Japanese bands recommended for junior high school students

Rough LoveDNA STATION

DNA GAINZ / Rough Love (Official Music Video)

DNA GAINZ is a four-piece alternative rock band from Shimane Prefecture.

Since forming in March 2022, they’ve delivered a rugged sound paired with emotionally rich vocals.

The lineup features Nagatana Wayasan on vocals and guitar, Tatsuya on guitar, Hada Ibuki on bass, and Hiromu on drums.

In 2023, they produced the mini-album “We’re Good Kids Who’ve Spent Our Belief to the Limit Just to Live.” In November 2024, they released a five-track EP and embarked on a tour across seven cities nationwide.

Their songs, themed around anxiety, inner conflict, and hope, carry powerful messages that resonate deeply.

If you’re searching for meaning in life, give their music a listen.

PLOTUVERworld

UVERworld 『PLOT』

This is what you call a charismatic band.

Their music brings the house down at festivals, stylish and compelling—one of the bands you should definitely see live.

If you want to truly appreciate a band, there’s no substitute for going to a show.

There’s surely something you can only discover at a live performance.

migratory bird[Alexandros]

[Alexandros] – Wataridori (MV)

It’s a very mature and cool band with a slightly shadowy vibe.

They’re hard yet soft at the same time, exuding a masculine allure.

Watching their music videos to study how they bring out that allure might be a good idea.

You can surely expect good results.

I got scaredKyūso Nekokami

Kyuso Nekokami – Bibitta (Music Video)

They’re famous for writing songs themed around whatever has made the vocalist angry.

Their gripes with society and relatable everyday topics come with more than a few twists, and they become addictive.

This is the debut track by the wildly popular rock band Kyuso Nekokami, now riding high, and it’s a song that powerfully sings about the difficulties of reality.

New Treasure IslandSakanakushon

Sakanaction / New Treasure Island -Music Video-

It’s also famous as the theme song of the blockbuster film “Bakuman,” and it’s a masterpiece that directly reflects the movie’s worldview.

With the theme of “drawing lines,” there are parts that depict the struggle of creating something.

While pursuing your dreams can sometimes be painful, this song gives you the feeling to move forward.

I’d love for middle school students working hard toward their dreams to listen to it.

Only WonderFurederikku

Frederic “ONLY WONDER” Music Video / frederic “ONLYWONDER”

This is a cheer song by Frederic, known for creating tracks that keep looping in your head once you hear them.

It expresses that everyone is different and that’s perfectly fine—each person is a one-and-only No.

1.

It’s a song I definitely recommend when you need a boost of energy.

At the End of SorrowElefanto Kashimashi

Elephant Kashimashi – At the End of Sorrow [Official Video]

To truly master adulthood, I’d love for you to watch and listen to Elekashi (The Elephant Kashimashi).

It might be tough for middle schoolers who don’t yet understand the world of adults, but the day will come when it makes sense.

For that time, it might be good to occasionally immerse yourself in Elekashi’s world.