Emo songs recommended for junior high school students: A roundup of classic and popular Japanese tracks!

Grim ReaperOmori Seiko

Seiko Oomori 'Shinigami' Music Video

If you’re exhausted by life and overwhelmed by an inescapable loneliness, I recommend Seiko Oomori’s song “Shinigami.” She became popular as an artist whose “lyrics are profound,” praised even by novelists.

The worldview of her lyrics and her distinctive voice mesh together to create an indescribable atmosphere, don’t they?

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Saitō Ayumu

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Our FailureMorita Doji

[Music Video] Doji Morita “Our Failure”

You could even call this the ultimate “King of Depressive Songs”! Maybe many people from younger generations don’t know it, but the gently airy voice delivering the halting lyrics and the suggestive title really get to you.

Highly recommended for when you want to sink all the way down—just be careful not to sink too far…

It will surely get better.Shinsei Kamattechan

Shinsei Kamattechan “It’ll Surely Get Better” Music Video Full Ver.

Shinsei Kamattechan’s “Kitto Yokunaru sa” is a song released in 2016.

While singing about negative emotions like despair and irritation, it repeatedly uses the phrase “It’ll surely get better,” stirring a faint sense of hope beneath the resignation.

The raw emotion of Noko, the vocalist and guitarist, and the lyrics that depict vivid everyday scenes resonated with many listeners.

I especially want people with low self-esteem to listen to it.

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Saitō Ayumu

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Because we are living beingsRyokushokushakai

Ryokuoushoku Shakai 'Because We Are Living Beings' Official Video / Ryokuoushoku Shakai – Bokura wa Ikimono dakara

With warm vocals and a melody that resonates with the heart, Ryokuoushoku Shakai’s song gently accompanies the struggles of adolescence.

Released in September 2024, it was specially written as the set piece for the junior high school division of the NHK National School Music Competition.

The piece sings about the importance of facing forward without fearing change.

The vocalist’s tenderness and strength blend beautifully, warming the hearts of listeners.

It’s perfect not only for junior high school students but also for anyone who feels anxious about growth and change.

Sing it with your friends or clubmates, and it’s sure to become a wonderful memory.

I miss you so much and want to see you.Nishino Kana

Kana Nishino 'I Miss You, I Miss You (short ver.)'

When it was released in 2010, this song became a hit as a heavy, melancholic track.

It sparked buzz as the origin of the catchphrase “so ~ that I’m shaking.” With lingering feelings for an ex-lover, it’s a song many girls can probably relate to.

Though it’s heavy, I think it’s filled with a girl’s cute, heartfelt emotions.

Billion Beatschōtokkyū

Super Express Billion Beats

I thought it was a refreshing song whose lyrics slip right into your heart.

My younger sister used to listen to it a lot when she was feeling down, and because of that I started listening to it too.

When I listen to this song, my heart feels lighter and I feel like I can keep going.

It’s hard to talk about my worries at school, but listening to this song makes me feel brighter.

Tomorrow as wellSHISHAMO

SHISHAMO “Tomorrow Too”

It’s a song that encourages people who struggle through school or work from Monday to Friday.

Early on, it doesn’t try to teach ways to fix those hard days; instead, it speaks to how having time on the weekend to connect with what you cherish and long for can give you the strength to endure the tough parts.

It also shares the message that seeing the way the person you admire lives can later become the catalyst that changes you, ending with words of encouragement.

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kappamaki

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