A collection of uplifting, youth-themed songs — timeless tracks that set your heart on fire
There are so many songs that evoke youth—friendship and bonds with peers, club activities, romance, and more.
Whether you’re a student in the midst of your youth right now or an adult who enjoys listening to remember those days gone by, there’s something for everyone.
In this article, we’ll introduce a selection of especially upbeat youth-themed songs all at once!
If you’re looking for songs that don’t have a somber mood but instead lift your spirits as you listen, these are particularly recommended.
Be sure to listen to each track while feeling the passion of your youthful days.
- [Youth Anthems] A curated selection of popular and latest songs to hype up your school cultural festival
- A collection of upbeat friendship songs that brighten your mood, themed around friends
- Club Activity Youth Songs: Motivational Anthems and Timeless Tracks of Memories with Teammates
- A roundup of youth-themed songs recommended for high school students
- Bright friendship songs recommended for high school students. A collection of hype-up tracks.
- [Clubs, Friendship, Romance] Youth songs middle schoolers should listen to
- [For adults too] Youth songs that let you look back on your memories
- A bright song about comrades. A roundup of classic tracks that make you feel the bonds.
- Upbeat, bright songs: a collection of tracks that lift your mood when you listen
- A poignant masterpiece that sings of adolescence. Popular songs you’ll want to hear during your teenage years.
- Packed with everything from friendship to romance! Youth anthems recommended for Gen Z
- Summer songs that get middle schoolers excited: Popular tracks you’ll want to listen to in your youth
- A love song that feels like youth. Love songs you want to listen to—and remember—during your adolescent years.
A collection of uplifting, youth-themed songs: timeless tracks that set your heart on fire (11–20)
Teenager ForeverKing Gnu
A powerful anthem that brilliantly captures the radiance and restlessness of youth.
Its driving melody, carried by a brisk rhythm, stirs the heart, and the determination to keep moving forward despite the anxieties and impatience of being young is deeply moving.
Featured on the album “CEREMONY,” this track was used in January 2020 as the commercial song for Sony’s WF-1000XM3 true wireless earbuds, with King Gnu’s distinctively original sound drawing wide attention.
The deftly interwoven piano and guitar arrangement vividly conveys the urgency and inner conflicts of people living in a time-pressed modern world.
It’s the perfect song for moments when you need a push—during morning commutes, on the way to school, or when racing to meet a deadline.
DarlingMrs. GREEN APPLE
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.
Blue and SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE
A youthful pop tune, reflecting the cool hues of the sky and the summer sunlight, has arrived from Mrs.
GREEN APPLE.
Woven with exhilarating guitar riffs and a lyrical melody, this track heralds the beginning of summer.
Released in August 2018 as the theme song for the film “Ao-Natsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-Nichi,” it portrays an honest, relatable first love and a longing for summer.
The song carefully expresses the emotions of falling in love with a season one once felt indifferent to, gradually discovering its charm, and carries a powerful message about believing in human connection.
Performed at the 75th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen in December 2024, it has become a staple of the summer season.
It’s the perfect track for creating radiant memories of youth—like running along the seaside with friends and talking about love under a bright blue sky.
winding roadNovelbright
An uplifting coming-of-age anthem that depicts the journey from boyhood to adulthood along the winding road of life, set to a sweeping melody.
The track brings out Novelbright’s appeal to the fullest, portraying the anxieties and inner conflicts of everyday life, as well as the strength to overcome them.
Yudai Takenaka’s expansive vocals and the invigorating sound unique to a rock band resonate deeply.
Released for streaming in January 2025, the song was chosen as the theme for the TV Tokyo drama “Courtroom Dragon,” and its music video—directed by Hiroshi Tamaki—also became a hot topic.
It’s the perfect song for those moments when you strive to achieve something together with friends, like in club activities, cultural festivals, or school festivals.
DREAMERIkuta Rira
A gemlike ballad that powerfully conveys passion for dreams and a deep love of music.
Standing at life’s crossroads, its lyrics gently support young people chasing their precious dreams, celebrating the beauty of staying true to oneself.
Sung by Rira Ikuta, the song was released in March 2025 alongside the album Hyakka Ryouran and drew wide attention as an insert song in the drama Paripi Komei.
Because she has devoted herself to music since childhood, her true-to-life expressiveness lends words that move the heart.
As a finale track for school sports days and festivals, it’s sure to become a cherished song that colors a page of youth.
MiracleGReeeeN
When it comes to timeless youth anthems, “Kiseki” tops the list.
Released in 2008 as a single by GReeeeN, it was used as the theme song for the drama ROOKIES.
People in their twenties likely listened to it often during their teenage years, but the 2017 film Kiseki: Sobito of That Day, which portrays the story behind the song’s creation, also featured it, so many teens may know it as well.
It’s one of those tracks you’ll want to listen to with friends or someone you like while you’re still in your teens.
A collection of uplifting, youth-themed songs: 21–30
A butterfly that cannot fly dreamsTogenashi Togeari
An emotional rock tune that resonates with the heart, sublimating the worries and hopes of youth.
The raw feelings of young people seeking freedom are expressed alongside a powerful sound.
The exhilarating melody and memorable guitar riffs showcase a high level of polish that proves their ability.
Released in May 2025 as the B-side to Togenashi Togeari’s 10th single, “Daremo,” this track is a coming-of-age anthem that gently embraces the feelings of young people striving to look forward while torn between dreams and reality.
It’s a song that gives energy and courage—one you’ll want to listen to in a classroom after school—and a must-hear for young listeners struggling with their worries.