Classic and popular ballad songs recommended for high school students

precious loveEXILE ATSUSHI

EXILE ATSUSHI / Precious Love

This is a song by EXILE’s ATSUSHI.

I think anyone in love will find parts they can relate to.

ATSUSHI’s clear voice evokes a bittersweet yet gentle feeling.

It’s a song that makes you want to cherish the person you’re with.

HEROMr.Children

Mr.Children「HERO」［(an imitation)blood orange］Tour2013 Live

I feel like I could cry just from the opening lines.

The title is “HERO,” but it’s not about a hero who saves many people—it’s a song about wanting to be a hero for someone special.

It’s a classic that conveys quiet, thoughtful kindness.

Night sky.miwa feat. haji→

miwa feat. Hajime→ Night Sky.

It’s a love ballad featuring Hajime→, a singer-songwriter from Sendai.

The drama segment stars Kentaro Sakaguchi, Riho Takada, and Murotsuyoshi.

It’s a bittersweet love song about wanting to meet but being unable to.

Listening to this track can bring you to the verge of tears.

The poignant harmonies between the male and female vocals tighten your chest.

pupilŌhara Sakurako

Sakurako Ohara – Hitomi (Music Video Short ver.)

Even though it’s a ballad, it’s not about the pain of love—it’s an uplifting song that encourages people chasing their dreams.

It’s a track I’d love you to listen to when facing the future, whether at graduation or entrance ceremonies.

Sakurako Ohara’s refreshing vocals are wonderful, too.

rendezvousshaitoopu

rendezvous

Shytope is a three-piece rock band whose name comes from the “shy moles”—a group formed in a university music club that practiced in an underground studio.

Their popularity grew mainly through social media, and they made headlines for topping the Billboard JAPAN charts.

This song is a poignant breakup ballad that gazes back at a love that has passed.

Even while knowing it’s impossible, the protagonist dashes through the rain, longing to reunite with their lover—a scene likely to resonate with many teenagers.

The languidly sweet vocals and emotional soundscape make it perfect for nights when you want to sink into your feelings.

It’s a stylish, sentimental rock tune also included on their first full-length album, “Hors d’oeuvre.”

Hide-and-seekYuuri

Yuuri “Kakurenbo” Official Music Video

A poignant ballad that likens a breakup with a live-in lover to the children’s game of hide-and-seek.

Through images of a tumbler left behind and a messy room, it vividly portrays a man’s heart steeped in emptiness and loneliness.

Yuuri’s delicate vocals, paired with a simple, guitar-centered arrangement, superbly convey the pain of heartbreak.

Released in December 2019, the recording was supervised by Hiro of MY FIRST STORY.

The music video, directed by Elizabeth Miyaji and featuring actress Yuu Kinoyama, further deepens the work’s world.

It is a gem of a love song that closely resonates with those who have just experienced a breakup or who still harbor longing for someone dear.

MetronomeYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – Metronome

A gemlike ballad that gently captures the subtleties of meetings and partings.

It likens the relationship of two lovers to a metronome, meticulously portraying how hearts that once beat in unison gradually fall out of sync.

Kenshi Yonezu’s delicate vocals and memorable melodic lines convey the ache of love with nothing left unsaid.

Included on the album Bremen, released in October 2015, the song also garnered attention for its distinctive music video composed of hand-drawn illustrations.

It is a track that will surely resonate deeply with anyone suffering the pain of heartbreak or struggling with growing distance from someone dear.