows away that haze.

Even when you feel like you’re about to fall apart, many people have probably listened to this song as if telling themselves to keep going—and found salvation in it.

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In conclusion

I’ve taken a look back at a number of ’90s youth anthems, and each song has a timeless charm that resonates deeply.

Straightforward feelings of first love, yearning for dreams, and even moments of heartache—these emotions from our youth don’t change across generations.

They’re etched deeply in our memories.

How about enjoying new encounters with these classic songs that are still sung at karaoke today?