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[For High School Students] Melancholy Songs That Stay Close to Your Feelings [Tough Times]

[For High School Students] Melancholy Songs That Stay Close to Your Feelings [Tough Times]
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School isn’t all fun and games, is it?

It’s sad, but some people might even say, “Most of it isn’t fun at all!”

Still, no matter how tough it gets, those memories and feelings will become the strength that supports you.

In this piece, we’ll introduce some “dark” songs that will stay close to your tired heart.

There are plenty to choose from, so if you go through the songs listed, you’re sure to find something you can relate to.

Let’s borrow the power of music and get through the present together.

[For High School Students] Emo Songs That Stay Close to Your Feelings [Tough Times] (1–10)

Non-breath ObligePinokio P

PinocchioP – Non-breath Oblige feat. Hatsune Miku / Non-breath oblige
Non-breath ObligePinokio P

There are times when you want to let out feelings that have nowhere to go, right? Nonbreath Oblige is a delicate, heartrending song that you’ll want to listen to when it gets hard to go to school.

Released in 2021 by PinocchioP, it stands out for its lyrics that question a modern society where it’s hard to say what you really mean, and for its beautifully colored music video.

When you’re worn out from being careful around friends at school or when things aren’t going well in class, listening to this track might help ease your mind.

Nothing I do goes well.meiyo

[meiyo] Nothing I Do Goes Right [MV]
Nothing I do goes well.meiyo

Musician meiyo, who has also continued working under the name Takashi Watanabe as a drummer, lyricist, and composer.

This track is meiyo’s major-label debut song, and when it was posted on TikTok in July 2021, it drew major attention.

Set against a punchy, beat-driven sound, a variety of vocal textures and sound effects—ranging from low to mid to high—unfold throughout the track, resulting in a song that showcases meiyo’s uniquely imaginative world.

Howl at the MoonYorushika

Yorushika – Howl at the Moon (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
Howl at the MoonYorushika

Howling at the Moon is a song you’ll want to listen to while gazing at the night sky—perfect for those unbearably lonely nights when you want to call a friend but hold back.

Released by Yorushika in 2021, it’s a track inspired by the literature of Sakutaro Hagiwara.

The music video, which portrays various human stories as people walk through the city at night, gently accompanies the loneliness that exists in everyone’s heart.

The arrangement is simple yet stylish, making it ideal for quiet moments.

On a lonely night, give this song a listen and let it remind you that you’re not alone.

-ness; typicality; the quality/essence of being [X] (as in “X-ness” or “X-like character”)NEW!SUPER BEAVER

Have you ever felt bewildered by changing surroundings and prying eyes, finding yourself stuck on the question of who you really are? When that happens, this work by the four-piece rock band SUPER BEAVER is exactly what I want you to hear.

It affirms your evolving self and belts out an unshakable inner strength over a rock sound.

Released as a single in September 2014, it was chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime Barakamon.

Later included on the album Aisuru, it’s one of their signature tracks.

All the more reason to give it a listen when you’re preoccupied with others’ gazes and judgments and feel like you’re losing sight of yourself.

You’ll likely feel a weight lift from your shoulders.

Even if it’s one of a kindNEW!kujira

That sudden sense of loneliness, the impatience that comes from comparing yourself to others.

KujiRa’s “Even If I’m an Only One” gives voice to those feelings that have nowhere to go.

Released digitally in July 2025, the track is also included as the coupling song on the CD single featuring the opening theme for the anime “Shabake.” The lyrics, which capture fragments of contemporary life, and the light yet somehow wistful melody slip right into your heart.

We all have those nights when we worry we’ll never become anyone at all, don’t we? In those moments, KujiRa’s distinctive choice of words is sure to gently loosen a heart grown stiff.

I can’t stand that cute girl.NEW!narumiya

Set to a poppy, upbeat rhythm, this track vividly chronicles complex feelings like infatuation and jealousy.

It’s a single released by singer-songwriter Narumiya in September 2023, and it sparked a huge response mainly on social media.

Packed with possessiveness toward a crush and aching wishes, the more you listen, the tighter your chest feels.

Yet those disarmingly honest lyrics end up speaking for your feelings and lightening your heart.

Why not give it a listen when you’re struggling with unrequited love or wishing someone would understand your true feelings at night? If you let yourself sink into the up-tempo groove and let out the haze in your heart, you might feel a bit refreshed.

I thought about killing myselfNakajima Mika

Mika Nakashima – The Reason I Thought I Would Die / THE FIRST TAKE
I thought about killing myselfNakajima Mika

There are days when you don’t want to do anything or go to school, and your heart can feel lonely.

When upbeat music feels too hard to listen to, try giving “Boku ga Shino to Omotta no wa” a listen.

Mika Nakashima released it in 2013, and it also drew attention because Hiromu Akita from the rock band amazarashi produced it.

Life isn’t full of only good things, but its lyrics—ones that make you feel like you can try living a little more gently—speak to you softly, especially when you’re feeling lonely.

Please listen to this song at least once; it reminds you that it hurts precisely because you’re doing your best and living earnestly.