Packed with everything from friendship to romance! Youth anthems recommended for Gen Z

Chronostasiskinoko teikoku

Kinoko Teikoku – Chronostasis (MV)

A song that depicts a comfortable moment with someone by your side as you stroll leisurely through a quiet city night.

Featured on the 2014 album “Fake World Wonderland,” this piece uses the visual phenomenon where a clock’s hands appear to stop as a motif to express the fleeting beauty of time spent with a lover.

Its unhurried rhythm matches the very pace of wandering down a nighttime street that’s so enjoyable you don’t want to go home.

It was also used in the film “We Made a Beautiful Bouquet,” poignantly coloring the story’s bittersweet scenes.

It’s a number you’ll find yourself wanting to hear when you feel a tender affection for those ordinary moments with someone special.

I’ll put it on for you.DAOKO

DAOKO “I’ll Cast a Spell on You” Music Video [HD]

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.

SUMMER ENDiri

SUMMER END

At the end of summer, when the night air turns a little cooler, the songs I want to listen to on a walk are by singer-songwriter iri.

That irresistibly pleasant groove feels like the fleeting nature of the passing season melting together with the lingering aftertaste of a summer romance.

You can hear that bittersweet frustration in her husky voice—the wish to keep dreaming sweetly while already sensing the inevitable end.

This track was released in September 2019 following iri’s album “Shade,” and it resonated widely as the theme song for the dating reality show “Renai Dorama na Koi ga Shitai ~Kiss to survive~.” It’s a song that gently stays by your side—perfect for nights when you want to sink into a slightly sentimental mood.

The limits of languageHinatazaka46

Hinatazaka46 “Limits of Words” Music Video

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.

Song of a FriendBUMP OF CHICKEN

BUMP OF CHICKEN “Friend’s Song”

This is a famous song by BUMP OF CHICKEN that also served as the theme song for the film Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops—Winged Angels.

It’s a heartwarming ballad in which vocalist Motoo Fujiwara expresses his feelings for a particular character from the perspective of someone appearing in the movie.

The lyrics, which sing of the preciousness of friendship nurtured even while taking the long way around, are striking and likely to resonate with many listeners.

Released in February 2011, the song debuted at No.

2 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and is characterized by its noble, heroic sound enhanced with trumpet and strings.

If you have companions who strive together with you, it’s sure to hit you right in the heart.

I should be able to fly (in the sky).supittsu

Spitz / I Should Be Able to Fly in the Sky

This song vividly portrays the wavering emotions of youth.

With poetic expressions of infatuation, anxiety, and a longing for freedom, it’s a beloved Spitz classic that resonates with listeners.

Skillfully capturing the exhilaration of pure love along with the accompanying unease and pain, the piece feels like one’s own story.

Released as a single in 1994 and included on the album How to Fly in the Sky, it gained broad support after being chosen as the theme song for the 1996 Fuji TV drama Hakusen Nagashi, and it reached No.

1 on the Oricon weekly chart.

The lyrics reflect not only sweet romance but also moments of life itself, evoking empathy across generations and enduring affection.

It’s a perfect song for making memories with someone special or for lifting your spirits.

DarlingMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE "Darling" Official Music Video

A heartwarming story that portrays the brilliance and uncertainty found in a fleeting moment of youth.

Mrs.

GREEN APPLE expresses it through a lyrical melody that gently embraces young people searching for their identities.

This work delicately captures the moments when one’s true feelings from deep within intersect with honest feelings toward others.

It was born as the theme song for NHK General’s special program “18-sai Matsuri” broadcast in December 2024.

The performance, created together with a thousand 18-year-olds, has left a deep impression on viewers’ hearts.

At life’s turning points that everyone experiences, when taking a new step forward, this song will surely give you the courage to live as yourself and resonate with many people.