A roundup of youth-themed songs recommended for high school students
The songs you fall in love with in high school will become vivid memories adorning a page of your youth.
It’s a strange feeling that they never fade and you can still listen to them decades later.
In this article, we’ve put together a selection of tracks we recommend for those of you right in the middle of your youth right now!
We’ll introduce a wide range—from songs that fire you up, to ones that heighten the mood for romance, to heart-wrenching pieces that might make you cry.
Be sure to read to the end.
You just might discover the best music of your life.
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Collection of youth-themed songs recommended for high school students (91–100)
StargazeSixTONES
This is a song by SixTONES that drew attention even before its release because it was written specifically for them by Yojiro Noda of RADWIMPS.
Released in 2025, the group’s 10th anniversary year, the track was chosen as the support song for Nippon TV’s 45th National High School Quiz Championship.
Its poetic lyrics and dramatic sound come together to make you feel as if you’re watching a scene from a coming-of-age film.
You can almost see friends joining hands and facing hardships head-on with hope in their hearts.
This piece gives a powerful push to anyone striving toward a goal, so it’s also recommended listening before an important exam or game.
You don’t listen to rock.aimyon
This is a song I especially want high school students to hear.
Released by Aimyon in September 2017, it vividly captures the feelings of a girl in love through rock music.
You can feel the frustration of not being able to convey your feelings to the person you like, along with the straightforward desire to stay close to them.
Inspired after watching a Spitz concert, the song went into heavy rotation on the radio and became a massive hit, surpassing 100 million streams.
It’s sure to leave a mark on many high schoolers’ hearts as a track that adds color to a page of youth—perfect for school festivals and cultural events.
Bridge of Gloryyuzu
This song by Yuzu has long been loved as a perfect cheer anthem for high schoolers in the midst of their youth.
The lyrics, which gently embrace the hidden efforts and tears people have accumulated, resonate deeply with listeners.
Released in June 2004, the track was featured as NHK’s theme song for the Athens Olympics and became a major topic of conversation.
It’s a song you’ll want to hear when taking a new step forward—not only in sports, but also for exams or retiring from a club.
If you listen to it when you feel anxious or uncertain, it will surely give you courage.
LOSERYonezu Kenshi
It’s cool with a stylish sound.
This is a song by Kenshi Yonezu, a singer-songwriter from Tokushima Prefecture.
It was released in 2016 as his fifth single.
Some of you may have heard it in a commercial.
Even if you fail, it makes you feel like moving forward.
summer solsticeSakiyama Soshi
This is a song by Soshi Sakiyama that drew attention after his appearance on AbemaTV’s variety show “Variety Pioneering Variety: Himura ga Yuku.” It was released digitally in 2018.
Despite its simple arrangement of just acoustic guitar and vocals, it has depth, and the choice of words in the lyrics reflects a unique sensibility.
Good morning on FridayHoney Works feat.GERO
It’s a HoneyWorks song that depicts a sweet and slightly bittersweet love story: on a Friday morning, someone watches for a chance to speak to their crush on the station platform.
You can’t help but feel your heart flutter as the protagonist gets nervous, unable to say a simple “Good morning.” The fresh, fast-paced pop sound matches that frustrating feeling perfectly, making it irresistible.
The track is included on Gero’s acclaimed album SECOND and was produced in July 2015, sparked by a segment on Fuji TV’s Mezamashi TV.
It’s funny how listening to it on your way to school can make the usual scenery shine.
Why not give it a listen when you want to relive that sparkling thrill of youth?
Sakura RabbitKawasaki Takaya
It’s a heart-wrenchingly bittersweet graduation song that makes you see your timid self in a “rabbit.” After three years of pent-up feelings, all you can manage to say in the end is “thank you.” Doesn’t it make you overlay your own image onto that sweet-and-bitter page of youth? Takaya Kawasaki’s husky yet warm voice gently wraps around the protagonist’s frustrating, unrequited feelings.
Released in January 2021, this song is also included on the album Nukumori (Warmth).
For those who couldn’t say that single word, “I like you,” its message tenderly embraces those painful memories—and if you’ve ever had a one-sided crush, it will surely warm your heart.