Lovely hit song

Big Hits, Including New Standard Favorites! Best Hits of Popular J-POP Songs

POPS writer/editorKEI
Since discovering music during my school days, I’ve mainly listened to Japanese and Korean pop. I have experience writing articles for sites like Utaten. 2000s J-pop and 2010s K-pop were especially the soundtrack of my youth. With the mindset that “good is good,” I enjoy music across genres. Thanks to past work environments and their influence, I was exposed to lots of classic rock and kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs), which may have broadened the scope of what I love. At RAG MUSIC, I currently focus on K-pop and J-pop. I strive to edit with a feel for the scene and an eye for hit potential.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

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!

[New Standards and Massive Hits Too!] Best Hits of Popular J-POP Songs (111–120)

glass slippersGoto Maki

Maki Goto – Glass Slippers [PV]

glass slippersGoto Maki

Maki Goto, who has now become a beautiful mother with an aura of mature allure.

This is a precious single from the time when she was just about to climb the steps from girlhood to adulthood.

The slightly grown-up, sexy singing and dancing have a delicacy you can only feel from that specific period.

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[New Standards and Massive Hits!] Best Hits of Popular J-POP Songs (121–130)

PopNishino Kana

Kana Nishino “Pa” MV (Short Ver.)

PopNishino Kana

This is a song by the popular female artist Kana Nishino.

It became a hot topic after being featured as the commercial song for Otsuka Foods’ Vitamin Carbonated MATCH.

It’s a cheering song that lifts up women who work hard every day, so it’s especially recommended for women.

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Clouds are white, apples are red.aiko

aiko - 'The Clouds Are White, The Apples Are Red' music video

Clouds are white, apples are red.aiko

It was released as her milestone 20th single.

It’s a love song that portrays the delicate heart of a young woman whose feelings for the one she loves are swaying unsteadily, and its summery, up-tempo rhythm accentuates the poignancy of the lyrics.

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In conclusion

We’ve introduced a generous selection of classic and popular masterpieces that have left their mark on the J-POP scene, both old and new.

Alongside the big hits, I’m sure there were songs that made you think, “I hadn’t listened to this in a while, but I love this song!” These tracks are perfect for a wide range of situations—karaoke, background music for drives, or even BGM for wedding videos—so please make good use of them!