[2026] A roundup of stylish J-POP love songs

Like an angel.rikon densetsu

Divorce Legend – Just Like an Angel (Official Music Video)

An evergreen summer tune by Rikon Densetsu that breezily sings of a fleeting summer romance.

Vocalist Ayumu Matsuda’s mellow high-tone voice rings pleasantly over a sound reminiscent of classic pop.

From the lyrics emerge feelings for someone who shines like an angel, encountered in a season that passes in the blink of an eye, and the fragility of that love.

Released in August 2024, the song was also selected as the theme for the TBS Tuesday drama “Taigan no Kaji: This Is My Way of Life!” Recognized by Spotify as one of 2024’s next-generation artists, they deliver a bittersweet yet beautiful love song that will keep you company when you want to bask in memories of summers past.

ShakenabeibeAKASAKI

Shake Na Baby

This is a digital single released in April 2026 as the ending theme for the TV anime “Marriage Toxin.” It marks AKASAKI’s first tie-in with a terrestrial broadcast anime.

The lyrics, which convey the resolve to charge ahead in their own way even in a mistake-filled love, blend perfectly with the exhilarating retro-pop sound.

Be sure to check out this speedy, catchy track!

CYMBillyrrom

Billyrrom – “CYM”【Official Music Video】

Billyrrom, the music collective drawing attention under the banner of Tokyo Transition Soul.

Released in March 2025, this work was written as the theme song for the Kansai TV/Fuji TV drama “MADDER: I Am the Culprit of That Case.” Using the three primary colors as its motif, it gives voice to an intense longing to be dyed in the other person’s color.

Its slightly dangerous message—wishing to blend together even if it means repainting oneself—will surely stir listeners’ hearts.

Set to a groovy sound, the stylish portrayal of complex emotions wavering at the boundary between self and other stands out.

It’s an urban love song depicting adult romance that’s not just sweet, but tinged with a bit of bittersweetness.

kissORIGINAL LOVE

ORIGINAL LOVE / Kiss

Original Love, who rose to popularity in the ’90s with their stylish sound, are perfectly represented by this work.

Released in November 1993, it was chosen as the theme song for the TV drama “Otona no Kiss.” Its urban melody, infused with jazz and soul, is layered with Takao Tajima’s sultry vocals, drawing you into an unforgettable world with just one listen.

The lyrics sing of passionate love, but the refined sound shapes it into something chic and sophisticated.

Sexy, yet tinged with a certain sadness—this is a track that evokes the delicate push and pull of adult romance.

Give it a listen with someone special on a moody night.

Tokyo FlashVaundy

Tokyo Flash / Vaundy: Music Video

This track exudes a mellow vibe within that so-called “stylish” sound.

Written, composed, and even visualized by Vaundy, it was released in November 2019 and marks the starting point of his career.

From the back-and-forth vocals that feel like a laid-back conversation, a fleeting love story set against the city night comes into focus.

The irreversibility of the situation and the emptiness floating within a no-strings-attached relationship resonate pleasantly atop a refined groove.

The song was also featured as insert music in ABEMA’s dating show “Koisuru ♥ Shūmatsu Homestay” and included on the acclaimed album “strobo.” It’s a bittersweet, grown-up number you’ll want to play on nights when you gaze at the glittering city lights and drift into thought.

I’m in LoveAran Tomoko

I’m in Love

A captivating track with a glitzy sound that glides through the city night.

It’s a number by Tomoko Aran—lyricist and singer who helped lead the city pop scene of the 1980s.

The song is included on Fuyū Kūkan (Floating Space), the acclaimed album released in May 1983, whose supercomputer-generated cover also became a talking point.

What this work portrays, perhaps, is the exhilaration of falling in love and the romantic feeling that makes the world seem to shine.

The groovy bassline and airy synthesizers weave a sound that seems to mirror the protagonist’s buoyant heart.

Its sophisticated mood, which makes you forget the city’s clamor, turns time spent with someone special into something even more memorable.

A mellow yet danceable love song that pairs perfectly with a stylish, grown-up romance.

SAVE YOUR HEARTSnow Man

Snow Man ‘SAVE YOUR HEART’ Music Video

SAVE YOUR HEART, released by Snow Man in April 2026.

It’s one of the tracks on their triple A-side single, chosen as the theme song for the drama I Fell in Love with a Terminator, starring Ryota Miyadate.

With a futuristic theme that likens love to a program, the song expresses a determination to protect a loved one, delivered over a cool, edgy dance beat.

Perfectly matching the world of the drama—a romantic comedy between a human and an android—this track is a great fit.

Be sure to enjoy the sharp, dynamic performance in the music video as well!