Youth songs by Japanese bands. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks.
Listening to youth-themed songs can stir your heart—making your chest feel tight or filling you with nostalgia.
I think many people love youth songs, not only those in the midst of their youth right now but also adults who once sprinted through their youthful days.
In this article, we’ll focus especially on tracks by rock bands among the youth songs and introduce a selection of recommended tunes all at once! We’ve chosen many songs with lyrics and melodies that truly hit home on the theme of youth, so please take your time and give them a careful listen.
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Youth songs by Japanese bands: recommended masterpieces and popular tracks (61–70)
astronomical observationBUMP OF CHICKEN
Starting with a breathtaking guitar riff, this song grabs the listener’s heart and never lets go.
Even now, more than 20 years after its release, it continues to be loved by many.
Released in February 2002, it was also used as an insert song for a drama of the same name.
Set against a fresh yet powerful performance, the lyrics appeal directly to the listener, skillfully capturing memories like a snapshot of youth and the relatable growing pains that come with it.
As one of BUMP OF CHICKEN’s signature tracks, it’s a fan favorite that always energizes live shows.
It’s recommended not only for adults who feel nostalgic about their youth, but also for young people who are right in the midst of it now.
single bedSha ran Q
This is a wistful ballad that poignantly sings of lingering feelings for a former lover, a classic that gently teaches the preciousness of love.
As the protagonist looks back on memories left behind on a single bed, they realize that a romance once taken for granted was in fact more valuable than jewels, weaving a moving drama.
Released by Sharam Q in October 1994, the song became a major hit, ranking 24th on the year-end charts.
It was also used as the ending theme for the anime D.N.A²: They Were Once a Thing, and included on the album Inferiority Complex.
It’s the perfect track for reminiscing about youthful love while sharing memories with friends.
premonitionSUPER BEAVER
A song by SUPER BEAVER filled with many wonderful words, singing of youth.
Do you have someone who became the catalyst for who you are today? A mentor from your school days, a friend, a lover from back then… I’m sure everyone has someone.
Listening to this song makes me remember those irreplaceable people in my life.
Released in November 2018, the track was also used as the theme song for the drama “We Are Made of Miracles” starring Issey Takahashi.
Perhaps those youthful days are the driving force that keeps us moving forward now.
19 years oldchakura
As the title suggests, I especially want 19-year-olds to give this a listen! It’s a song by the girls’ band Chakra, formed in 2022, released in April 2023.
It’s packed to the brim with the sound and vocals that only come at the moment when “every member is 19.” The lyrics capture the feeling of “wanting to live true to myself even while I’m struggling,” and their down-to-earth words are truly moving.
Please listen to their ‘right now’!
DaysThe Back Horn
“Days” is the only new track included on the rearrangement album REARRANGE THE BACK HORN, released to commemorate the band’s 25th anniversary.
The lyrics—fitting for such a milestone, as they look back on the path the members have walked together—inevitably tug at your heartstrings, don’t they? I think these lyrics also work perfectly as a friendship song for friends who’ve shared so much time, or as a bond song for couples who have supported each other over many years.
See youHanbureddāzu
“Mata ne,” released in 2023 by the Osaka-born rock band Humbreaders, was written as the ending theme for the anime BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS.
Its guitar-driven pop-rock sound has a charming, nostalgic feel.
The music video, crafted with an ’80s aesthetic, amplifies that sense of nostalgia.
The lyrics, which sing about cherished companions and friends, really hit you in the heart as you listen.
Liberated zoneASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
Crafted by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, this piece is a song infused with a strong longing for freedom.
Set against a backdrop of skyscrapers and industrial districts, it portrays the loneliness and sense of alienation in modern society.
Included on the single “Dororo/Kaibōku,” it was released in May 2019.
It was also selected as the official support song for Fujieda MYFC, earning broad support across diverse audiences.
Its melodic, powerful band sound feels like it’s urging you to break free from suffocation.
Give it a listen when you want to blow away the haze of being trapped in the everyday—it’s sure to resonate with young people in the midst of their youth.
It’s also a perfect track to close out a live performance.