![[Youth Anthems] A curated selection of popular and latest songs to hype up your school cultural festival](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/CI2x2aSi8aI/maxresdefault.webp)
[Youth Anthems] A curated selection of popular and latest songs to hype up your school cultural festival
Many people look forward to the once-a-year cultural and school festivals! For students, they’re probably a big event that decorates an important page of their youth.
Music is indispensable in many moments at cultural and school festivals—venue BGM, theme songs, stage performances, dance, and other acts.
In this article, we’ll introduce perfect youth-themed songs for various scenes that brighten up your event.
Find wonderful tracks that will make your youth shine even brighter.
[Youth Songs] Carefully Selected Popular and Latest Tracks to Hype Up School Cultural Festivals (1–10)
The calling voiceNEW!Vaundy
Singer-songwriter Vaundy, who works across songwriting, composing, arranging, and even video direction.
Released digitally in December 2025, this piece was written as the theme song for NHK’s project “18 Festival.” Created around the theme of the genuine passion of teenagers gathered from across Japan, it drew attention on the program for a collaboration with 1,000 participants.
Depicting the feelings of stepping out from a closed personal space into the world, it captivates with a choral sense of scale and a driving melody.
As a challenging, high-difficulty song, it’s an outstanding anthem for cultural and school festivals—perfect as a choral piece to rehearse seriously with friends and sing together.
Double Double FIGHT!NEW!CANDY TUNE
It’s a pop, energetic cheer song that gives you positive power to get back up again and again.
Sung by CANDY TUNE, an idol group from ASOBISYSTEM, this track resonates with its themes of courage to face hardships, the importance of self-love, and the inner conflict of wavering between ideals and reality.
Its powerful message, carried by an up-tempo beat, naturally brings a smile to listeners’ faces.
Released in April 2024, it gained such a response—sparked by its hit status on social media—that it was even performed on a major year-end music program.
With its catchy sound and easy-to-copy choreography, it’s a perfect choice for a group dance performance at school festivals and cultural festivals.
Hide-and-seekNEW!AliA
A rock number whose melody, brimming with overwhelming intensity and urgency, captivates the ear.
It’s the lead track from AliA’s February 2019 album “AliVe,” and later appeared on their acclaimed classic “Me,” serving as a calling card for the band.
Though it had no official tie-in, it spread explosively through online videos.
The driving band sound intertwines with the beautifully melancholic timbre of the violin, expressing youthful impatience and a thirst for self-affirmation.
With vocals that powerfully stir the emotions, this song is sure to ignite the crowd if performed on a school festival stage.
It will help create an unforgettable scene of youth.
If you laugh at the skyNEW!wacci
Wacci is known for their warm, life-affirming music.
Released as a digital-only single in July 2018, this song was later included on the album “Gunjō Refrain” and serves as a cheer song.
Starting in August 2019, it was also selected as the first athlete support song within a Fuji TV program.
The lyrics carry a powerful message that affirms the very process of earnest effort and encourages looking forward regardless of the outcome.
Evoking the image of looking up at the sky and smiling precisely because you know the sting of frustration, the song gently supports students pouring their sweat into club activities, entrance exams, and other goals.
It’s a moving track perfect for moments when you want to unite at a school or cultural festival, or when you feel you might come to a brief stop.
NonfictionsNEW!Da-iCE
Da-iCE, who have won popularity with their overwhelming vocal prowess and sharp performances.
It was announced that this song has been chosen as the summer High School Baseball cheer song and the theme for Nettou Koshien in May 2025, and its driving, dramatic sound leaves a strong impression.
Portraying an irreplaceable coming-of-age drama where people clash and grow, this piece is likely to resonate with the real-life worries of student life.
Its bittersweet melody further highlights those fleeting moments of brilliance.
Since sheet music for brass band is also available, it’s a highly recommended number for wind ensemble performances at school cultural festivals and for stage-coloring performance BGM!
1000 daysNEW!nozomi
This song overflows with Noshishi’s charm, centered on the theme of the limited time of high school life.
Released in April 2025 as a digital-only single, it was written specifically as the tie-in track for MATCH’s new web commercial.
Riding on a driving, fast-paced guitar rock sound, it resounds with a passionate melody unique to her all-self-produced style.
Infused with the delicate emotions of adolescence and hope for the future, the track is perfect for performances at school festivals and cultural festivals.
It’s a power song that stands by students who want to cherish every moment of their youth and takes any event to the next level.
Blue AmbienceNEW!Mrs. GREEN APPLE
A duet number by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE with irresistibly exhilarating melodies! Released digitally in advance in June 2022, this track is included on the mini-album “Unity.” Chosen as the theme song for ABEMA’s romance show “Kyou, Suki ni Narimashita: Hatsuniji-hen,” it sparked major buzz, especially among younger audiences.
Featuring singer-songwriter asmi as a guest vocalist, the rapid-fire back-and-forth between male and female voices is delightfully satisfying.
It vividly captures complex emotions like anticipation and impatience in love, as well as feelings of inferiority.
Performed on a school festival stage, it’s sure to instantly elevate the energy and sense of unity in the venue.
A top-tier pop tune packed with the sparkle of youth.