Hit J-Pop songs from 2002. Recommended classics and popular tracks.
Dragon Ash, Chitose Hajime, Ketsumeishi, Hikaru Utada, Porno Graffitti, MISIA, Kishidan…
From among the many classic songs that lit up the J-POP charts in 2002, our studio staff have selected their recommended hits.
It’s a moving playlist that still hasn’t lost its luster.
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Women Artists (1–10)
lightUtada Hikaru
It was used as the theme song for the Kingdom Hearts game series.
It was a time when the sound was shifting from a strong R&B feel to electro.
The music video is distinctive for featuring dishwashing, and it was reportedly shot in a single take with no cuts.
Sleepless nights are because of you.MISIA
MISIA’s 10th single, which reached No.
1 weekly, No.
5 monthly, and No.
28 annually.
Even before its release, it was featured in a Kirin “RAKUDA” commercial starring MISIA herself, and upon release it was also chosen as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Love Deviation.”
HANABIHamasaki Ayumi
This is a song whose bittersweet yet beautiful melody seeps into the heart, as if announcing the end of summer.
Ayumi Hamasaki expresses the fleeting beauty that vanishes in an instant, and the yearning for rebirth that arises from it, all conveyed through a deeply emotive vocal performance.
This track is included on the EP “H,” released in July 2002 and certified a million-seller.
Many of you may also remember it as a commercial jingle.
It’s a classic you’ll want to listen to on nights when you want to linger over the passing season and lose yourself in a beautiful melody.
Female Artists (11–20)
July 1stHamasaki Ayumi
This is Ayumi Hamasaki’s summer anthem, distinguished by a sparkling, dazzling sound that seems to herald the arrival of summer.
Under the blue sky, the protagonist’s exhilaration as they set out to meet their beloved and their straightforward emotions brimming with hope for the future set listeners’ hearts free.
The song appears on the single “H,” released in July 2002, which became the only million-selling single of that year.
It was also widely known as the theme song for KOSÉ’s VISÉE commercial.
It’s a track you’ll want to play during summer drives or events when you want to boost your mood to the max.
A maiden with flaxen hairShimatani Hitomi
The original song is Michi Aoyama’s “Kaze Fuku Oka de.” The vocal group Village Singers released it as “Amairo no Kami no Otome,” and this track is Hitomi Tōya’s cover of that version.
Initially, there were no plans to release it on CD, but due to the huge response when it was used as the CM song for Kao’s Essential Damage Care, they decided to go ahead with production.
I want a perfect Christmas!Pucchimoni
A single by the second-generation lineup, and also Pucchi Moni’s final single.
It’s a catchy Christmas song that clearly feels like something Tsunku would make.
In the music video, the three appear in pajamas—a delightful treat for fans at the time.
That’s right! We’re ALIVEMōningu Musume.
This is Morning Musume’s 14th single, which was also used as the theme song for the Salt Lake City Olympics.
As befits a sports theme song, it carries a powerful, forward-driving feel, and in the interlude it even incorporates elements of the Russian song “Kalinka,” making it a truly global track.