Love songs to listen to in April. Spring love songs.

melon sodaaiko

aiko - “Melon Soda” (from “Love Like Pop vol.23” NHK Hall, 2023.9.27)

This is a song by aiko that delicately depicts the flow of time and changes in relationships felt with the arrival of spring.

It was produced in 2019 as the spring campaign song for FM802’s 30th anniversary, with the special unit “Radio Darlings,” featuring a lineup of renowned artists, handling the vocals.

Through its unique expressions and melodies, it weaves emotions that arise in everyday life and resonates deeply with listeners.

In March 2021, a self-cover version was included on aiko’s album “Doushitatte Tsutaerarenai kara.” It’s a recommended track for those starting a new chapter in life or anyone who wants to feel the spring season.

Bring it on, spring.non

[Official Music Video] Non – I’ll Stand to Face Spring

An anthem cheering on those taking new steps with the arrival of spring, it carries a powerful, uplifting message.

The track was released digitally in January 2025, with the music video premiering at the same time.

The MV centers on a student band’s graduation performance, beautifully capturing the sparkle of youth.

It’s a particularly recommended song for anyone about to embark on a new chapter this spring.

cherrysupittsu

Spitz / Cherry

A gem of a rock number with a refreshing melody that evokes the start of a new season and paints bittersweet memories of love.

Released by Spitz in April 1996, this song topped the Oricon chart in its fourth week and became a massive hit, selling a total of 1.613 million copies.

Its gentle, enveloping tune captures the sweet-and-sour memories of youth, while the members’ tight, cohesive performance weaves an exquisite harmony.

Masamune Kusano’s poetic lyrics portray a protagonist who accepts the end of a romance yet strives to move forward, resonating deeply with listeners.

It’s a song that quietly stays by your side as you carry the pain of heartbreak and still choose to step into the future.

Yearning for springBotanikaru na kurashi.

Yearning for spring

The Tokyo-based six-piece pop band Botanical na Kurashi released their seventh digital single, “Haru ni Akogaru,” in April 2023.

It’s a warm, city pop-tinged pop tune where electric piano and saxophone resonate mellowly.

The pleasantly laid-back groove feels great.

True to the band’s motto—“A new paradise discovered by misfits in the Reiwa era”—it’s a track that gently unravels the heart.

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Hamada Takuya

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sympathetic dominanceNogizaka 46

Nogizaka46 “Sympathetic Nervous System Dominance”

A refreshing, lyrical song that portrays the faint stirrings of a girl’s first love as she walks alongside the railway tracks.

Included on Nogizaka46’s single “Navel Orange,” released in March 2025, this track drew attention as 4th-generation member Yuna Shibata served as the under-center for the first time.

The lyrics poetically capture a page of youth and its wavering emotions in a way that’s easy to relate to.

It’s a song that especially resonates when you find yourself mulling over love.

At the thawHatsuboshi Gakuen

Hatsuboshi Gakuen “At the Thaw” Official Music Video (HATSUBOSHI GAKUEN – Yukidokeni)

A moving work in which the elegant melodies of Japanese tradition and contemporary musicality are beautifully harmonized.

Released by Hatsuboshi Academy in February 2025, this piece takes “snowmelt,” a symbol of spring’s arrival, and the Hinamatsuri festival as its motifs to portray the unfulfilled love between the Emperor doll and the Empress doll.

It expresses the frustration of hearts that remain distant despite their physical closeness with a refreshing melody.

Recommended for those who want to savor the feeling of first love while sensing the coming of spring.

Spring sceneryMinamino Yoko

Harugeishiki by Yoko Minamino

This gem of a love song by Yoko Minamino portrays the bittersweet feelings of a young woman entering university and her boyfriend who has become a ronin student after failing his entrance exams, set in the spring of graduation.

Initially included on the April 1986 album “Gelato” and later featured as the B-side of “Kanashimi Monument” in July of the same year, the song delicately captures the subtleties of youth against the backdrop of Kobe.

Amid warm sunlight and fluttering cherry blossoms, the couple’s confusion about their changing circumstances resonates with a nostalgic melody.

Celebrated as a classic idol song, it continues to be loved as a piece that stays close to the heart at life’s milestones—love, parting, and setting out on new journeys.