Nostalgic Japanese Pop Hits That Get 40-Something Men and Women Excited

There are plenty of chances to end up at karaoke—whether it’s drinks with coworkers or reunions with old friends—but do you ever find yourself struggling to pick the right songs?

I’m not too familiar with recent hits, and if it’s a gathering of people from the same generation, I’d rather get everyone hyped with nostalgic tunes we listened to in our youth.

So in this article, I’ll introduce some great crowd-pleasers recommended for people in their 40s!

I’ve focused mainly on nostalgic songs from around the 1990s, so if you’re in your 40s, these tracks should bring back memories of your younger days.

Not only are they perfect for getting everyone in the same age group excited together, but they’re also timeless classics from the Japanese music scene—so there are plenty of songs that people of all ages can enjoy together!

Playlist

Upbeat songs recommended for people in their 40s
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	frecklesJUDY AND MARY		The hit song from Rurouni Kenshin, 'Sobakasu'
2	LA LA LA Love SongKubota Toshinobu		Toshinobu Kubota’s signature songs and TV drama theme songs
3	Romantic Flightkome kome CLUB		Kome Kome Club’s classic song “Roman Hikō” colors my youth.
4	Get WildTM NETWORK		A famous song by TM NETWORK from the '80s
5	HONEYL’Arc〜en〜Ciel		A powerful and sorrowful song, a contrast between momentum and emotion
6	Marunouchi SadisticShiina Ringo		Ringo Sheena, a masterpiece that sings of the feelings of urban women
7	YAH YAH YAHCHAGE and ASKA		CHAGE’s hit song “YAH YAH YAH”
8	ROSIERLUNA SEA		LUNA SEA's 'ROSIER' is a big hit song.
9	I just feel like crying.Nagayama Miho		A representative ballad from the 1990s CD boom
10	I don’t want to let go.T-BOLAN		T-BOLAN’s classic song, a passionate and deeply emotional ballad
11	Tomorrow never knowsMr.Children		Mr.Children’s famous song—its lyrics depicting life—resonate deeply with the heart.
12	huge nuisanceUNICORN		UNICORN’s classic song “Dai Meiwaku” is still loved today.
13	Boys & GirlsHamasaki Ayumi		The Appeal of Ayumi Hamasaki’s Iconic 1990s Songs
14	A gentle feelingChara		A Char song that depicts pure love and freedom
15	Like when we first metEvery Little Thing		An inspiring classic that brings back memories of first love: Summer Romance
16	CAN YOU CELEBRATE?Amuro Namie		Namie Amuro’s classic song “CAN YOU CELEBRATE?”
17	VALENTIBoA		K-pop queen BoA shocks Japan’s music scene
18	A bouquet of flowers with loveSuperfly		A heartwarming classic that conveys love and gratitude
19	White LoveSPEED		SPEED’s “White Love,” a smash-hit winter love song
20	TRUE LOVEFujii Fumiya		Fumiya Fujii’s classic song “TRUE LOVE” is popular.
21	In the Sun and the DustCHAGE and ASKA		A gemlike melody portraying the strength to overcome dreams and setbacks
22	ultra soulB’z		B’z’s hard rock, a song about a life chasing dreams
23	See, spring has come.ushirogami hikaretai		A song that celebrates the arrival of spring and the exhilaration of the season
24	lipsGLAY		A fast-paced song that portrays GLAY’s earnest love
25	TRAIN-TRAINTHE BLUE HEARTS		A classic in rock history, an anthem of courage and hope
26	SPARKTHE YELLOW MONKEY		Love Song of The Yellow Monkey
27	Embracing SummerTUBE		A huge hit summer song by TUBE that expresses a wistful love
28	The rattlesnake is comingTonneruzu		Thanks to Tunnels (Tunnels no Minasan no Okage desu)
29	Banzai ~ So glad I loved you ~Urufuruzu		A rock song by Ulfuls that sings about love
30	Like tonight’s moonElefanto Kashimashi		A masterpiece that sings of loneliness and passion for the future
31	A Tearful RequestChekkāzu		The Checkers’ heartbreak song sets a record with a massive hit
32	WON’T BE LONGBaburugamu Burazāzu		A cheer song with an Awa Odori motif. Achieved million-seller status.
33	Beard and Boobsyunikōn		The male psyche wavering between work and love
34	Before anything else, from atop the roadIsseifubi Sepia		Released in 1984, a major hit that reached No. 5 on the Oricon chart
35	homeKiyama Yusaku		A ballad that sings of a father's love for his child
36	I won’t fall in love anymore.Makihara Noriyuki		Makihara Noriyuki’s signature breakup song
37	Runnerbakufū suranpu		A classic by Bakufu Slump portrays youth and the bonds of friendship
