Songs of the constellations: classic and popular tracks you’ll want to listen to while gazing at the night sky

Shining ConstellationThe Fifth Dimension

Aquarius / The 5th Dimension

It’s a song by The 5th Dimension released in 1969.

The English title is “Aquarius.” It was used as an insert song in the musical Hair and reached number one on the Billboard chart.

It’s a choral song about planetary motion and the sign of Aquarius.

Lamp starharuka nakamura + suis from Yorushika

[MV] Akari-boshi (Lamp Star) / haruka nakamura + suis from Yorushika

You’re drawn into its delicate, lyrical sound.

It’s a collaboration between composer haruka nakamura and suis, the vocalist of Yorushika.

The song was written as the theme for the film “Kono Natsu no Hoshi o Miru,” set to be released in July 2025.

suis’s crystalline voice gently accompanies the quiet, beautiful piano melodies woven by haruka nakamura, creating an immersive feeling as if you were inside a planetarium.

The story—tinged with the ache of an irretrievable past and the discovery of a small light of hope in the darkness—perfectly matches the film’s worldview.

Listen, and you’ll find yourself forgetting the daily bustle and quietly looking up at the night sky.

Sparkling ConstellationHaida Katsuhiko

Sparkling Constellation — A hit song from 1940 (sung by Katsuhiko Haida), broadcast in 1969 — Japan Kayō Channel

It’s a Showa-era popular song released as a record in March 1940.

It was used as an insert song in a New Year’s film the same year.

The lyrics sing of a man’s pure feelings and love shining in the night sky.

It became such a hit during the war that it reportedly drew complaints from the military, and it is considered Katsuhiko Haida’s breakout work.

Constellation of GlassSaitō Takayuki

Takayuki Saitō [Constellations of Glass]

This is a piano piece by Takayoshi Saito, a Tokyo-born composer who also served as a director of the Japan Band Directors Association.

The mood of the piece conveys, through its tone, the cold night air and the quietly twinkling stars suggested by the title.

It can be described as a work with a sense of tension.

If you can play the piano or are confident in your skills, why not give it a try? It’s great practice for fingerings.

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Stargazersupittsu

Spitz / Stargazer

A gem of a love song by Spitz that sings of the feelings of someone gazing up at the stars.

Released in January 2004, it drew attention as the theme song for Fuji TV’s variety show “Ainori.” The lyrics delicately portray the anxiety, anticipation, and hope of a single night spent waiting for a confession’s reply, and the clear, gentle melody resonates with the heart.

The song was used again as the commercial theme for Subaru’s SUV “Forester” starting in January 2017, bringing it back into the spotlight.

With a comfortable tempo around 120 BPM, it’s perfect for walking.

Listen to it while strolling under a starry sky, and you’ll be immersed even more deeply in the world of its lyrics.