A wonderful youth song

[2026 Edition] Youth Anthems for Your 40s! A Roundup of Popular Heart-Pounding × Heartwarming Songs

Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.
music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

The period when people now in their 40s spent their teens and twenties was the heyday of CDs—the golden age of J-POP—when million-selling singles were released almost every week.

TV dramas were a common topic at school and work, and the hit songs chosen as their tie-ins were everywhere… It was that kind of era.

Even now, past the 2020s, many timeless masterpieces born in that period continue to be loved.

In this article, titled “Youth Songs for the 40s Generation,” we’ll deliver a roundup of nostalgic hits and beloved classics from those days.

From an abundance of smash hits, the selections have been handpicked by a writer in their 40s!

We’ve also included songs currently enjoying revival success, so younger music fans are welcome to enjoy them too.

[2026 Edition] Youthful Anthems for Your 40s! A Compilation of Heart-Pounding × Heart-Fluttering Hits (161–170)

SAKURA GoodbyeSCANDAL

SCANDAL “SAKURA Goodbye” / Sakura Goodbye – Music Video

SAKURA GoodbyeSCANDAL

A number that became one of SCANDAL’s signature early works, beautifully capturing both the bittersweetness and freshness that accompany graduation scenes.

Its message, told from a true-to-life perspective, carries a power that evokes universal empathy.

The song had existed since the band’s formation and drew attention when it was used as the ending theme for Fuji TV’s variety show “Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!” Its up-tempo rock sound and the sense of parting—and anticipation for a new journey—set against the season of cherry blossoms are sure to resonate as spring arrives.

It can be called a gem of a pop tune that colors a page of youth, perfect for listening to at life’s important milestones.

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I’m glad I met you.Koizumi Kyoko

Kyoko Koizumi – I'm Glad I Met You (Official Video)

I'm glad I met you.Koizumi Kyoko

As one of Kyoko Koizumi’s most resonant signature songs, it was released in May 1991 as her 32nd single.

Chosen as the theme song for the drama “Papa to Nacchan,” which premiered that July, it became a major hit, giving her an 11th No.

1 on the Oricon chart.

Total sales exceeded 1.054 million copies, making it Koizumi’s biggest million-seller.

Koizumi herself wrote the lyrics, with Takeshi Kobayashi handling composition and arrangement.

The warm melody gently enfolds the pain of heartbreak, and the lyrics about the importance of encounters strike a deep chord.

It’s a recommended track for times when you stand at a crossroads in life or want to reaffirm your gratitude to someone important.

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In conclusion

The lineup of hit and popular songs from the late ’80s through the ’90s is so extensive that it’s impossible to cover in a single article.

Even if you’re in your teens or twenties now, there were probably plenty of songs you’ve heard somewhere at least once.

Since it’s so easy to listen on streaming services these days, making your own playlist of the hits from your youth and going for a drive would definitely be fun!