[Winter Songs] The Best Classic and Popular Winter Tunes to Listen to in Winter

CAROLSHamasaki Ayumi

Ayumi Hamasaki / CAROLS (Short Ver.)

Ayumi Hamasaki’s songs often have straightforward lyrics, which makes them easy to relate to.

Among them, this track sings directly about her feelings for a special man.

In the music video, Ayumi Hamasaki performs alone on an empty stage.

If there’s someone important to you, try listening to it together.

Its honest feelings will come through and make you cherish that person even more.

The pavement in a cold wintry windtenchi mari

Mari Amachi ☆ The Wintry Wind on the Pavement

Released in December 1974, Mari Amachi’s 12th single is a winter ballad set on a street corner swept by a cold, wintry wind, expressing a poignant longing for a youth that has passed.

With lyrics by Michio Yamagami, music by Koichi Morita, and arrangement by Yusuke Hoguchi, the song overlays the protagonist’s nostalgia for past love and connections onto the chill of a winter landscape.

It reached No.

14 on the Oricon chart and sold approximately 125,000 copies, marking a work in which Mari Amachi—who had captivated the nation with her bright, refreshing image—took on a new mode of expression.

When you wish to immerse yourself in the nostalgia of lost time, why not listen quietly at dusk in the cold season?

Midwinter Datetenchi mari

Mari Amachi ☆ Midwinter Date

Mari Amachi, who was a national idol in the early 1970s.

This song, included as the B-side of the single “Futari no Nichiyoubi,” released in December 1972, warmly depicts lovers intertwining their fingers and snuggling close as a wintry, leafless avenue is swept by a cold wind.

The lyrics are by Michio Yamagami, the music by Masayuki Hirao, and the arrangement by Shunichi Makaino.

The words, which sing of love nurtured in the cold season, combine with Amachi’s clear, transparent voice to evoke a sense of hope amid the poignancy.

Featured on a single that sold about 440,000 copies at the time, the track was also included on the album “Ashita e no Melody” and has continued to be loved by fans.

Give it a listen while imagining a moment spent with someone special on a chilly day.

snowneko

Cat Snow

The folk group Neko’s 1972 single “Yuki” is a classic in which the band gives voice to a song written and composed by Takuro Yoshida.

The protagonist’s aching longing for someone far away overlaps with the quietly accumulating snowfall.

The delicate tone of the 12-string guitar, the hi-hat-driven rhythm, and the restrained vocals create a clear, transparent sound that evokes the sophistication of urban folk.

How about listening to it on a winter night when you miss someone you can’t meet, watching the snow dance outside your window? It’s a song that sinks into the heart, keeping you company when you want to linger over past memories in a warm room.

Lovers againEXILE

EXILE / Lovers Again (Short Ver.)

Among EXILE’s songs, “Lovers Again” is especially recommended for winter.

It’s also one of those songs that makes your heart skip a beat when a man sings it at karaoke.

The lyrics express the feeling of believing you could never love someone again, yet now finding yourself ready to love once more.

I’m sure there are many women who would love to hear a guy they’re interested in sing this song.

Beyond the Night SkySMAP

Beyond the Night Sky – SMAP

It’s one of SMAP’s classic songs.

It’s so renowned that it’s even included in school textbooks now, and it remains a wonderful piece that’s still talked about today.

Winter has a unique scent, and sometimes looking up at the beautiful night sky can strangely make you feel uneasy.

If you’re anxious about the future or struggling because things aren’t going well, I hope you’ll give it a listen.

Let’s go homeYamazaki Masayoshi

Ouchie Kaerou

A warm song that makes you want to hurry home when the winter cold threatens to freeze your heart.

Released in 1998, it was also used in a commercial for House Foods’ “Stew Mix.” Masayoshi Yamazaki’s gentle voice and acoustic guitar melt the chill from a frozen night.

This piece evokes the warmth and bonds of family—truly a winter classic.

It has a special flavor when listened to in the cold season.

On a winter night spent alone, when you find yourself yearning for someone’s warmth, why not give this song a listen?