Classic emo masterpieces in Japanese music. Recommended popular songs.
These days, people often play on the word “emotional” and say “emo-i” to describe when feelings are running high.
Listening to songs that put you in that emo mood can clear your mind, pump you up, and bring lots of other positive effects.
In this article, we’re shining a spotlight on that sense of “emo-ness” and have picked out some recommended tracks.
From hard-hitting tunes to mellow vibes and breezy numbers, we’ve selected songs from a variety of genres.
We hope you’ll find some “emo” songs that truly move your heart.
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Emo masterpieces of Japanese music. Recommended popular songs (71–80)
Mr.Good MorningLAID BACK OCEAN
I’ve been listening to his memorable singing voice for over 15 years, ever since the JELLY era.
The band has changed, and so have the musical style and concept, but this song makes me feel that their fundamental passion for music hasn’t changed at all.
Sayonara ColorSUPER BUTTER DOG
This is a song released before the funk band SUPER BUTTER DOG, which disbanded in 2008, went on hiatus.
It was the song they performed when they made their first and only live appearance on a terrestrial music program before the hiatus.
I remember watching that performance on TV at the time and feeling incredibly moved, as if my chest were tightening.
C.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.h.ONE OK ROCK
An emotionally moving work that portrays the bonds with friends from our youth and the passion to keep pursuing our dreams, it’s included on the album “Zankyō Reference.” With lyrics interwoven in Japanese and English, the song celebrates the strength to push forward through a chaotic world and the comfort of having an unchanging, precious place to return to.
This classic by ONE OK ROCK, recorded in October 2011, was also used as the ending theme for the TV program “To the Top of the Earth: Fumita Kuriki’s New Challenge.” Its appeal lies in a sound that skillfully fuses post-hardcore and emo elements, and in the powerful message embedded within its melodious arrangement.
It’s a track you’ll want to listen to when standing at a crossroads in life or when you want to look back on your cherished memories.
Emo masterpieces in Japanese music. Recommended popular songs (81–90)
ObsessedAyumu Imazu
This song captures the sweet-and-sour feeling of first love with a pop sound.
The protagonist, who easily falls at first sight, expresses delicate emotions carried by a pleasant groove and a catchy chorus melody.
A chill, casual track and bilingual lyrics perfectly portray Gen Z’s down-to-earth approach to romance.
Released in January 2024, it sparked a wave of dance challenges on social media and topped the Billboard JAPAN chart in Korea, resonating across Asia.
It’s the kind of track you’ll want to listen to while strolling through the city under a fresh spring sky—perfect for anyone who wants to be honest about how it feels to be in love.
SignFLOW
This is a song by a Japanese rock band known for their twin vocals, primarily creating anime theme songs.
The track features their signature melodic, soaring twin vocal performance, making it an emotional piece.
Japanese beetle (flower chafer)LOWNAME
This is a song released before the rock band currently active as Kafka changed its name.
Both the song and the performance are simple.
It’s built from straightforwardly cool sounds and cool phrases.
I think its simplicity is exactly what lets it resonate so directly.
Hallelujahharuka nakamura
It’s as if the piano’s tones gently seep into the depths of the heart.
Composed by haruka nakamura and released in June 2025, this piece feels like a contemporary hymn.
It serves as the theme song for a documentary set in an elementary school in Shizuoka Prefecture, imbued with a warm prayer to carry a story of hope into the future.
And maika’s clear, translucent vocals are truly cleansing for the soul.
When the busyness of daily life makes you feel like you’re losing yourself, these sounds will be there to gently stay by your side.