Recommended ballad songs for junior high school students. Famous and popular J-Pop songs.
I’ve put together a collection of ballad-style songs I’d recommend to junior high school students!
Every one of them is epic and gives you goosebumps!
They carry various messages, but listening to grand ballads really fires you up, doesn’t it?
Personally, I often listened to them when I couldn’t get motivated.
Recommended ballad songs for junior high school students: classic and popular Japanese tracks (1–10)
GloriousBE:FIRST
A ballad with a gently stirring melody and a warm message that affirms even the effort itself—the very “footsteps” you leave behind.
Released for streaming in November 2023, it was written as the support song for the 102nd All Japan High School Soccer Tournament.
Also included on the album “2:BE,” it has become beloved not only by fans but by many listeners.
The lyrics honor both winners and those who fall short, carrying a quiet strength that gives listeners a gentle push forward.
It’s a song especially worth hearing for anyone who has been running full-tilt—through club activities, exam prep, and more.
rendezvousshaitoopu
Shytope is a three-piece rock band whose name comes from the “shy moles”—a group formed in a university music club that practiced in an underground studio.
Their popularity grew mainly through social media, and they made headlines for topping the Billboard JAPAN charts.
This song is a poignant breakup ballad that gazes back at a love that has passed.
Even while knowing it’s impossible, the protagonist dashes through the rain, longing to reunite with their lover—a scene likely to resonate with many teenagers.
The languidly sweet vocals and emotional soundscape make it perfect for nights when you want to sink into your feelings.
It’s a stylish, sentimental rock tune also included on their first full-length album, “Hors d’oeuvre.”
Blue JeansHANA
It’s a mid-tempo ballad that sings of the bittersweetness of being in love and the down-to-earth longing to see the person you like.
The lyrics cleverly and stylishly overlay complicated feelings of love onto worn-in jeans and sneakers.
It portrays the emotions of nights when you feel insecure and lack confidence—something many high school students will surely relate to.
The song is by HANA, a girl group born from an audition program, and it was released as their second single in July 2025.
Their debut track, ROSE, even hit No.
1 on the Billboard JAPAN HOT 100, showing no signs of their momentum slowing down.
This release also features a collaboration with the casual brand DIESEL, and its visuals drew considerable attention.
It’s the kind of song you’ll want to listen to on your way to school or on nights when you’re feeling a bit sentimental.
Shadows of SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE
Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s “Natsu no Kage,” loved by every generation, is a quintessentially summery song that conjures up lush, green natural scenery as you listen.
Among Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s tracks, it doesn’t demand belted high notes and the overall range is relatively modest, so I think it’s easy to sing even for junior high schoolers dealing with voice changes.
The overall vocal range is B2–A4, and it’s best if you can start by using plenty of breath and sing gently and lightly.
For the falsetto just before the chorus, try switching as if you’re humming rather than forcing it—this helps you sing smoothly without strain.
From the chorus onward, projecting your voice forward will help stabilize your chest voice.
Overall, aim to use steady breath, avoid tension, and sing gently.
Like Omori-san, keeping your eyebrows lifted and your facial muscles raised makes it easier to stay on pitch and sing lightly.
I love youback number
Back number is a three-piece rock band that enjoys overwhelming support for their vividly descriptive lyrics.
This song is a warm number that reminds us that the most precious treasures are found in ordinary, everyday scenes.
From simple images like fallen leaves in a park or a bakery by the station, the lyrics convey a clumsy yet earnest desire to make a loved one happy—something that truly hits home.
Many listeners will likely be moved by its gentle worldview.
Released in October 2022, the song is also included on the album “Humor” and was selected as the theme song for the NHK morning drama “Maiagare!” Why not listen to it during a quiet moment—like on your way to school—while thinking of someone special?
Night journeyYorushika
On quiet nights, memories of days gone by sometimes drift through your mind, don’t they? There’s a song by Yorushika that gently stays by your side in those wistful moments.
Conjuring scenes like swaying on a night train, the track depicts an inner journey of facing forward even while carrying past pain and farewells.
Suis’s clear, translucent voice conveys the stillness and solitude of the night—and the faint hope beyond—seeping deeply into the heart.
Released in March 2020, the song was featured as an insert track in the animated feature film “A Whisker Away.” Why not give it a listen when you want to take your time and sit with the sorrow of heartbreak?
globeYonezu Kenshi
Kenshi Yonezu is a singer-songwriter whose immense presence has been indispensable to any discussion of J-POP since 2010.
Released in July 2023 as his 14th single, this song was written over the course of four years as the theme for Studio Ghibli’s film The Boy and the Heron (original title: How Do You Live?).
From the beginning of life to the profound sense of loss in parting from someone dear, its lyrics evoke an epic journey, reflecting a vision of hope that looks beyond sorrow toward the future.
It is a moving number that stays close to hearts sunk in the pain of despair and gives the strength to walk forward once again.