Packed with everything from friendship to romance! Youth anthems recommended for Gen Z
When you hear the phrase “youth anthem,” what kind of songs come to mind?
Some people immersed themselves in clubs or hobbies, others treasured time with friends, and some were swept up in romance.
Because each person focused on different things during their youth, there are as many youth anthems as there are listeners.
This time, we’ve curated songs we especially recommend for members of Generation Z.
We selected tracks released roughly between 2011 and 2024—the years when many in Gen Z likely spent their formative youth—so put them on and let the memories come flooding back!
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- [Clubs, Friendship, Romance] Youth songs middle schoolers should listen to
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- An iconic song by a female artist that Gen Z can get hyped about with their peers
- Recommended love songs for junior high school students! Carefully selected J-POP classics and popular tracks
- When you want to hype it up with your peers! Karaoke songs recommended for Gen Z
- A roundup of youth-themed songs recommended for high school students
- A love song that feels like youth. Love songs you want to listen to—and remember—during your adolescent years.
Packed with everything from friendship to romance! Youth anthems for Gen Z (21–30)
We againSG
Singer-songwriter SG, a Japanese-Korean artist who gained popularity through TikTok and YouTube, released this song in April 2021.
Embraced as a “Reiwa-era graduation song,” it captured the hearts of younger listeners and surpassed 150 million streams.
The lyrics, which blend the loneliness of parting with the hope of reunion, resonate with people at life’s turning points, such as graduation or changing jobs.
In November 2024, a concert band arrangement was featured in Calorie Mate’s exam-season support commercial, and a collaborative production with the Blossoming Tokuei High School Wind Ensemble also drew attention.
Its simple “don-don-pa” rhythm makes it easy to sing and popular at school events.
It’s a perfect song for those facing farewells with someone important, as well as middle and high school students about to graduate.
life hackVaundy
A love song by Vaundy that portrays the wavering of the heart where anxiety and expectation in romance intersect.
It depicts how the narrator rides an emotional rollercoaster with every change in the other person’s attitude, unable to suppress the surge of unstoppable feelings.
The psychological portrayal of oscillating between the desire to create and the urge to protect captures a genuine conflict that anyone in love can relate to.
Released digitally in March 2020, the track was later included on the May 2020 album “strobo.” In 2022, it was selected as the TV commercial song for the apparel brand GLOBAL WORK, delivering a refreshing world in a CM featuring Tsubasa Honda.
It’s a song to listen to when you’re puzzled by the push and pull of romance, or on nights when your heart races thinking about someone you love.
Express Ticket and RhythmConton Candy
Written as the theme song for the film “Zenbu of Tokyo,” released in October 2024, this track marks a major milestone for Conton Candy as their first movie theme song.
Its exhilarating guitar sound and lyrics depicting the struggles of youth set against the city of Tokyo leave a strong impression.
Loveless words and unpleasant memories of the past are all reset by a loved one’s smile—imbued with the purity and strength that come with youth.
Vocalist Tsumugi has said the song was created with the message “I want you to be yourself,” conveying a wish for listeners not to forget their own colors even amid a chaotic city.
It’s a masterpiece we highly recommend to anyone who can relate to the conflicts of adolescence and the hope for the future.
The limits of languageHinatazaka46
This is a track included as a coupling on the single “Onegai Bach!” released in September 2025.
Hina Kawata, who was about to graduate, served as the center.
The song contemplates the vastness of the universe while expressing the limits of putting precious feelings into words and celebrates the bonds of the heart that transcend language.
Its acoustic sound is warm and wonderful.
It’s a message song you’ll want to dedicate to someone setting off on a new journey.
I’ll put it on for you.DAOKO
This is an electro-pop number included on DAOKO’s self-titled album “DAOKO,” released in March 2015 to mark her major-label debut.
Like casting a magic spell, it captures the fluttering excitement of a love just beginning, and just listening makes your heart skip.
The desire to become a more wonderful version of yourself in front of someone you like feels so pure and relatable, doesn’t it? The song’s light, stylish vibe is perfect for an afternoon café time or a sunset drive.
It’s a track that sprinkles a little magic, making everyday scenes feel just a bit more special.
Cinderella BoySaucy Dog
Written from a female perspective, this song is a heartfelt love ballad that portrays unrequited feelings and the turmoil of betrayal.
Paralleling the story of Cinderella, it poignantly captures the moment when, like magic fading after midnight, she notices her lover’s true self beneath the idealized image.
Self-deception in turning a blind eye to betrayal, and the complex emotions of anger and dependence, are conveyed over a wistful melody.
Included on the mini-album “Lazy Sunday,” the track was released digitally in August 2021.
It debuted on Music Station in 2022 and ranked second in the annual karaoke charts.
It’s a must-listen for anyone struggling with one-sided love or feeling hurt by a complicated relationship.
1000 daysnozomi
This is a heartrending song that portrays the brilliance and fragility of youth.
Released in April 2025, it was written specifically for the new web commercial “Seishun Bonus Time” for the vitamin carbonated drink MATCH.
The lyrics, which frame high school life as roughly 1,000 days, carry both a bittersweet nostalgia for those short yet intense three years and a cheer for the future.
While it’s a power song that rides a passionate melody over a high-velocity guitar rock sound, its delicate depictions—like scribbling and erasing the name of a crush in the corner of a notebook or the secrets one has guarded—are deeply moving.
Fully self-produced by Noshi, who handled all lyrics, composition, arrangement, vocals, and artwork, this track resonates with anyone who spent time in high school or wants to cherish their memories of youth.