Masterpieces to Listen to in January: New Year-Themed, New Year-Ready, and Winter Songs
January marks the beginning of a new year—what kind of songs do you feel like listening to? There are plenty of tracks that suit January: refreshing songs that evoke a fresh start, cheerful tunes themed around the New Year, and even wintery ballads.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide selection of songs that are perfect for January.
We’ve gathered many tracks regardless of gender or generation, so be sure to find your favorites.
Let’s dive in and see what songs are out there!
- [New Year’s Songs] Timeless classics and popular New Year tunes you’ll want to listen to at the start of the year
- [For Seniors] Winter songs you'll want to hum along to. A collection of classic tunes recommended for BGM and recreational activities
- [New Year BGM] New Year Songs Loved Across Generations
- Winter songs you'll want to listen to in the cold season! Recommended for the yutori generation
- [Winter Songs] The Best Classic and Popular Winter Tunes to Listen to in Winter
- Popular Winter Songs Ranking [2026]
- Winter Songs: Classic tracks you want to listen to in winter. Songs you long for during the winter.
- [Winter Songs] Recommended for Instagram Reels! Classic winter hits
- [1980s J-Pop] Popular winter songs: from chart-toppers to hidden gems!
- Snow Songs to Enjoy in Winter! Children's Snow Nursery Rhymes & Hand-Play Songs
- A classic winter song you often hear recommended on TikTok.
- [Masterpiece] Big Winter Anime Song Special!
- [Winter Songs] Recommended for Women! A Collection of Winter Songs That Get the Crowd Going at Karaoke
Masterpieces to Hear in January: Songs with a New Year’s Theme, Tracks Suited for the New Year, and Winter Songs (41–50)
A town where snow fallsAimer
The lyrics are very heartrending, yet the way she sings feels incredibly gentle.
You can sense frustration and inner conflict from the lyrics, and the melody conveys sadness and poignancy as well.
It’s a song that draws you into a world only Aimer could depict, and one you can’t help but want to listen to during the cold season.
Masterpieces to Listen to in January: New Year’s-Themed Songs, Tracks Fit for the New Year, and Winter Songs (51–60)
DEPARTURESglobe
globe’s hit song “DEPARTURES” is an essential winter tune for the season.
Even decades after its release, many people probably feel like listening to it whenever winter arrives.
It’s a song beloved across generations, and if you give it another listen, you might experience a whole new set of feelings.
milk teaFukuyama Masaharu
When the season turns sharply cold and you long to hear a warm, gentle voice, I recommend this song.
It’s great for those mornings when it’s hard to get out of bed, or for chilly nights when the covers just won’t warm up, listening in a dark room.
And of course, it’s also perfect to listen to together with someone special.
Winter SongKiroro
It’s a gentle winter song whose tender music-box tones and Chiharu Tamaki’s soft vocals gently untangle your heart.
Some of you may remember it from commercials for winter-only sweets like Meltykiss and Porte.
Even “in the freezing cold where snow piles up, just thinking of you makes me feel a warmth as if you were right beside me.” It’s a song that lets you feel human warmth in a season when loneliness tends to swell and we long for others.
I won’t forget the rain in January.THE ALFEE
Sakurai, Sakazaki, and Takamizawa—THE ALFEE is a trio rock band whose explosively distinct personalities make for an incredibly powerful presence.
When it comes to their classic winter songs, “I Won’t Forget the January Rain” comes to mind.
With its slightly mysterious, minor-key feel, the track truly shines—both the sweet vocals and the guitar solo are absolute highlights!
New YearRepezen Chikyuu
When New Year’s comes around, don’t you go visit your grandparents or get together with relatives? And the best part of those gatherings is—you know what I’m talking about—otoshidama (New Year’s money).
This song humorously and outrageously sings about the desire to get lots of otoshidama, and it’s called “Oshōgatsu” by the rambunctious DJ group Repezen Chikyū.
It’s the kind of track that might pump you up from the very start of the year.
White Winter Love。haji→
Hajime’s third single, “White Winter Love,” is a winter song about the pain of unrequited love.
It’s a male-perspective ballad that layers his feelings over the falling snow.
Keeping unspoken feelings inside is painful, isn’t it? This is a love song that speaks to those unforgettable romances that resurface in unguarded moments.
