Songs to listen to when you're feeling down. Recommended feel-good, uplifting tracks.
When you’re feeling down, is there something you “always do”? For some people it might be exercise or going for a drive, but I’m sure many turn to listening to music.
As you listen to songs created by many artists, each infused with their own messages, you start to feel encouraged bit by bit, don’t you? This time, I’ll introduce plenty of songs that will stay close to your weary heart and lift your spirits.
I hope you catch the message in each song and that your heart feels a little lighter.
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- An encouraging, uplifting song that stays close to your heart. A cheer song.
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- Energizing songs recommended for women: songs that make you feel positive.
Songs to listen to when you’re feeling down: Recommended uplifting tracks (11–20)
BeautifulSuperfly
The music unit Superfly, known for their soothing vocals that heal listeners’ hearts, has gained widespread popularity.
Their song “Beautiful,” included on the 5th album WHITE, is a track with multiple tie-ins, including serving as the theme song for the TV drama Mother Game: Kanojotachi no Kaikyū.
Its message—that it’s okay to move forward on the path you believe in just as you are—may give you a push when you feel uncertain about your choices.
Brimming with energy, this upbeat tune features powerful vocals that feel like a tailwind at your back.
Rain, then Sunshine Hallelujahyuzu
Yuzu’s songs are bright and uplifting, so they’re perfect for when you’re feeling down.
Among them, I especially recommend “Ame nochi Hallelujah.” Even if things don’t go as planned and you fail, it carries the message that the rain will always clear.
The energizing sound pairs with the positive lyrics, and just listening to it will really lift your spirits.
Yo, you there, kid.Takehara Pisutoru
A number by Pistol Takehara that was used as the theme song for Sumitomo Life’s “1UP” commercial featuring Eita, and that became a hot topic for its memorable phrases! From the title, “Yo, You Young One,” you might expect a scolding, but instead it offers gentle advice: don’t be swayed by anyone’s words—bloom your own flower the way you believe.
When you’re young, all kinds of words rain down on you from all kinds of people, leaving you confused and troubled.
Even so, don’t be misled by those words and don’t lose yourself! It’s a song that feels like it lifts you out of a deep hole of despair.
ClimalSukima Suichi
A moving song themed around hope and growth.
Featured on the 2024 album “A museMentally.” It expresses the courage to face challenges and the determination to expand one’s potential.
Its powerful melody and emotional vocals resonate deeply with listeners.
The melodious, stirring sound—distinctively Sukima Switch—is especially compelling.
For anyone feeling stuck in work or life, this track gives you the courage to move forward.
If you listen when you’re feeling down, it’s sure to lift your spirits.
New Treasure IslandSakanakushon
The high quality of Sakanaction’s sound has been praised by numerous music critics.
Among their songs, the one I recommend when you’re feeling down is “Shin Takarajima.” Its synth bass timbre, evoking the Showa era, blends with a modern melodic line to create a unique sonic world.
With its upbeat tone, listening to it is sure to lift your spirits.
Because I’ve always loved you.neguse.
A straight-shooting cheer song from Neguse, the Nagoya-born rock band whose motto is “smiles”! Its message, delivering the value of “keeping at it” head-on, slowly seeps into a tired heart.
The structure—unfolding from Ryotachi’s rhythmic rap to a soaring sing-along chorus—gives listeners a powerful push forward.
Released for streaming in June 2024, it’s also included on the EP “Ai to Ai no Fight!” Chosen as a summer high school baseball cheer song and the theme for “Netto Koshien,” it even became the melody played at Koshien Station—a hot topic indeed.
Give it a listen especially when the May blues sap your motivation.
It’ll remind you of that fiery feeling: you can give it your all because you love it!
Songs to listen to when you're feeling down: recommended pick-me-up tracks (21–30)
ikigai (a reason for living; the thing that gives one’s life meaning and purpose)SUPER BEAVER
It’s a rock number that affirms not only athletes heading into their biggest moments, but everyone who’s doing their best to live each day.
This track by the four-piece rock band SUPER BEAVER was chosen as the athlete support song for Fuji TV’s coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
More than the outcomes of victory or defeat, its message about the value of all the steps and the journey leading up to that point resonates deeply.
It was also used in broadcasts such as the All-Japan Figure Skating Championships 2025, moving many viewers.
This is a song you’ll especially want to hear when you’re worn out by a new environment and feeling the May blues, or when you’ve lost confidence in what you’ve been doing.
It will gently give you a push, telling you that the path you’ve taken so far is not wrong.