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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- Nothing but masterpieces! Hit songs from the Reiwa era that are perfect for background music
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- [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)
Just by you being herekome kome CLUB
Kome Kome Club’s biggest hit, released in 1992 and surpassing two million in sales.
The moment you hear it, you can’t help but hum along! It hasn’t faded with time—if anything, the lyrics hit even harder now.
The part in the outro with the la-la-la and waving your hands left and right really gets me.
It’s a song I want to keep listening to forever.
lightly; nimbly; flutteringlyŌhara Sakurako
This is a song by the popular singer-songwriter Sakurako Ohara.
It became a hot topic when it was chosen as the theme song for the film “Let’s Go, Jets! From Small Town Girls to U.S.
Champions?!”.
We look forward to the future success of Sakurako Ohara, who is active not only as a singer but also as an actress.
New Standards and Massive Hits! Best J-POP Popular Songs (31–40)
Rainy BlueTokunaga Hideaki
This is Hideaki Tokunaga’s debut single, released in 1986.
With his distinctive husky voice—so delicate and sweet that it’s almost hard to believe it’s a male voice—he sings with a poignant tone that truly conveys emotion.
It’s a classic themed around rain that continues to be covered by many artists even today.
One moreFUNKY MONKEY BABYS
It was released in 2010 as FUNKY MONKEY BABYS’ 14th single.
The music video featured Masahiro Tanaka, who was then a pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and the song became famous as his walk-up music, frequently played at the ballpark.
Always, the two of usieiri reo
This is a song by popular singer-songwriter Leo Ieiri.
It became a hot topic after being chosen as the theme song for the drama “Even If I Loved You, I Have a Secret.” It conveys love for someone important, so why not try singing it to someone you’re interested in at karaoke?
White LoversKuwata Keisuke
Released as Keisuke Kuwata’s seventh single in 2001, this song—just as he said, “I wanted it to be a song people remember every time winter comes”—has become a classic Christmas tune that still fills the streets each season.
Keisuke Kuwata’s husky voice makes it a truly wonderful track.
TOMORROWMayo Okamoto
Here is the song that singer-songwriter Mayo Okamoto released in 1995 as her debut single.
It was used as the theme song for the TV drama “Second Chance,” became a major hit, and earned her first appearance at the 46th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
Because its lyrics encourage and uplift others, it was also well received by people affected by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake that occurred the same year, and is said to be one of the songs that supported the recovery.
Combining both strength and gentleness, it is a classic cheer song that has long been loved by many.
