Classic Japanese punk songs. Recommended popular tracks.
Speaking of punk rock, it’s a music genre that rose to popularity in the 1970s, born as an antithesis to the musical styles of the time.
From those origins, it has continued to be loved in Japan as well, intertwining with various genres along the way.
From the original punk that emerged in Europe and the U.S.
to hardcore punk, melodic core punk, and styles fused with ska and reggae—there’s a wide variety of music that falls under the punk umbrella!
In this article, we’ll introduce many Japanese songs that trace their roots back to punk rock.
Enjoy the simple, straightforward coolness.
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Classic Japanese punk songs. Recommended popular tracks (51–60)
Endless SorrowHEY-SMITH
HEY-SMITH is the first band that comes to mind as a representative of Japanese ska punk.
Their horn section and heavily distorted guitars are a perfect match, and their deep, masterful songwriting seamlessly blends everything from offbeat ska rhythms to ultra-fast two-beat tempos like magic.
Sometimes moody, sometimes danceable, they’re a ska punk band that has fired up festivals of every kind.
Place To TryTOTALFAT
TOTALFAT’s track will pierce straight into your heart.
Released in 2011, this song was used as an ending theme for the anime Naruto Shippuden.
With passionate, powerful guitar riffs, it’s a piece that gives you the strength to move forward just by listening.
The lyrics about challenge, hope, and bonds with friends really resonate.
It’s perfect for times when you want to push toward your dreams or accomplish something together with your friends.
And if you watched the anime back then, it’s sure to fill you with nostalgia.
cesspool of shitSLANG
If you’re tired of conventional band sounds—thunderous noise, death growls, and blistering speed—then you need to hear the punk band SLANG.
Their brutally heavy sound blasts away daily boredom and lethargy, with an addictive quality and a trip-like sensation that feels like it hits your brain straight through your ears.
If possible, crank it at live-house volume and feel the vibrations of the sound in your guts.
ChangesHi-STANDARD
This song is a reconstruction of the legendary ballad created by the iconic heavy metal band Black Sabbath.
While preserving the melancholic yet beautiful melody of the original, the addition of distorted guitars and an urgent beat imbues it with a palpable strength amid the sadness.
Released in June 1999, it is included on the landmark album MAKING THE ROAD, which sold over 650,000 copies.
The song portrays the deep sorrow of a man whose beloved woman has left him, alongside his helpless attempt to accept the change in their relationship—its raw emotional expression is truly heart-wrenching.
It’s a track that gently stays by your side on nights weighed down by an overwhelming sense of loss.
Classic Japanese punk songs. Recommended popular tracks (61–70)
Kiss Me AgainHi-STANDARD
It’s a heartwarming classic that opens with an unforgettable guitar riff.
“If I grow old and my appearance changes completely, will you still love me the same?” It expresses that slightly anxious yet straightforward question.
It’s filled with a pure, pure wish to “stay by my side forever.” Their unique charm lies in setting such innocent, earnest feelings to a fast-paced, melodic punk sound.
This track appears on the masterpiece Growing Up, released in November 1995.
It’s a song for everyone who, when thinking about the future with someone special, wants to believe in an unchanging love.
Mosh Under The Rainbow IIHi-STANDARD
Isn’t this the live anthem that shines brilliantly in Japan’s punk scene—Hi-STANDARD’s very own? The track is included on the classic album “MAKING THE ROAD,” released in 1999, which sold over 600,000 copies.
After the spoken-word intro, the laid-back beat and guitar riff built on triplets give it a vibe distinct from their other songs.
The English lyrics even say, “Let’s mosh under the rainbow!”—you can practically picture everyone linking arms and jumping together to the easygoing rhythm.
Rain ForeverHi-STANDARD
This track, included on Hi-STANDARD’s single “ANOTHER STARTING LINE,” which was released without prior notice in October 2016, features lyrics that liken a stagnant period in life to rain, leaving a deep emotional impact.
It conveys a message that will resonate with many: even though we get discouraged by repeated failures, there are things we gain precisely because there are things we lose.
Hi-STANDARD’s characteristically high-velocity sound rings out as if to sweep away that inner turmoil.
It’s a song with the power to push you forward when you’re feeling down and helpless, or when you’re hoping to take a step toward tomorrow.