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.

Again and againHinatazaka46

Hinatazaka46 “Again and Again”

It’s a cheer song filled with a warm yet powerful message that encourages you to try again as many times as it takes, even if you fail.

The lyrics, which say there’s no need to compare yourself with others, will resonate deeply with high school students who live amid daily competition.

It’s a track by the popular idol group Hinatazaka46, created as the support song for Nippon TV’s “41st High School Quiz Championship 2021,” and included as a coupling track on their sixth single released in October 2021.

Especially in those moments when you feel yourself slipping into self-doubt, give this song a listen—you’ll surely find the courage to take your next step.

The world is smiling at you.Little Glee Monster

The world is smiling at you.

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!”

Good Luck, My FutureGANG PARADE

GANG PARADE “Good Luck My Future” Music Video

The one that gives strength to high school students who feel like “I can’t study anymore…” is GANG PARADE’s latest work.

It’s a track included on their seventh major-label single, released in December 2024.

The song’s biggest draw is its gritty yet powerful message.

Even if you’re unfinished and awkward right now, it embraces all of that and passionately pushes you forward: “Let’s move into the future!” If you listen when you’re about to lose heart, it’ll make you feel like, “I’m absolutely going to do this!”

Kit Can Nowmiwa

miwa “Kitto Kanau” Music Video

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.

HereditySaitō Kazuyoshi

Heredity

This work is recommended for high school students who want to fire themselves up with a robust rock sound.

It’s a single by singer-songwriter Kazuyoshi Saito, released in February 2017.

It’s also known for being written as the theme song for the TBS drama “Gekokujō Juken.” The lyrics confront inescapable realities—like what we inherit from our parents and the environments we’re born into—while still expressing the will to move forward, which should resonate deeply with anyone feeling pressure from exams or club activities.

Its powerful melody, blending rock and folk, offers a gritty yet warm encouragement that’s more than just pretty words.

CarmineELLEGARDEN

ELLEGARDEN – Carmine [MUSIC VIDEO]

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.

white noiseOfisharu Higedan Dism

Official HIGE DANDism – White Noise [Official Video]

A rock number by Official HIGE DANDism you’ll want to play when you need the strength to push forward and break through the walls in your way.

Its high-speed, hard-hitting band sound and lyrics about cutting through anxiety and doubt to move ahead ignite a fighting spirit for tackling your studies.

Released digitally in January 2023, the track was chosen as the opening theme for the Tokyo Revengers: Christmas Showdown Arc and Tenjiku Arc, and is also included on the 2024 album Rejoice.

Its thrilling song structure fires up the brain, steels a faltering heart, and helps you regain the focus to sit back down at your desk.