Big Hits, Including New Standard Favorites! Best Hits of Popular J-POP Songs
You probably hear J-pop all the time—theme songs from dramas and movies, tracks everyone’s talking about on the radio and music shows, karaoke staples, and more!
That said, there are so many famous J-pop songs out there.
So in this article, we’ll give you a comprehensive look at both newer hits and timeless J-pop classics.
From masterpieces of J-pop’s golden era to must-hear hits of the Reiwa era, we’ve selected a wide range—so you’ll likely run into a few “Oh, I know this one!” moments.
At the beginning of the page, you’ll also find many songs that are widely loved and often played or sung in various settings, so be sure to check them out!
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[New Standards and Massive Hits Too!] Best Hits of Popular J-POP Songs (71–80)
A night of hundreds of millions of stars that seem about to fallRAG FAIR
A gentle love song by the group that sparked the a cappella boom, depicting lovers beneath a starry sky.
Its fairy-tale-like world is enchanting, and by paring the chorus down to the bare minimum, it subtly reminds us of what truly matters.
Island SongTHE BOOM
This song, which became a massive hit with over 1.5 million copies sold, incorporates many elements of Okinawan music, such as the sanshin and the Ryukyuan scale, and it sparked an Okinawa boom.
It is still covered by many musicians today.
It is one of THE BOOM’s signature songs.
loadTHE toraburyū
Released in 1993, this song, which gained attention through cable broadcasting, tells the sorrow of a man who lost his pregnant lover in a traffic accident, and was born from a letter sent by a fan.
The song won numerous awards and became a major hit.
[Huge Hits Becoming the New Standard!] Best Hits of Popular J-POP Songs (81–90)
Marigoldaimyon
Aimyon has become an indispensable figure when talking about female singer-songwriters of the Reiwa era.
Her songs—featuring relatable lyrics, catchy melodies, and a warm yet modern sound sprinkled with a sense of nostalgia—are immensely popular.
This track, too, was a massive hit and has long been beloved as a J-pop standard.
Although she exudes a charismatic presence among young people, her music is also popular with older generations.
That may be because she reportedly loves Shogo Hamada, and you can feel that folk-rock approach in her work.
My Dear EllieSazan Ōrusutāzu
A number by Southern All Stars that was used as the theme song for the drama “Fuzoroi no Ringo-tachi” starring Kiichi Nakai.
Many people swap out the name “Eri” and sing it using the name of someone they love, and it’s said that Keisuke Kuwata himself did the same at his own wedding, changing “Eri” to “Yuko”—the name of his wife and bandmate, Yuko Hara.
Ambitious! That’s nicely ambitious.Mōningu Musume.
They had just celebrated the 9th anniversary of their debut at the time.
Their commemorative 30th single overall was an upbeat tune that makes you want to sing while jumping along at a live show.
It’s a song that feels like the very raison d’être of idols, imbued with a positive message.
One Hundred Doorsainai rina & saegusa yuka
Rina Aiuchi and Saegusa had already been in contact and had collaborated at live shows before.
Naturally, the two members of this Detective Conan theme-song duo are singing an opening theme from the same anime.
This marked their first collaboration as a single release.