Japanese Music of the 2000s: Revival Included! A J-POP Hit Song Special
The 2000s marked a major turning point for Japan’s music scene.
While CD sales were strong, ringtones and digital distribution also began to spread.
Superstar icons like Ayumi Hamasaki, Hikaru Utada, and Masaharu Fukuyama commanded overwhelming presence, while a new generation of artists such as ORANGE RANGE and GReeeeN emerged one after another.
In recent years, classic Heisei-era hits have been rediscovered through social media, capturing the hearts of a new generation.
This time, we look back on the gem-like hit songs that colored the 2000s.
- All big hits! A roundup of classic J‑Pop songs that were popular in 2000
- 2000s Japanese Hits | Unforgettable Once You Hear Them! Exquisite Masterpieces
- Heisei-era masterpieces revisited through the hit songs of 2001
- [Heisei Retro] Hit Japanese songs that defined the 1990s. Recommended J-POP classics.
- Iconic ballads of 90s J-pop: nostalgic mega-hits and fan favorites
- Hit J-Pop songs from 2002. Recommended classics and popular tracks.
- [2013 Japanese Hit Songs] Masterpieces that Colored the Ama-chan Boom, Group Popularity, and the Band Scene
- Hit J-Pop songs of 2008: recommended masterpieces and popular tracks
- Girls’ rock: female vocal bands that were active in the 2000s
- [Heisei Songs] Classic hits from the Heisei era that are popular on Instagram Reels
- 2003 J-Pop hit songs special: the golden age of music when diversity blossomed
- Hit J-pop songs of 2005. Recommended masterpieces and popular tracks.
- Heisei-era masterpieces. Hit songs that represent the Heisei period.
Japanese Music of the 2000s: Revivals Too! J-POP Hit Song Special (21–30)
Peach-Colored Unrequited LoveMatsuura Aya
Released in February 2002 as Aya Matsuura’s fifth single, this song was featured in Shiseido’s “Tissera Mune-Kyun Peach” commercial, which also drew attention for Matsuura’s own appearance.
It peaked at No.
2 on the Oricon Weekly Chart, sold over 220,000 copies, and was included on the album T.W.O.
The lyrics liken the flutter of unrequited love to a peach-pink hue, and the bouncy melody that kicks off with a shouted call is instantly memorable—just listening to it lifts your spirits.
It’s the perfect track for getting hyped at karaoke with friends after school or for those heart-pounding moments when you’re nursing a crush.
Osaka LoverDREAMS COME TRUE
A track that directly conveys the excitement of heading to Osaka to see a long-distance lover.
Released in March 2007 as DREAMS COME TRUE’s 38th single, it was well known as the theme song for a Universal Studios Japan attraction.
The song expresses the complex feelings of the frustration of not being able to meet and the anticipation of reunion, set to a danceable four-on-the-floor beat.
The slightly grown-up-sounding Osaka dialect phrases highlight the protagonist’s endearing charm and are irresistibly cute.
The song is also included on the album AND I LOVE YOU.
It’s a perfect track to heighten those pre-meeting butterflies when you’re about to see someone you love.
Baby Don’t CryAmuro Namie
When you’re going through tough days or suddenly feel lonely, this is a song that truly resonates.
It’s a single by Namie Amuro, a beloved songstress across generations, released in January 2007.
Many may know it as the theme song for the drama “Himitsu no Hanazono.” With a bittersweet yet warm mid-tempo feel, its message seems to whisper, “You’re not alone,” easing the heart no matter the moment.
Embracing sorrow while inspiring hope to move forward, the song feels like a close friend gently cheering you on by your side.
It’s like a little talisman to listen to when you need the courage to take a new step.
Becoming a Thousand WindsAkiyama Masashi
Masafumi Akikawa is a tenor who, while grounded in the classics, performs across genre boundaries.
This work is a number released as a single in May 2006.
Its universal message—that a loved one has not died, but has become part of the great natural world and is always nearby watching over us—resonates deeply through Akikawa’s majestic voice.
Originally included on the September 2005 album “Pomp and Circumstance,” the song gained widespread attention after his performance at the 2006 NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, leading him to become the first classical singer in history to top the Oricon annual chart the following year.
The profound love carried by this piece gently envelops the sorrow of parting.
A one-of-a-kind, timeless masterpiece that defined the 2000s.
Love Dance SiteMōningu Musume.
Morning Musume is an idol group that has been consistently popular for many years.
With this song, they sparked a major boom once again, and the dance also became popular, resulting in sales of 1.22 million copies.
As a female idol group, this is a top record and truly impressive.
Crime and PunishmentShiina Ringo
A single included on the album “Shōso Strip.” It’s a lavish track featuring Kenichi Asai from BLANKEY JET CITY on guitar.
With a huskier vocal than the other songs, it’s a track I find cool and sexy no matter how many times I listen to it.
Let’s count your kissesKoyanagi Yuki
Ranked 30th on the 2000 singles chart was Yuki Koyanagi’s renowned ballad.
It’s a superb ballad that surely moved many listeners.
With sales of 670,000 copies, it would normally have ranked even higher in other years.