A spine-chilling, terrifying song. Japanese music that evokes madness and horror.
Don’t you ever feel like listening to scary songs? That sensation where curiosity about scary things wins out—like with horror movies, haunted houses, or famous ghost spots.
In this article, I’ll introduce tracks with chilling themes: horror-inspired worlds, madness and hidden psychology, twisted love, and more.
If you’re a horror-song freak, this is a must-read.
It might also help when you’re thinking, “There was a scary song I heard once long ago, but I don’t remember the title.”
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A spine-chilling, terrifying song. Japanese tracks that evoke madness and horror (11–20)
WhoHiguchi Ai
Ai Higuchi’s delicate singing voice and the piano’s faintly unsettling timbre are a perfect match.
Written as the theme song for the film “Who’s That Girl?” and released in July 2024, it draws you into its meticulously crafted soundscape, whisper-like vocals, and a sound image that’s eerie yet beautiful.
The lyrics use distinctive wording to depict the blurring boundary between self and other.
Because the song strongly reflects the film’s story, if you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend watching it.
CellHisaishi Joe
When you think of Joe Hisaishi, I think a strong image is his emotional sound.
This piece, “Cell,” however, is crafted with a rather eerie sound that’s quite different from the image of Joe Hisaishi from Studio Ghibli.
Although it’s an unsettling track, you can still hear Hisaishi-like touches at key moments.
If you’re okay with itSukima Suichi
Sukima Switch has released many national pop hits, but there’s one song that even fans find chilling.
It’s “Kimi ga Ii nara,” included on their first original album, Natsugumo Noise.
At first glance, the piano accompaniment and Takuya Ohashi’s gentle voice are soothing, but the lyrics—about knowing everything about “you” even when you’re apart or far away—carry a psychopathic, stalker-like undertone that heightens the fear.
Plus, there are serious lines I can’t even write here, making it by far the scariest song in Sukima Switch’s catalog.
KasumiDIR EN GREY
This song blends madness with twisted affection.
It’s the title track of a single released by DIR EN GREY in April 2003, and it’s included on the album VULGAR.
Set to a wistful melody, it tells the sad story of a father and daughter.
The lyrics weave past and present together, gradually revealing the father’s descent into madness in a way that sends chills down your spine.
It’s recommended for when you’re in the mood for something frighteningly fascinating.
Our FailureMorita Doji
“Our Failures” is a song released in 1976 by singer-songwriter Doji Morita.
She’s an artist whose fragile, gentle voice leaves a strong impression.
Although she stopped performing in 1983, the song was later used as the theme for the TV drama “Our Failures,” which aired afterward, and it became a revival hit, boosted by the show’s sensational content.
Looking closely at the lyrics, even though the narrator has separated from someone and is alone, the parts where the final letters of words are written in katakana make it seem as if they are somehow savoring that parting.
The woman on the cover art staring straight at the viewer also heightens the sense of eeriness.
I’ll eat you up!Gachapin
Gachapin, a popular character born from the children’s show “Ponkikki” and still in high demand for commercials and variety shows today.
Did you know he has such a dark past? It’s said the segment stopped airing quickly because it was too scary, but if you’d turned on the TV as a cheerful child and seen your favorite character singing a song like that, it would have been a guaranteed trauma.
A spine-chillingly scary song. Japanese tracks that evoke madness and horror (21–30)
OBSCUREDIR EN GREY
Dir en grey is a popular visual kei band and one of the pioneers in creating elaborate, macabre music videos.
The MV for this song could be described as a horror short film.
Viewer discretion is advised for those sensitive to blood or graphic content.