Work songs: recommended masterpieces and popular tracks
There are plenty of songs that cheer on people working hard every day, but I’ve put together a selection of so-called “message songs” for those who are labeled—or call themselves—corporate drones.
I’m sure there are tracks you’ll find nothing but relatable, so when you’re worn out from work or need a little mental breathing room, listen with the idea of finding comrades.
These songs will make you feel relieved or crack a smile, and they should help you reset and think, “Maybe I can push just a little more!”
- Songs that help you work hard. Cheer songs for working people.
- An encouraging work song for office workers
- I want to quit my job!! Uplifting songs to listen to when work is tough
- Songs I want to listen to when I'm tired from work
- [A Cheer for Myself] A pep song dedicated to you who are doing your very best
- Masterpieces that sing of effort. Recommended popular songs.
- Power songs that fill you with energy just by listening. Recommended classics and popular tracks.
- A perfect song for Labor Thanksgiving Day. A song that conveys gratitude and encouragement.
- [Motivation Injection] Songs to listen to on days when you don't want to go to work
- Songs with strong messages. Classic J-Pop masterpieces and recommended popular tracks.
- [Today's Cheer Song] To everyone giving it your all! A gem of an inspiring anthem that resonates with the heart
- [Cheer Song] Songs to Listen to During Your Commute
- Job-change anthems: inspiring and popular songs that give you courage
Work songs: recommended masterpieces and popular tracks (21–30)
JapaneseYazawa Eikichi
Maybe it’s precisely because he’s the legend of the rock world, Yazawa, that he can sing a song that asks questions like this.
Office workers do live in a competitive world and may be under control in some ways, but there are reasons why they can’t just quit so easily.
Still, to blow off steam, listen to Eikichi and think, “If I really want to quit, I’ll quit!”
Theme of Hissatsu ShigotoninHirao Masaaki
The theme song composed by the veteran composer Masaaki Hirao—so famous it’s almost legendary.
It sounds cool no matter when you hear it.
It’s not directly related to labor, but because it’s up-tempo, it surprisingly boosts your motivation, and you might be able to knock out your tasks cleanly like a true professional.
Work songs. Recommended masterpieces and popular songs (31–40)
Riemann’s LockTakahashi Yū
This song is about Japanese office workers—sometimes described as corporate drones.
Rather than rock, it’s a touching ballad.
It portrays everyday events at the office and in daily life that any employee can relate to, yet it also sounds like an encouraging, forward-looking anthem that urges us not to give up, to keep our hopes up, and to say, “Let’s go to work.”
byte / part-time jobThe Misspergers
“This isn’t what the job listing promised!” This track by The Misspergers depicts the pent-up frustration of a part-time worker being spit out like a curse in rap form.
Billing themselves as a “work-drone dance! mad-song rock band,” their lyrics speak the raw truths of working people and have struck a chord with many.
This song appears on the EP ‘Long Live Labor,’ released in December 2023.
Despite its breezy four-on-the-floor beat, the biting lyrics that slam the bait-and-switch treatment leave a powerful impression through their stark contrast.
On nights when you trudge home feeling wronged, put this on and you might just feel that strange spark of energy—‘Guess I’ll manage to get through tomorrow too!’
Happy Order?imase
Even on mornings when your steps feel a bit heavy on the way to a part-time job, this upbeat pop anthem instantly brightens your mood.
It sings, over a breezy dance sound, about everyday moments anyone who works can relate to—like the gloom before a shift starts and the way time flies once you get going.
Created by imase, the song was released in April 2024 as a tie-in with McDonald’s Japan, made to encourage roughly 200,000 crew members working nationwide.
It’s also included on the first album, “Bonsai.” Feeling worn out from work or struggling with relationships? Listening to this track might help you rediscover the fun and sparkle hidden in your everyday working life.
Melancholy and part-time jobyangusukinii
Have you ever found yourself forcing a polite smile at your part-time job, only to feel your heart worn down by all the unfairness? The song by Young Skinny captures the futile, heavy feelings of those working days.
The repeating shifts, dealing with awful customers, and the suffocating act of pretending to be cheerful—this inescapable gloom pairs with vocalist Kayayu’s exquisitely bittersweet high tone to resonate deeply with listeners.
Released in October 2021 and later included on the mini-album “If I Have to Act, I’d Rather Just Be Myself,” this track gently reminds overworked hearts that you’re not alone.
You might find yourself nodding along to its painfully relatable depictions.
Bring back the shifts, the hourly wage, and while you’re at it, bring back love!!Yoshiki Risa & Hyadain
“An anime theme song?” “A silly novelty tune?” Many of you might get that impression, right? In reality, it’s a rousing anthem that powerfully sings about the bittersweet struggles of working part-time at a convenience store, set against an epic backdrop.
The everyday mishaps at the register and the grind of chasing shifts are transformed into sources of laughter and energy by Risa Yoshiki’s piercing high-tone vocals and Hyadain’s characteristically playful arrangement.
Even when everything feels unreasonable, the determination to keep looking forward will give you courage! Released in May 2013, it’s also included on Risa Yoshiki’s album Pentomino.
As the opening theme for the anime DD Fist of the North Star, it linked perfectly with the story’s parody of the original.
On days when you’re down from making mistakes at work, or when you’re about to break under unfairness, give it a listen—you might find your current worries feel small!