A special feature on hit songs produced by and from Being! Rediscover their charm.
Being, a music agency founded by producer Daikoh Nagato.
In the 1990s, it released a string of hit songs that dominated the scene and built a major presence.
In 2023, the company changed its name to B ZONE and continues to influence the music landscape.
The timeless masterpieces of artists who could be called the faces of their era still shine today.
In this article, we’ll introduce captivating songs by Being-affiliated artists that color a page of youth.
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- BEAST (Highlight) greatest songs | From smash hits to the latest tracks, all at once
- A roundup of female singers who create wonderful cover songs
- [DEEN’s Masterpieces] A Collection of Hit Songs Loved Across Generations
- Anime songs that were hits in the 1990s. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks.
- Nostalgic Yet Everlasting: Classic Hits by 1990s Idol Singers
- [Heisei Retro] Hit Japanese songs that defined the 1990s. Recommended J-POP classics.
- Classic and hit songs by nostalgic Japanese bands from the 1990s
A special feature on hit songs by Being’s productions and artists! Rediscover the appeal (1–10)
Swaying FeelingsZARD
This is ZARD’s signature song, featured in a Pocari Sweat commercial and certified a million-seller.
Even among the tracks that drove the Being boom, this one stands out for its refreshing feel.
The moment the intro starts, you can almost see the dazzling summer sunshine.
Izumi Sakai’s straight, crystalline vocals beautifully capture the thrill of a budding romance, winning the hearts of many.
The wavering emotions of longing for someone—sweet, a little frustrating—make the pure lyrics deeply relatable.
As a timeless classic, it continues to color the youth of countless listeners even today.
Surely more than anyone else in the worldNagayama Miho & WANDS
This is a legendary duet song by Miho Nakayama & WANDS, also known as the theme song of a drama that became a major hit starring Miho Nakayama.
Produced by Being and composed by Tetsuro Oda, it was created by a lineup that epitomized the 1990s music scene.
The earnest lyrics about believing in a fateful reunion are deeply moving.
Many listeners were surely captivated by the interplay between Miho Nakayama’s clear, crystalline vocals and WANDS’ Sho Uesugi’s passionate singing.
The chorus, where their voices intertwine, brims with the exhilaration of a miraculous moment.
It’s a timeless, gem-like love song.
Eternal, unchanging loveOda Tetsurō
Many people probably still vividly remember it from the refreshing visuals of the Pocari Sweat commercial, don’t they? Sung by Tetsuro Oda himself—the legendary hitmaker who underpinned the Being boom—it became his first song to top the Oricon charts.
The glittering sound that follows the wistful saxophone captures the bittersweetness and exhilaration of summer to perfection.
While the lyrics may sound like a breezy love song, there’s an anecdote that they actually carry his feelings for his late brother.
Knowing that background makes the phrase “unchanging love” resonate even more deeply, turning it from a simple love song into something profoundly moving.
A special feature on classic hits produced by and from Being! Rediscover the charm (11–20)
Shiny Daykawashima daria
This is Daria Kawashima’s memorable re-debut single, released in 1991.
Well known as the theme song for Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Pocari Sweat commercials, many of you will probably recognize its refreshing melody.
As the first release from a new Being-affiliated label, the song marked the beginning of her next challenge.
Its solid, hard rock sound meshes perfectly with an exhilarating pop brightness.
Her high-toned voice in the chorus evokes a vividly blue summer sky.
The hopeful lyrics capture the very essence of youthful radiance.
It’s a classic that shows her talent—later responsible for many hits—already shining at this early stage.
Love, Day After TomorrowKuraki Mai
This is Mai Kuraki’s debut single, released when she was 17.
The song was created around the theme: “Even if I can’t do it today, I want to be someone who can properly express myself the next time I see you,” and her clear, radiant vocals are encouraging.
Also note the music video, which clearly takes cues from Hikaru Utada’s ‘Automatic’ PV.
Until the World Ends…WANDS
This is a song by WANDS, a rock band that represents the Being label, used as the ending theme for the anime SLAM DUNK.
The worldview of the work and the lyrics overlap exquisitely, gripping the hearts of fans at the time.
The loneliness and impatience felt in the middle of the city, and the earnest wish to not be separated “until the world ends.” Sho Uesugi’s vocals—like a cry from the soul, with lyrics he penned himself—ride on Tetsuro Oda’s dramatic melody and pierce deep into the heart.
Anyone who has carried emotions with no outlet yet still wished to believe in something will find this song profoundly moving.
A legendary track that continues to shine across generations.
Let’s meet in our dreams.SARD UNDERGROUND
This is a song by SARD UNDERGROUND, a band that began as a ZARD tribute and now carries the Being sound into the present.
It’s a heart-wrenching medium-tempo ballad that was also used as an ending theme for Detective Conan.
The lyrics, written by vocalist Yua Kamino, delicately portray the feelings of yearning for someone precious you can’t meet, conveyed through her clear, translucent voice.
The title is said to contain a bittersweet yet romantic charm: if you place a photo of the person you love under your pillow, you can meet them in your dreams.
It captures the pure longing of someone who can’t forget the person they love and wishes, “Even if it’s only in a dream, I want to see you.” Anyone who’s had a similar experience will surely feel a deep resonance.