[Heartwarming] Moving CM songs. Popular commercial songs

START LINEŌhara Sakurako

Sakurako Ohara – STARTLINE (Official Music Video)

The song chosen as the theme for the Boat Race commercial in 2021 was “START LINE” by Sakurako Ohara, a singer who is also active as an actress.

From the very beginning of the track, Ohara’s clear, straight-reaching vocals leap to the ear, and many listeners were likely captivated at first listen.

As the title “START LINE” suggests, the lyrics declare that no matter the adversity, once you set your goal, that’s your starting line—making it a song that gives you the courage and a push to start running toward what you want to do.

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Hane Keisuke

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Midnight ExpresswayOkazaki Taiiku

Okazaki Taiiku runs earnestly alongside his “classmate,” rugby player Keita Inagaki! The song is Flower Companyz’s “Midnight Highway,” covered by Okazaki Taiiku / SMBC Group commercial “Forward, Together” 30+60-second versions

Since its 2004 release, “Shinya Kousoku” (Midnight Expressway) has remained a beloved anthem among rock fans, celebrated as a song that cheers you on in life.

The original is by The Flower Companyz, but it has been covered by many artists over the years—so many that in 2009 a tribute album titled “Shinya Kousoku – Ikitete Yokatta no Tsudoi -” was released featuring only versions of this song.

Singer-songwriter Taiiku Okazaki also performed this classic, and his rendition was featured in a commercial for Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group.

While he’s known for many humorous, laugh-inducing tracks, his performance here is riveting for its fiery, straightforward vocals—a powerful take that rivals the original.

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Hane Keisuke

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I forget you, who are so quiet, in October.atarayo

Atarayo - Forgetting You, the Quiet One in October (Music Video)

Formed in 2019, the band released this song as their very first track, posting the music video in November 2020.

After the MV went public, it quickly drew attention and became popular, and in 2021 it was featured in a Spotify commercial.

The lyrics begin with the woman in a couple telling the man she’s breaking up with him, then go on to describe her lingering attachment to him.

Many people have probably experienced that kind of attachment you can’t cut off, even when you know staying together just won’t work.

The song also expresses the feeling of wishing you had never met in the first place if it was going to hurt this much—a sentiment many will painfully relate to.

It’s a highly relatable heartbreak song that may squeeze your heart as it overlaps with your own experiences.

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Hane Keisuke

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Let’s have a drink here.NEW!taka ando toshi

[Now streaming for karaoke] Come on, let’s drink here. | Sapporo Classic Brand Song [Full MV]

Sapporo Classic “What kind of mother was she?” version 30 seconds

In addition to the duo Taka and Toshi, Taka’s mother also appears in this commercial.

It features a striking setup in which they talk about childhood memories with their mother.

Playing in the background is “Koko de, Nomou yo.”, a song familiar from Sapporo Beer commercials—an original track created for the ad and sung by Taka and Toshi.

With lyrics about their hometown of Hokkaido and a wish to spend time together with friends, it’s a song that’s likely to move many listeners.

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Hane Keisuke

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Young SongKawasaki Takaya

Takaya Kawasaki - Young Song [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

This song is a love song that depicts the once-in-a-lifetime love of singer-songwriter Takaya Kawasaki, who shot to fame with “Mahou no Jutan” (Magic Carpet), and it was used in a campaign commercial for the National Federation of Light Motor Vehicle Associations.

In the lyrics, a certain man speaks as if confiding his feelings for the woman he loves.

He reflects on the miracle of meeting among tens of billions of people over hundreds of billions of years of history, and he talks about an affection so strong it overflows beyond control.

There’s no doubt you’ll be moved by the sincerity and purity of these feelings.

Along with the lyrics, Kawasaki’s warm vocals and the song’s relaxed yet lively vibe make it likely to become very popular as a wedding song.

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Hane Keisuke

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Funny BunnyUru

Aquarius CM 'Invisible “Do Your Best” – Little League Baseball'

The pillows’ classic “Funny Bunny,” released in 1999 and still shining in the rock scene.

For Aquarius’s commercial, a version sung by singer-songwriter Uru was used.

While the original has a refreshing mid-tempo rock feel, Uru’s version features her clear, beautiful vocals over a piano accompaniment.

Uru’s rendition of “Funny Bunny” is included on the cover disc that comes with the limited first pressing of her 2020 album Orion Blue.

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Hane Keisuke

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Over the SeasonSaitō Kazuyoshi

Kazuyoshi Saito – Over the Season [Music Video]

This song is a piece specially written by Kazuyoshi Saito for the commercial for Maruchan’s Aka Kitsune and Midori Tanuki.

In the commercial, there’s a scene where Tetsuya Takeda looks back on his younger days, and the lyrics of the song feature many images that evoke nostalgia.

The scenery of the yard at his parents’ home, the parents who always supported him, the friends he spent so much time with…

Memories of boyhood come flooding back all at once, leaving you with a warm feeling.

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Hane Keisuke

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