[2026] Fast-Rising Music: A Roundup of Trending Songs

Hikari TowaORANGE RANGE

Hikari Towa

This is a song written by the Okinawan rock band ORANGE RANGE as the theme for the film “Strawberry Moon: A Love with Six Months to Live.” Released in October 2025, the work portrays a protagonist who, despite carrying sorrow, chooses to live positively.

It’s moving in the way it captures bonds that stay connected at heart even when apart, and the courage to overcome hardship.

When you want to look back on memories with someone special or find yourself at a crossroads in life, this song is sure to be by your side.

PlatformUru

[Official] Uru “Platform” TV anime “Eikyuu no Yuugure” OP theme

Singer-songwriter Uru, who has captivated many listeners with her mysterious presence.

Written as the opening theme for the TV anime “Eikyuu no Yuugure,” this piece features a light, pop-tinged ensemble that feels wonderfully comfortable.

The lyrics—conveying a message to someone dear that the essence of “love” never changes, no matter the form—are also compelling.

Set for digital release in October 2025, it’s an upbeat track whose refreshing melody gives you a gentle push forward.

Reach to the heavensMatsutōya Yumi

Yumi Matsutoya – Reach to the Heavens

This piece was written by Yumi Matsutoya, one of Japan’s most iconic singer-songwriters, as the theme song for the drama “When I Was Little, There Was a God,” which began airing in October 2025.

Its nostalgic melody, the harmony that layers her past vocals—recreated with AI technology—with her present voice, and its grand soundscape resonate deeply.

It carries a curious, floating sensation, as if traveling through multiple dimensions.

A gentle autumn song that links the past and the present.

aliveMoriyama Naotaro

Naotaro Moriyama / “Ikiteiru” Music Video

This piece is included on Yumizuruhanoha, one of the two concept albums—Yumizuruhanoha and Yeeeehaaaaw—released by Naotaro Moriyama in October 2025.

It’s a song that gazes into the very source of life.

Built solely around piano and strings, its ambient soundscape gently envelops the tremors and transience of everyday life.

Moriyama’s deep, folk-rooted vocals and lyrical melody resonate in the heart.

It’s a track that quietly stays by your side when you lose your way in life.

Unhappy birthday constructionSakurazaka46

Sakurazaka46 “Unhappy Birthday Syntax” Music Video

The title track of Sakurazaka46’s 13th single, released in October 2025, is an ambitious work that shines with a sardonic take on what should be a celebratory day—one’s birthday.

The lyrics, which repeatedly and self-deprecatingly question whether it was good to have been born into this world, really hit home.

The sound, infused with dark rock elements, accentuates the unsettling psychological portrayal.

Released as the group’s 13th single in October 2025, the song came out in five formats: limited first-edition versions and a regular edition.

It’s a number that opens up a new expressive world for Sakurazaka46—one we especially want those who resonate with feelings of impatience and emptiness toward an unchanging self to hear.

I love youSuiyōbi no Campanella

Wednesday Campanella “Wo Ai Ni”

This is a playful song with lyrics that liken the course of love to mahjong hands.

It’s a track by Wednesday Campanella, included on the EP “Kawaii Joshi,” released in September 2025.

The song was written as the opening theme for season 2 of the TV anime Ranma 1/2.

Its up-tempo sound, wrapped in a mélange of pan-Asian imagery, contrasts with a love story that dives into risk on a wave of momentum—an expression only this unit could pull off.

Utaha’s vocals, shifting in tone from section to section, further enrich the song’s storytelling.

It’s an addictive number that lifts your spirits the moment you listen.

Mirror feat. Kosuke Saitoieiri reo

Leo Ieiri – “Mirror feat. Kosuke Saito” (Music Video)

This is a collaboration between the accomplished singer-songwriter Leo Ieiri and Kosuke Saito of UNISON SQUARE GARDEN.

Released digitally in October 2025, the song was written as the theme for NTV’s Wednesday drama “ESCAPE: It Was Supposed to Be a Kidnapping.” Featuring lyrics that use mirrors as a motif, it portrays the struggle of facing oneself and a world where reality and illusion intersect.

The two voices overlap as if in dialogue, creating profound emotional depth.

It’s a duet that gently supports the hearts of those who keep pursuing their dreams.