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!
- Songs to listen to when you’re feeling down! Tracks that boost your self-confidence
- [Songs to Listen to When You Want to Die] I want to disappear... A song to support you who feel that way
- [Dark Songs] A carefully curated selection of deeply dark tracks and heartbreaking songs that accompany you in tough times
- [Support for the Heart] Songs That Give You Courage When Times Are Tough
- [A Cheer for Myself] A pep song dedicated to you who are doing your very best
- [Deeply Moving] A Tear-Jerking Cheer Song: Popular Inspirational Anthems That Resonate with the Heart
- [Cheer-Up Songs Special] Songs that give you courage when you're feeling down. Encouraging tracks.
- [For those doing their best] A comforting song to listen to when you're tired of life
- [A Life-Affirming Anthem] An Encouraging Song to Cheer You On
- [Yami Song] Fight darkness with darkness!? Deep tracks that stay close to your pain
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Masterpieces that sing of regret. Recommended popular songs.
- [For when you want to cry or feel sad] Tear-jerking masterpieces that make you cry when you listen
A masterpiece that sings of setbacks. Songs that stay by your side in tough times or when you feel like giving up (81–90)
7 daysphatmans after school
This song delicately portrays the feeling of nearly losing sight of life’s meaning and one’s sense of worth, told through the course of a week’s everyday life.
Within its calm, narrative tone, a loneliness and isolation—like not being needed by anyone—quietly seep through, resonating deeply with listeners.
Released to the world as a track on phatmans after school’s double A-side single “FR/DAY NIGHT” in July 2015, it is also included on the band’s second album, “Unchronicle.” When you’re struggling in life and feel stuck, this song will surely stay close to your heart.
It’s a piece we hope those who feel doubt or anxiety about living will listen to.
Pain, go away!ZORN
ZORN weaves a soul’s cry, facing pain that gouges at the depths of the heart, in his uniquely crafted words.
It’s a gem of a song that earnestly sings to a friend on the verge of being crushed by mental exhaustion and helplessness.
Even amid heart-rending sorrow, the warm wish of “let’s meet again” shines like a light and seeps into the heart.
Released in July 2022, the piece features BACHLOGIC’s polished production, vividly coloring the nuances of emotion.
It gently resonates with those standing at the brink of deep despair, and with anyone who wants to be close to the pain of someone they cherish.
No matter how smallwacci
An uplifting song has been born, warmly and gently portraying people who walk on with all their might, even while feeling how hard life can be.
Alongside the friendly melodies woven by the five members of wacci, the courage to face one’s own weaknesses and flaws, and the determination to move forward step by step, are vividly expressed.
Written and composed by Yohei Hashiguchi, the piece speaks to you even in those moments when you feel you’re losing your sense of self, telling you that your efforts have meaning.
It was written as the theme song for the NTV drama “After-School Carte” in October 2024 and is also included on the album “Dressing,” released in January 2025.
It is sure to be cherished as a song that stays close to your heart when you lose your way on the path you chose and come to a halt.
Where does our sorrow go?Harukamirai
Harukamirai’s soul-stirring cries, rooted in their unique worldview, strike straight to the heart.
While reflecting the anxieties and chaos of society, the song carries a strong will to keep moving forward and a desire to protect cherished companions.
Conveying the importance of holding on to hope even amid struggle, this work fuses punk rock with emotional elements to deliver a powerful sound that shakes the listener.
Included on the album “Living Is About Holding Onto a Hope as Small as a Booger,” released in February 2025, it marks a new frontier for a band with a track record that includes theme and insert songs for the film “Rin.” This is a message song that resonates with everyone who, despite feeling loneliness and anxiety, still wants to face forward and live.
AnswerIkuta Rira
Lila Ikuta delivers a heartwarming medium-tempo ballad that gently stays close to the anxieties and uncertainties of one’s future.
Amid a grand, dramatic arrangement, its warm melody stands out—offering the courage to take a step forward toward tomorrow while facing loneliness and pain.
It’s an encouraging song that softly nudges those who are unsure of their path.
Released in March 2021, the piece was also featured as the CM song for Tokio Marine Nichido Anshin Life’s “Disability Income Insurance,” resonating with many listeners.
It’s a moving, tear-evoking track we hope those searching for their own way, or spending days without clear answers, will hear.