From beautiful piano rock to intense loud rock! Bands with cool keyboards and synths.
Keyboards and synthesizers—ranging from piano rock to synth-pop and techno-pop—can be incorporated regardless of whether the band is a traditional rock outfit.
Adding them to guitar, bass, and drums instantly broadens a song’s expressive range! Many of you probably love tracks that feature keyboards, but it can be surprisingly hard to think of bands that actually have a keyboardist, right? So in this article, we’ll introduce plenty of bands with cool keyboard work.
Some play with piano sounds, others with distinctive synth tones—each band is different—so be sure to check out the songs from the bands we’re about to feature.
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- A compilation of cool Japanese rock band songs. Recommended tracks for cover bands.
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- [Piano × J‑Pop] A curated selection of the coolest new hits and anime songs that’ll look great when you play them
- The Allure of the Keyboard: A Collection of Piano Vocaloid Songs
- From rock numbers to dance tunes! Cool songs of the Reiwa era
- [2026] For Band Beginners! Recommended Songs from Popular Bands That Get the Crowd Going at Live Shows
- Band-sound Vocaloid Song Special [Rock]
- [J-Pop] A Compilation of Songs with Awesome Drums [2026]
- From cute to cool: iconic and recommended songs from uniquely individual girl bands
- Nostalgic yet fresh!? Classic masterpieces of Japanese rock from the 1970s and 1980s
- [Beginner] Compilation of Keyboard Performance Training Videos
From beautiful piano rock to intense loud rock! Bands with awesome keyboards and synths (21–30)
The End of Summeraibii karaa
Ivy Color is a four-piece piano rock band from Osaka Prefecture.
They have released many songs with outstanding cohesion and ensemble.
Their appeal lies in arrangements that color a simple band sound with beautiful piano tones, creating depth in the music.
The video track “End of Summer” features a lovely combination of a melody and lyrics that stir up nostalgia and powerful drumming, all gently embraced by the piano accompaniment.
The keyboard is played by Ayae Kawaguchi, whose roots are in classical music.
Unconcealed MeGesu no Kiwami Otome.
When it comes to Gesu no Kiwami Otome, many people might picture Enon Kawatani, the band’s central figure who writes and composes their songs.
However, every member of the band has excellent musicianship, and among them, keyboardist Chan Mari is a standout with a background in classical and jazz.
Her uniquely airy, floating tonal sense makes the band’s sound even more vibrant.
From beautiful piano rock to intense loud rock! Bands with awesome keyboards and synths (31–40)
In the Morning of DeterminationAqua Timez
Aqua Timez was a five-member rock band that sadly disbanded in 2018.
They’re a band whose keyboard sounds linger in your ears, used effectively depending on the song’s character—brought to the forefront in pop-leaning tracks and adding color to guitar-driven songs.
While many of their hits prominently feature keyboards, they are a one-of-a-kind band that also gave the keyboard a strong presence in heavier, more nu-metal-leaning tracks by layering sounds that expand the sonic space.
GUNSHOTSSiM
SiM is a rock band that flies the flag of reggae-punk.
They’re so popular that they not only pack live houses across the country but also regularly appear on the main stages of major outdoor festivals! Speaking of them, their style that blends loud rock with reggae flavors is a fan favorite, so you might not associate them much with keyboards.
However, at recent shows, we often see guitarist SHOW-HATE playing a synthesizer! It adds color to memorable moments—especially in instrumental breaks—and has now become an indispensable part of the band’s sound.
Charonnegoto
As a recommended girls’ band that plays rock, I’d suggest Negoto.
They had a classic Japanese rock sound and were popular with younger audiences.
Their synthesizer and keyboard lines intertwine with the guitar in a way that really sticks in your ears.
Unfortunately, they disbanded in July 2019, but the music they created continues to be loved.
I Hate DISCOOOOOOO!!!the telephones
the telephones became popular as a band with a new musical style that fused rock, new wave, disco, and electronica.
Their distinctive use of keyboards and synthesizers created an appealing sound unlike other bands.
Unfortunately, they went on an indefinite hiatus at the end of 2015, but they resumed activities in May 2018 and drew renewed attention.
threadBank Band
Alongside Mr.Children’s Kazutoshi Sakurai, the central figure of Bank Band is music producer Takeshi Kobayashi.
In the band he plays keyboards, and given his extensive work composing and arranging numerous hit songs and film scores, his performance that elevates the vocal melodies is impressively top-tier.
He’s truly a model example of backing performance in pop music.