38	Sneaker BluesKondō Masahiko		Sneaker Blues: A Love Breakup
39	Pink sighTakahashi Mariko		A classic by Mariko Takahashi that portrays love with a lover in a fantastical way
40	ff (fortissimo)HOUND DOG		HOUND DOG’s signature work: powerful rock of love and dreams
Recommended for women
41	cherry (sweet cherry; cherry fruit)Otsuka Ai		Ai Otsuka’s “Sakuranbo,” a bright, cheerful love song
42	Cold Flowerthe brilliant green		The brilliant green’s exquisite love song
43	This is my way of life.PUFFY		PUFFY’s signature song—refreshing and rich with a meaningful message
44	God of RomanceHirose Kōmi		Kohmi Hirose, a popular musician on YouTube
45	Can’t Stop Fallin’ in Loveglobe		globe’s classic that colored the winter of 1996
46	Unwavering WishTamura Naomi		A classic 90s anime song by Naomi Tamura
47	Good-bye daysYUI		The moving theme song of the film “A Song to the Sun”
48	LOVE MachineMōningu Musume.		A rousing classic by Morning Musume
49	Song of LoveKōda Kumi		Koda Kumi’s classic love song, with lyrics that resonate with the heart
50	Timing ~Timing~Burakku Bisukettsu		A classic hit from a 90s unit, a big hit once again
51	The Theory of HappinessShiina Ringo		Ringo Sheena’s “Theory of Happiness,” a masterpiece where light and darkness intertwine
52	PassionUA		A classic UA song that portrays burning passion and heartrending sorrow.
53	DEPARTURESglobe		globe’s signature song “DEPARTURES” is popular.
54	Hello, Again ~A Place That’s Been Around Since Long Ago~My Little Lover		A classic by My Little Lover that gives you a sense of youth.
55	Single AgainTakeuchi Mariya		Mariya Takeuchi “Single Again” TV theme song
56	My RevolutionWatanabe Misato		Misato Watanabe’s “My Revolution” is a moving masterpiece that pierces the heart.
57	Shape of LoveMISIA feat.HIDE(GReeeeN)		A moving masterpiece from the collaboration between MISIA and GReeeeN
58	SEASONSHamasaki Ayumi		Ayumi Hamasaki, a late-90s high school girl icon
59	First loveUtada Hikaru		Hikaru Utada 'First Love' drama theme song
60	Et cetera related to the seashorePUFFY		Introducing PUFFY’s song “Nagisa ni Matsuwaru Etcetera”
61	Love againglobe		Karaoke song recommendations of globe for people in their 40s
62	flareSuperfly		Support women with the Scarlet theme song
63	Don’t give upZARD		ZARD’s iconic 1990s hit “Makenaide” (“Don’t Give Up”)
64	CHA CHA CHAIshii Akemi		A powerful classic that celebrates the way independent women live
Recommended for men
65	Happy life175R		Their major-label debut single entered the chart at number one.
66	I’ll walk home.Saitō Kazuyoshi		Opening theme song of Ponkikkies
67	single bedSha ran Q		Sharam Q’s hit song Single Bed
68	MarionetteBOØWY		Legendary rock band BOØWY, best-known song “Marionette”
69	TSUNAMISazan Ōrusutāzu		A masterpiece by Southern All Stars, a moving work that sings of romantic feelings.
70	cherrysupittsu		A translucent melody and a song of youth
71	SakurazakaFukuyama Masaharu		Masaharu Fukuyama’s classic song about the pain of heartbreak
72	crimsonX JAPAN		A band that fuses metal and classical music
73	HOWEVERGLAY		GLAY’s moving ballad, sung passionately by TERU
74	GLORIAZIGGY		A rock band influenced by LA metal
75	As I love you selfishly, I won’t hurt anyone but you.B’z		B’z’s smash hit sold 2 million copies.
76	Rose of PassionTHE BLUE HEARTS		A passionate song of roses, a timeless classic that resonates with the heart
77	Take back the love!!kurisutaru kingu		Theme of Fist of the North Star: depicting a man's love and determination
78	OverMr.Children		Mr.Children's 'Over' is a masterpiece and popular among people in their 40s.
79	Love Story Comes SuddenlyOda Kazumasa		Tokyo Love Story theme song “Kanchi”
80	Summer Days of 1993class		A million-hit song by a Simon & Garfunkel-style duo class
81	Easy★RiderOkuda Tamio		Vocal Guide for “Easy Rider”
82	Can’t Say Anything… SummerTHE JAYWALK		It's an easy-to-sing, refreshing breakup song.
83	Like tonight’s moonElefanto Kashimashi		Elekashi’s signature songs resonate across generations
84	POISON ~A world where you can’t even say what you want to say~Sorimachi Takashi		Takashi Sorimachi’s POISON has a narrow vocal range and is easy to sing.
85	Winter, againGLAY		The appeal of nostalgic classic songs for people in their 40s
86	SaudadePorunogurafiti		Latin-flavored sound of Porno Graffitti