Melancholic songs by girls' bands. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks.

Airfuyu no dōbutsuen

Winter Zoo: “Closing Time Rattle Escape Special” / Air [Sunday, February 7, 2021, Shimokitazawa ERA]

This is a track included on Fuyuno Doubutsuen’s first album, “THE ZOO IN WINTER.” You could truly call them a “cool and cute” band.

The three-part harmonies are excellent as well.

The bittersweet yet forward-looking lyrics slip right into your heart.

It has a sense of speed and feels great to listen to.

I’ll turn you into a song.Supurīgaru

[Heartbreak Ballad Song] I’ll turn you into a song / Spregel 📝 #GirlsBand #IndieBand #Live #OriginalSong #J-Rock #Spregel #Recommended

“I’m going to turn our memories into a song, just as they are.” This is a song by Spreegal that sings of a slightly bold resolve.

Without romanticizing a broken heart, its lyrics candidly trace the scenes and emotions etched in the mind, stirring deep empathy in listeners.

The track is included on the EP “MEMORIES,” released in April 2024.

Anyone who has experienced an unforgettable love will likely be startled by how unflinchingly honest the words feel, as if they were written about themselves.

While carrying bittersweet memories, the song quietly stays by your side, supporting the part of you that still wants to move forward.

call my nameChilli Beans.

call my name

Unable to take that one last step, unable to tell your feelings to someone special.

Have you ever felt that kind of frustrating love? Chilli Beans.’s latest work is a ballad that, with just acoustic guitar and vocals, gently stays close to those helpless emotions.

The lyrics—into which the members poured the feelings they keep in their hearts—depict the frustration of reaching out but never quite reaching, and the sorrow of not even being able to share a moment in words; they’re sure to move you.

This song is the final track on the masterpiece “Chilli Beans.” released in July 2022.

The album drew attention with many tie-in tracks and even won the CD Shop Award.

If you listen on a quiet night alone in contemplation, its delicate tones will gently seep into your heart.

You, who fell in love with wordsUNFAIR RULE

UNFAIR RULE 'You, Who Fall in Love with Words' Music Video

Based in Okayama Prefecture, UNFAIR RULE captivates many fans with candid lyrics drawn from vocalist Tamaha Yamamoto’s real-life experiences and guitar rock infused with the energy of melodic punk.

The track introduced here is a song imbued with the protagonist’s strong resolve to see through to the other person’s true intentions—things that can’t be grasped from words alone.

If you recreate it as a band, centering on Tamaha Yamamoto’s expansive vocals, pairing guitars that shimmer like stardust in the night sky with drums that drive a brisk, propulsive beat will make the worldbuilding stand out even more.

Released as a digital single in April 2025, this work is also narratively connected to the earlier release “Zuru-i Yakusoku” (“Unfair Promise”).

It’s a perfect challenge piece for those who want to express a dramatic arc as a band at a school festival or live show.

I hope I can be your lover.Kaneyori Masaru

Kaneyori Masaru [I Hope I Can Be Your Lover] Music Video

Kaneyori Masaru resonates with relatable, life-sized lyrics that capture everyday moments.

Featured on their mini album “To Us Who Won’t Live Yesterday,” released in January 2025, this is a track that straightforwardly sings of an unrequited love.

It also drew attention as the theme song for the film “Yoyogi Johnny’s Melancholy After School.” With a relatively simple structure, it’s an easy song for bands to tackle.

You can arrange the guitar mainly with chord strumming, keep a rolling nuance on the snare for the drums, and lock in tightly with the bass to convey the song’s bittersweet yet forward-looking world.

The bass phrase that stands out right before the chorus may be a bit tricky, but it’s a crucial lead-in to the hook, so be sure to practice it thoroughly!

Revolveryonige

yonige “Revolver” Official Music Video

A song that gently portrays the sorrow of love and the changes of the heart strikes a perfect balance between wistfulness and resignation.

It delicately depicts two people who were once close gradually growing apart, using everyday scenes like pro wrestling and ramen as a lens.

Chosen as a theme for au’s Santaro commercial series and later included on the 2018 album HOUSE, the track is further brought to life in its music video, which features actor Ryuya Wakaba and conveys a cinematic atmosphere that beautifully captures the song’s world.

Embracing the hearts of those who try to look forward while carrying the pain of heartbreak, it resonates as a quintessential yonige coming-of-age song.

Charonnegoto

Negoto – Charon [Official Music Video]

A coming-of-age song that stirs the heart with its dreamlike, translucent sound and literary lyrics.

The title “Charon” is the name of Pluto’s moon, and the story projects feelings for someone far away onto the image of Charon—always beside Pluto yet never crossing paths.

Released on March 2, 2011, the track was featured in a campaign commercial for au’s music distribution service, LISMO!.

Also included on the album “ex Negoto,” this gem portrays the ache of wanting to meet someone you cannot see.

It’s a song best heard in the stillness before dawn, when thoughts turn to someone precious in the distance.