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: Revival Hits Too! J-POP Hit Song Special (31–40)
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.
ParadiseHirai Ken
This is Ken Hirai’s eighth single.
It’s said to be a work on which he staked his career, as he hadn’t enjoyed much success up to that point, and the song’s hit opened up a path for his future—giving it a very important place in his catalog.
It’s a powerful ballad that conveys a sense of struggle.
vogueHamasaki Ayumi
In the 2000 annual singles ranking, the diva Ayumi Hamasaki placed 23rd with sales of 760,000 copies.
She also released many singles that year, all of which sold well, making it a hugely successful year for her.
I don’t think there have been many years when so many singles sold as well as in 2000.
MayB’z
In this year, B’z released many singles, and many of them ranked within the top 50 on the singles charts.
This song also became a hit, selling over 690,000 copies, and is one of their signature tracks.
Since 2000 marked the beginning of a new decade, it was a year in which many artists were active.
juiceB’z
Among B’z songs, this one is exceptionally simple and features a very rock-driven riff.
At first listen, the guitar sounds easy, but when you actually try to play it, it’s surprisingly hard to make it sound cool.
A song this simple, this cool, and this catchy—it’s almost unbelievable, right?
Japanese Music of the 2000s: Revival Hits Too! J-POP Hit Songs Special (41–50)
On the hill where the moon is visible tonightB’z
It’s the theme song for TBS’s Sunday drama “Beautiful Life” and one of B’z’s million-selling singles.
The song has a dramatic yet gentle feel.
I do like their usual upbeat tracks, but this one is a mellow ballad, and I think it’s really great!
MERMAIDGLAY
GLAY rapidly expanded their presence and sales, even while other rock bands struggled to make a splash.
This song, too, capitalizes on their distinctive traits with a strong melody, selling over 770,000 copies and ranking 22nd on the year-end singles chart.