A famous song about setbacks. A song that stays by your side when times are tough or you feel like giving up.
While living, there are happy moments, but there are surely many times when we feel crushed, too.
I researched songs about the theme of setbacks—ones that can give you encouragement.
Rather than songs that just say “Keep it bright and push through!”, I mainly picked tracks that stay close to those frustrating feelings during a setback and the tough times.
So when nothing seems to be going right, please give them a listen.
May setbacks become the seeds of success.
I’m sure music will give you plenty of strength!
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Masterpieces that sing of setbacks: songs that stay by your side when times are tough or you feel like giving up (91–100).
Why Don’t You Play in Hell?Hoshino Gen
This is a celebrated masterpiece by Gen Hoshino, praised as a soul-baring song that candidly voices profound despair and loneliness.
Born from his time battling illness in a hospital room, the piece powerfully portrays a person struggling on in the face of hopeless circumstances.
Though a pop song, its sophisticated arrangement deftly weaves in elements of jazz and funk, brilliantly expressing emotions swaying between life and death.
Released in October 2013, it was created as a movie’s theme song and carries Hoshino’s earnest feelings as he awaited surgery.
The grand soundscape, adorned with lavish strings and a horn section, conveys a fierce will to claw one’s way back from the brink of despair.
It’s a track you should listen to when you’re exhausted by life and on the verge of breaking.
It will surely resonate with anyone who, even while confronting harsh realities, still strives to look ahead and keep moving forward.
A Cheer Song Dedicated to YouHIPPY
An uplifting anthem that combines the warmth of gently encouraging those who face setbacks and hardships to believe in themselves and move forward, with the strength to give them the courage to rise again.
HIPPY’s soul-stirring vocals resonate deeply with listeners’ hearts.
Included on the album “HomeBase ~Arigatou~,” released in March 2017, this song has been chosen by many professional baseball players as their walk-up music and ranked No.
1 in the 2020 Professional Baseball Players’ Walk-up Song Rankings.
It’s the perfect track for moments when you feel like you might stop chasing your dreams, when you feel anxious or alone, or when you want someone to give you a gentle push.
It will stay close to your heart and give you the courage to take a step toward tomorrow.
Young adultmakaroni enpitsu
The vocals of Macaroni Enpitsu, which vividly depict the despair faced by today’s youth, pierce the heart.
Their pop-rock sound—woven from speedy guitar riffs and emotional melodies—balances catchiness with fragility.
The protagonist, tormented by a lack of love and loneliness, evokes deep empathy as a story of setbacks anyone can relate to.
Included on the mini-album “season,” released in September 2024, the song also drew attention as a tie-in for Space Shower TV’s “Live o 100-bai Tanoshimu LIVE YEAH!!!.” It’s a heartwarming track that stands beside those feeling the pain of heartbreak or the difficulty of living, and those searching for hope even amid despair.
Everything is exhausting!takayan
This is a song that brilliantly encapsulates the everyday stress and conflicts everyone experiences.
The lyrics, which empathize with familiar struggles like frustration with a part-time job boss and tangled relationships, resonate deeply.
Showcasing Takayan’s sincere emotional expression, this work is his 56th single, released in April 2024.
A solo concert is also scheduled for November in Shibuya, Tokyo, promising a special day for fans.
While encouraging a brief escape from reality, the lyrics also convey hope that things will improve someday, offering support to young people who feel crushed by societal pressure.
In conclusion
Days of setbacks and things not going well—having wonderful music like this with you at those times can be so empowering.
It lifts your spirits and encourages you.
Surely there’s someone out there watching over you! Let’s move forward one step at a time.