Yami songs recommended for college students: melancholic tracks to listen to when you're feeling down

Grim ReaperOmori Seiko

Seiko Oomori 'Shinigami' Music Video

If you’re exhausted by life and overwhelmed by an inescapable loneliness, I recommend Seiko Oomori’s song “Shinigami.” She became popular as an artist whose “lyrics are profound,” praised even by novelists.

The worldview of her lyrics and her distinctive voice mesh together to create an indescribable atmosphere, don’t they?

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Saitō Ayumu

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The Edge of the Blue SkyOkuda Miwako

Miowako Okuda – The Edge of the Blue Sky

Miwa Okuda’s “Aozora no Hate” (“At the Edge of the Blue Sky”) is a song about the despair of life.

Released in 2003, it was used as the theme song for the drama “Yankee Bokō ni Kaeru” (“A Yankee Returns to His Alma Mater”).

The lyrics depict a state of pain—when everything is hard, you feel utterly alone, and you think life is no longer worth it.

They will likely resonate with those who are going through a similarly difficult time.

Even so, the song ultimately lets you feel a future where light breaks through, suggesting that someday you will surely escape this reality.

If you’re overwhelmed by hardship right now, try lifting your head just a little while letting this song be by your side.

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SAKI

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aitaiKato Miria

Miliyah Kato - “Aitai”

It’s a song that portrays the feelings of a girl who keeps thinking about an ex-lover she can no longer meet.

The straightforward words “I miss you” feel incredibly poignant and make my heart ache.

Isn’t it a song that speaks on behalf of a heart wounded by heartbreak?

crimsonX JAPAN

X Japan - Kurenai

This is a song I want to listen to when I feel like I can’t trust anyone.

It’s truly a legend—the signature track of the visual-kei band X JAPAN—and I think many people know it.

This song speaks the words I can’t usually say, the cries from my heart.

cowardTatetakako

Coward / Tate Takako

Tate Takako captivates with her beautiful singing voice and astonishing piano technique.

You can’t take your eyes off her as she performs with an intensity that feels like she’s burning her very life.

Her lyrics, which put into words and lay bare the murky parts we all carry as humans—things you wouldn’t normally dare to say—make you gasp in spite of yourself.

Christmas EveYamashita Tatsuro

Tatsuro Yamashita "Christmas Eve" Music Video

It’s a standard Japanese Christmas song, but judging from how it’s put together, I think it’s basically a full-on “yami” (dark/depressive) song.

In the intro alone, he stacks the same guitar phrase five times, and in the interlude he overdubs a canon using only his own voice… Most people wouldn’t even think of going that far.

As expected of a true “craftsman of sound,” Tatsuro Yamashita.

the depths of the heartrokudenashi

Rokudenashi “In the Depths of the Heart” / Rokudenashi – Deep Down [Official Music Video]

A ballad that embraces loneliness and solitude was released by Rokudenashi in February 2025.

While containing hardship and pain, it carefully portrays an earnest desire to cherish a loved one and find hope.

With MIMI’s delicate melodies and Ninjin’s expressively rich vocals, this work stays by your side on lonely nights and helps you take a step toward tomorrow.

When you feel isolated or carry pain in your heart, listening to this song will gently cradle your unsteady feelings.