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

Please give me wingsakai tori

Red Bird – Please Give Me Wings

Akaitori’s “Tsubasa wo Kudasai,” released in 1971, is a very famous song that even appears in music textbooks.

Did you know it actually uses the canon progression, too? The chorus chords are C→G→Am→Em, a classic canon progression that creates a very beautiful flow.

Also, where a standard canon progression would then go F→C→F→G, this song instead goes F→C→B♭→G7, passing through B♭—a pleasing arrangement choice.

It’s a great idea you could use in your own composing!

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Yuuki

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Time travelMatsuda Seiko

Time travel

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.

Sakura (Solo)Moriyama Naotaro

Naotaro Moriyama – Sakura (Solo)

This is the second single by singer-songwriter Naotaro Moriyama, whose lyrics, deftly woven with striking, attention-grabbing phrases, move listeners to the core.

Known as a quintessential “sakura song” in the J-pop scene, it drew further attention in 2019 when an arranged version was used as the theme song for the TV drama “Dōki no Sakura” (Mr. Hiiragi’s Homeroom).

The spin-off title of Hiiragi’s Homeroom is different; here, “同期のサクラ” = “Sakura at Work.”

In the latter half, the chorus features a canon progression that skillfully incorporates substitute chords, creating a nostalgic resonance that beautifully meshes with the melody.

It’s a simple yet profound ballad that evokes the sanctity of a day of departure and the subtle shifts of the heart.

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Hoshino Takashi

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compromiseHoshino Gen

Gen Hoshino – Compromise (Official Video)

Created at home using digital gear, this work by Gen Hoshino, released in June 2020, carries a gentle warmth that softly embraces everyday life.

It carefully portrays the dynamics of lovers and married couples, singing about the misunderstandings, moments of empathy, and the process of finding compromise that occur in daily life.

So, give it a listen when you’re thinking of someone special.

HOWEVERGLAY

GLAY / HOWEVER

GLAY’s “HOWEVER” is a song notable for its beautiful piano that makes great use of the canon progression.

The chorus’s C→C on B→Am→Am on G progression is particularly striking.

Compared to the usual canon progression of C→G→Am→Em, the key point here is that the G is replaced with G on B—setting the bass of the G chord to B—and the Em is replaced with Am on G—setting the bass of the Am chord to G.

This causes the bass to descend stepwise C→B→A→G, creating a beautifully resonant sound.

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Yuuki

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Precious thingsroodo obu mejyaa

Lord of Major / Precious Things

This is the debut single by the rock band Road of Major, formed through the documentary project “Road of Major” within the variety show Hamaraja.

Despite being an indie release, it became their biggest hit, staying in the Oricon Top 10 for 19 consecutive weeks.

The arrangement, consciously employing the Pachelbel canon progression in the verse and chorus, makes the driving melody even more dramatic.

It’s an unfading rock tune that fully justifies its record as the top-performing indie release of all time.

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Hoshino Takashi

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threadNakajima Miyuki

thread

Lowering the canon progression in the key of C major by two semitones to B♭ gives you the chord progression of Miyuki Nakajima’s “Ito.” What’s particularly noteworthy is the use of a musical technique known as a “cliché,” where the bass line descends step by step: B♭ → F/A → Gm → Gm7/F → E♭.

This makes the flow of the song sound smoother.

Also, the F#dim used in the middle of the chorus works nicely as a spice to smooth the movement from F to Gm.

It’s definitely something to keep in mind when composing!

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Yuuki

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