Songs with satisfying key changes: classic J-POP and Japanese tracks where the mood and impression shift naturally
There’s a technique called “modulation” that’s used when you want to dramatically change a song’s scene or mood partway through.
If we were to explain modulation in depth, it would be enough to fill an entire music theory book, so I’ll skip the details here.
The most common pattern is raising the key for the final chorus to heighten the excitement.
There are also songs that, for example, modulate only in the pre-chorus to catch the listener off guard, as well as songs that skillfully modulate repeatedly while still sounding natural, using subtle modulation techniques.
This time, I’ve picked out a few songs where the modulations feel particularly pleasing or are especially well crafted.
If this article sparks your interest in modulation, please explore further by searching online.
Understanding how songs are put together will surely open up a whole new way to enjoy music!
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Songs with satisfying key changes: 10 classic J-POP and Japanese tracks where the mood and impression shift naturally (41–50)
Heralding springyama
This is a signature song by yama that drew attention for its modern production style of being completed entirely through online exchanges.
Released in April 2020, the track became a long-running hit with over 300 million streams, despite being created without yama ever meeting the songwriter and composer Kujira in person.
It conveys the loneliness felt in a six-tatami room late at night and anxieties about the future, set against a sleek, urban sound.
The contrast between the brisk rhythm and the wistful vocals is exquisite, revealing new shades with each listen.
Wrapped in the quiet of the night, this song’s distinctive groove offers a comforting space for solitary reflection.
New EraAdo
Ado’s “New Genesis (Uta from ONE PIECE FILM RED)” is another cool song that uses key changes effectively.
The intro starts in G major, then modulates to E minor—the relative minor of G major—during the A section.
Because relative keys share the same number of sharps, it doesn’t feel like a dramatic shift; instead, it works as a subtle accent that doesn’t disrupt the song’s natural flow.
By the way, when you’re covering a song, modulating to a relative key is easier to play since the key signature doesn’t change, so it’s a great recommendation for beginners who want to try playing a song with modulation.
AnarchyOfisharu Higedan Dism
This is Official HIGE DANDism’s sixth digital download single, released on January 7, 2022.
It was written as the theme song for the Toho film The Confidence Man JP: Episode of the Hero.
The key changes in this track feel less like they’re meant to jolt the listener and more like a way to connect memorable phrases more smoothly.
Thanks to that, the entire song gives the impression that every vocal section sounds like a chorus.
Not just with this song, but many Official HIGE DANDism tracks are brimming with that so-called “stylish” vibe—this one is a prime example of them at their best.
MelissaPorunogurafiti
It was released in 2003 as Porno Graffitti’s 12th single.
The song was used as the opening theme for the anime Fullmetal Alchemist, beginning with a bass intro and blending both poignancy and intensity.
Created around the theme of “self-sacrifice,” it features a smooth, satisfying key change when transitioning from the chorus back to the verse.
reverse dreamKing Gnu
This song, featured as the ending theme for the anime film Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and included on the single Ichizu/Sakayume released in December 2021, is a winter-perfect ballad where elegant strings intertwine with piano.
From the quiet of the first verse to a chorus that opens up the world, the dramatic development showcases King Gnu’s distinctive structural beauty.
The flow from the bridge to the final chorus uses deft chord progressions that continually shift the song’s character, creating an impressive, dreamlike sense of modulation—as if wandering the boundary between dream and reality.
As of 2024, it has surpassed 300 million streams, a testament to its enduring popularity.
It’s a track to savor when you’re holding onto an unattainable wish or lingering in the deep afterglow of the film on a quiet night.
Young adultmakaroni enpitsu
Macaroni Enpitsu is a skilled rock band whose members all graduated from music college.
They resonate with many young people, and among their works, the one I’d especially like to highlight is this track, released in September 2019 as the lead song from the album “season.” It was also chosen as the opening theme for TV Tokyo’s Drama 24 series “I Dreamed of That Girl.” Centered on the theme of unconditional love that stands by those who carry loneliness and anxiety, it features an excellent build where the chord progression and melody rise powerfully from the calm verse into the chorus.
Rather than a strict key change, it evokes the feeling of your view opening up in step with an emotional swell.
Listen to it on nights when you feel like a loser or when you long to feel someone’s love, and it will surely bring solace to your heart.
Secret of my heartKuraki Mai
It was released in 2000 as Mai Kuraki’s third single.
The song was used as the ending theme for the Yomiuri TV/Nippon TV anime Detective Conan, and its theme is “a secret you can’t tell anyone.” It’s a song about how, at the time of her debut, she couldn’t bring herself to tell her friends that she was Mai Kuraki.
It became her second best-selling single.
That key change right as the chorus starts feels great no matter how many times you hear it, doesn’t it?