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.
- Timeless songs that stay close to your heart when times are tough. Uplifting tracks with gentle lyrics that really sink in.
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- An encouraging, uplifting song that stays close to your heart. A cheer song.
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- [Songs to Listen to When You Want to Die] I want to disappear... A song to support you who feel that way
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- Uplifting songs recommended for women in their 40s
- Energizing songs recommended for women in their 50s
- Encouraging songs: timeless masterpieces that resonate with the heart, recommended popular tracks
- Energizing songs recommended for women: songs that make you feel positive.
Songs to listen to when you're feeling down. Recommended feel-good tracks (221–230)
Same ThingHoshino Gen
Gen Hoshino brings us a song imbued with the resolve to lovingly embrace the contradictions and absurdities of emotion.
It’s an ambitious work created in collaboration with the UK band Superorganism, featuring English lyrics.
Set to a sleek electropop sound, it paints a worldview where rainy days and sunny days, hatred and love—all hold equal value.
Released in October 2019, it impressively reached No.
1 on the Oricon Digital Albums chart.
Its bold, modern reinterpretation of the traditional concept of wabi-sabi also drew attention.
This is a piece that stays by your side when you feel stuck or face unreasonable circumstances, supporting you as you try to keep moving forward in everyday life.
Why Don’t You Play in Hell?Hoshino Gen
This is a celebrated masterpiece by Gen Hoshino, praised as a soul-baring song that candidly voices profound despair and loneliness.
Born from his time battling illness in a hospital room, the piece powerfully portrays a person struggling on in the face of hopeless circumstances.
Though a pop song, its sophisticated arrangement deftly weaves in elements of jazz and funk, brilliantly expressing emotions swaying between life and death.
Released in October 2013, it was created as a movie’s theme song and carries Hoshino’s earnest feelings as he awaited surgery.
The grand soundscape, adorned with lavish strings and a horn section, conveys a fierce will to claw one’s way back from the brink of despair.
It’s a track you should listen to when you’re exhausted by life and on the verge of breaking.
It will surely resonate with anyone who, even while confronting harsh realities, still strives to look ahead and keep moving forward.
BOW AND ARROWYonezu Kenshi
A passionate cheer song crafted by Kenshi Yonezu.
Its melody brims with a headlong rush, like the instant an arrow is loosed, and it vividly portrays protagonists who keep moving toward their dreams even after experiencing setbacks.
A piece that also captivated live audiences, it was written as the opening theme for the TV anime Medalist, which depicts the world of figure skating.
The lyrics, evoking the bonds of characters who support each other like a bow and arrow, and the dynamic sound together give listeners the courage to overcome the doubts and uncertainties everyone carries.
When your resolve to strive toward your goals starts to waver, listening to this song will surely give you the strength to take a new step forward.
Horse and deerYonezu Kenshi
A song by Kenshi Yonezu characterized by powerful melodies and lyrics that resonate with the heart.
Written as the theme song for the drama “No Side Game,” it was released digitally in August 2019.
Alongside its grand sound, the lyrics—depicting people who confront adversity and keep moving forward—leave a strong impression.
By listening to one’s inner voice and singing of the importance of love and bonds, this piece encourages those who wish to keep challenging themselves without giving up in the face of hardship.
Give it a listen when you’re striving toward a new environment or goal.
Ups&DownsCrystal Lake
A metalcore sound marked by thunderous roars and shouts that resound with overwhelming intensity.
This grand opener of the EP “CUBES” sings of hope and strength rising even in the depths of despair.
Crystal Lake’s signature energetic, powerful approach blends perfectly with a meticulously arranged soundscape.
Featured on the EP “CUBES,” released in August 2014, it has since become a live staple that ignites audiences.
Its expansive, cinematic sound and its powerful message of hope and renewal make it a track that resonates with anyone determined to keep moving forward.
GuildBUMP OF CHICKEN
A masterpiece that deeply questions the meaning of life and one’s own worth has been making waves.
The ballad released by BUMP OF CHICKEN in November 2006 is a work that expresses the self by likening life to a “job.” Its meticulously crafted guitar riffs and delicate vocals weave a melody that gently stays with the listener, evoking profound empathy.
The piece was also developed as a puppet-theater DVD, with band members serving as voice actors, expanding its world beyond music.
This is a song especially for those searching for what it means to live true to themselves, or for anyone feeling worn out by daily life.
Songs to listen to when you're feeling down: Recommended uplifting tracks (231–240)
astronomical observationBUMP OF CHICKEN
A gem of a track by BUMP OF CHICKEN, beautifully depicting an inner landscape that reexamines the vastness of the universe and the direction of one’s life.
Using the starry sky as a metaphor, it unfolds to reveal anxieties and expectations for the future—and a steady sense of hope—making it a memorable masterpiece.
Released in March 2001 as an insert song for the Fuji TV drama “Celestial Observation,” the piece had a major impact on the music scene as a milestone of J-ROCK.
It is also included on the album THE LIVING DEAD.
It’s a song that gently encourages those who hesitate to move forward or carry vague anxieties.
Beginners may struggle with the performance at first, but once you grasp the pattern, it’s a joy to play!