[J-Pop] List of Popular and Famous Songs That Use the Canon Progression [2026]

A Vocaloid producer who is also a music writerAraki Jakkan
I’ve worked in a variety of roles—regardless of pro or amateur settings—including live event PA, cameraman for video and photography, restaurant staff, and logistics center staff. I now spend my days as a part-time writer. I’ve contributed to music and manga websites with feature/review articles, and wrote the liner notes included as a bonus for 1st PLACE Inc.’s “IA SUPER BEST.” As for my music background, I started playing guitar in junior high and focused on band activities during my school years. For over 15 years since then, up to the present, I’ve continued releasing original tracks as a Vocaloid producer. My areas of expertise are Japanese rock, Vocaloid, and manga.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

The first half of Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel’s Canon and Gigue in D major for three violins and basso continuo—the Canon, commonly known as “Pachelbel’s Canon”—is a piece almost everyone has heard, even if they don’t recognize the title.

Did you know that the chord progression from this Canon is actually used in many J-pop hit songs? In this article, we’ll introduce not only songs that employ the straightforward Canon progression, but also works that feature various patterns with unique arrangements.

A must-read for anyone looking to study composition!

[J-Pop] List of Popular and Famous Songs That Use the Canon Progression [2026] (61–70)

I want to be friends.Gakuen Seikatsu-bu

TV anime “School-Live!” OP video

I want to be friends.Gakuen Seikatsu-bu

A song by the School Living Club, a club that appears in the TV anime School-Live!.

It was used as the ending theme in episode 12 of the anime.

Despite its cute tone, the lyrics evoke death, creating a striking contrast.

While it does employ seventh chords and substitutions, the canon progression heard in the chorus likely contributes to the song’s overall accessibility.

Even within its unique world, it’s a track that sticks in your ears, reaffirming the impact of classic chord progressions.

Raise the rankinglower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem

dogwood (flowering dogwood)Hitoto Yo

Hitoto Yo – Hanamizuki

dogwood (flowering dogwood)Hitoto Yo

This is the fifth single by female singer Yo Hitoto, who has had numerous tie-ins, including theme songs for the TV drama Tuesday Suspense Theater.

It’s a ballad whose message—carrying humanity’s universal prayer for anti-war sentiment and peace—pierces the heart.

The canon progression used in the A section is arranged with various techniques, preserving its distinctive resonance while elevating it into a more dramatic and compelling ensemble.

With its grand theme and harmonically rich chord progression in perfect harmony, it’s no wonder this masterpiece has been loved by listeners across generations for so long.

Raise the rankinglower

Hoshino Takashi

Report a problem

Time travelMatsuda Seiko

Time travel

Time travelMatsuda Seiko

This work, which portrays the yearning for a lost love, is marked by an elegant, canon-based melody.

It was included on the June 1986 album “SUPREME,” with Seiko Matsuda herself composing the music.

Paired with lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto, it delicately weaves timeless emotions.

You can feel the protagonist’s aching heart as they recall a former lover from two far-flung places—Paris and the West Coast.

I hope you’ll relate to the way they strive to look forward even while bearing the pain of heartbreak.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

ENDLESS RAINX JAPAN

X JAPAN 『ENDLESS RAIN』（HD）

ENDLESS RAINX JAPAN

X JAPAN is known as a pioneering presence among Japanese visual-kei rock bands.

While they’re associated with intense tracks like “Kurenai,” their beautiful ballads—such as “Forever Love”—are also very popular.

Among their ballads, “ENDLESS RAIN” ranks among the most beloved.

The original key is B major, but if you raise it by a half step, it becomes easier to recognize that the progression is an arranged form of the classic canon progression: C → G → G#7 → Am → F → G.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Snow Magic FantasySEKAI NO OWARI

SEKAI NO OWARI “Snow Magic Fantasy”

Snow Magic FantasySEKAI NO OWARI

Set against a fantastical snowy mountain, this song portrays a bittersweet love story between a human man and a snow fairy, arranged with a solemn, classical instrumentation.

Released in January 2014 as SEKAI NO OWARI’s fifth major single, it was written for JR East’s “JR SKISKI” commercial and became the band’s first to top the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

It was later included on the album “Tree” and has continued to be cherished as one of the band’s signature tracks.

Evoking warmth amid the harsh chill of winter, this piece is a recommended pick for anyone seeking a heartfelt winter love song.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem