Recommended cheer-up songs for high school students: tracks that will motivate you to do your best on entrance exams and club activities when you listen to them.
Between club activities, daily classes, and studying for entrance exams, high school students have more than ever to work hard on, don’t they? Sometimes you might hit a wall and feel troubled.
In times like that, I recommend listening to your favorite motivational songs to lift your spirits! Upbeat tracks or lyrics filled with encouragement can give you the strength to try again.
In this article, we’ll introduce motivational songs recommended for high school students.
There are plenty of perfect songs to cheer you on for clubs and exams, so be sure to find the one that’s just right for you.
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Recommended cheer songs for high school students: tracks that will motivate you for exams and club activities (21–30)
Blue Springback number
This rock number by back number is characterized by its strummed guitars and exhilarating, fast-paced sound.
While wrestling with one’s own shortcomings, the down-to-earth message of desperately trying to keep looking forward carries a heat that can ignite the listener’s heart.
Released in November 2012 as the band’s seventh single, it was chosen as the theme song for the drama “High School Entrance Exam” starring Masami Nagasawa, and also drew attention as the band’s first self-produced work.
For high school students feeling the pressure of daily studies and club activities, why not turn to this song when you hit a wall and use it as strength to push through? It’s sure to rouse a discouraged heart.
Kit Can Nowmiwa
Singer-songwriter miwa is loved by a wide range of generations for her straightforward vocals and down-to-earth messages.
This song, included on the single “Faith” and the album “ONENESS,” both released in February 2014, is an upbeat tune created as part of Nestlé’s Kit Kat exam-support campaign.
Its sprightly beat and bright horn arrangement blow away the anxiety and tension that can weigh on your heart.
It’s a highly recommended track that gives you courage not only when you hit a wall in your exam studies, but also when you want to fire yourself up before a club activity match.
Cheer songs recommended for high school students: tracks that will motivate you for exams and club activities (31–40)
ChessboardOfisharu Higedan Dism
This is a grand number by Official HIGE DANDism that gives you the courage to take your own step, even as you lose your way, on the vast board we call life.
Its worldview, likened to a checkerboard of black and white squares, is sure to resonate deeply with high school students living through days without rules or right answers.
Included on a single released in September 2023, the song was created as the set piece for the Middle School Division of the 90th NHK All-Japan School Music Competition.
It was also broadcast on NHK’s Minna no Uta and has been loved across generations.
Give it a listen when you feel crushed by wins and losses in club activities or the overwhelming pressure of entrance exams.
It will affirm the path you’ve taken so far and give you the strength to choose your next move.
NonfictionsDa-iCE
This is a song by Da-iCE that I want high school students who are feeling tired from studying for exams to listen to.
Chosen as the theme song for 2025’s Nettou Koshien, its driving sound and emotional melody are sure to boost your concentration while you study.
The lyrics also carry a passionate message: “Everyone is the protagonist of the drama that is their own life.” I think it’s the perfect cheer song for those who want to give their all to both club activities and studying.
CarmineELLEGARDEN
Released in August 2025, this work was produced as the opening theme for the TV anime One Piece.
It’s also the band’s first anime tie-in, made possible because vocalist Takeshi Hosomi is a huge fan of the original manga.
True to their style, the track features a rugged, high-energy sound.
It’s sure to resonate with students worn out from chasing their dreams every day and those who’ve faced frustration in their clubs.
A powerful number that gives you the courage to believe in yourself and push forward—don’t miss it.
The world is smiling at you.Little Glee Monster
With its bright, sparkling sound and lyrics about a chain reaction of smiles, this Little Glee Monster track blows away study fatigue.
It drew attention as Coca-Cola’s 2018 image song.
In the same year, it won the Composer’s Award at the Japan Record Awards and is included on the classic album FLAVA.
Its message—that if you start smiling, the world will change—gently encourages exam-takers who tend to feel down.
You’ll surely feel a positive surge of energy to say, “I’ll give it another try!”
Step by Step ~Prayer for Success~Neontetra
In the midst of studying for exams, when you want to ease your anxiety… that’s exactly when we hope you’ll listen to this warm, encouraging song by Neontetra.
Originally released on CD in April 2020, a remastered major-label version followed in October 2021.
While vividly portraying the inner conflict of feeling down when you compare yourself to others and the impatience that comes with it, the song teaches the importance of moving forward steadily, one step at a time.
If you’re troubled by mock exam results or feel like you’re being crushed by pressure at night, listening to this track will surely help you feel, “It’s okay,” and look ahead with positivity.