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!
- [Japanese Music] Masterpieces of 2000s Pop: A roundup of hit songs from 00s J-POP
- All big hits! A roundup of classic J‑Pop songs that were popular in 2000
- Only famous artists! Anime songs that energize the Reiwa era
- [J-Pop] A Collection of Soothing 90s J-POP Hits
- Memorable masterpieces. Recommended popular songs.
- Best City Pop Classics: Recommended Popular Songs [Timeless & Modern]
- Gen Z listeners, take note! Great songs that color the J-pop scene
- Today's Recommended J-POP: A Collection of Japanese Hit Songs You’ll Want to Listen to Today
- [J-POP] For those who want to listen to everything! A compilation of medleys by popular artists
- Nothing but masterpieces! Hit songs from the Reiwa era that are perfect for background music
- Nothing but famous and hit songs! K-pop tracks recommended for Gen Z
- [I Want to Sing!] J-POP That Makes You Want to Sing Out Loud
- A collection of nostalgic hit songs and classics from the 70s
Big hits among the new standards, too! Best hits of popular J-POP songs (21–30)
Promise of SunflowersHata Motohiro
Released in 2014 as Motohiro Hata’s 17th single, it became a massive hit as the theme song for Toho’s 3D CG animated film “STAND BY ME Doraemon.” Hata’s gentle vocals make it a song that truly resonates.
Thanks in part to the film’s success, it has become a beloved classic for both children and adults.
As many times as you likeDREAMS COME TRUE
A classic that has now become one of Dreams Come True’s signature motivational songs.
Released in 2005, it had many tie-ins and was frequently played at the time, but after the Great East Japan Earthquake it became the most aired song on the radio and an unforgettable track that encouraged Japan.
The repeating chorus and Miwa Yoshida’s vocals bring me to tears time and again.
Letter ~To You at Fifteen~Anjura Aki
Released in 2008 as Angela Aki’s eighth single, it became a major hit.
This song is an arrangement, for her own performance, of “Tegami,” which she originally wrote as the set piece for the middle school division of the 2008 NHK National School Music Competition.
It captures the feelings of adolescence very well.
fragileEvery Little Thing
Every Little Thing left behind numerous classic songs from the late 1990s through the 2000s.
Their most widely known signature track is “fragile.” It became a massive hit, partly because it was used as the theme song for the hugely popular TV show “Ainori” at the time, and it has secured its place in J-pop history.
With its gentle, subdued arrangement and Kaori Mochida’s clear, soothing vocals, it’s a quintessential ballad.
Even long after its release, it remains a beloved masterpiece among listeners.
InfluencerNogizaka 46
This is a song by the idol group Nogizaka46, who are soaring in popularity.
The centers are Nanase Nishino and Mai Shiraishi.
It drew attention after being used as the CM song for Haruyama Trading’s “SlaTechno Suit.” It’s also notable for its high-difficulty, high-speed choreography.
RAINSEKAI NO OWARI
It’s a song by the rock band SEKAI NO OWARI.
It also drew attention for being chosen as the theme song for the animated film “Mary and The Witch’s Flower.” Since it’s a calm ballad, why not give it a listen when you want to enjoy music on your own?
Atelier of LightMr.Children
It’s their 36th single, released after a span of roughly two years and two months since the previous one.
The coupling tracks are plentiful, with as many as five songs—the most ever for Mr.
Children.
It also includes their first secret track in ten years.