Masterpieces that sing about various lives. Recommended popular songs.
Life is full of encounters and farewells, joy and sorrow, new challenges and trials, isn’t it?
We’ve gathered songs that fit every one of those life moments!
From tracks that celebrate new beginnings like weddings, to songs that help you stay positive when you’re stuck and struggling, pieces that bring to mind the special people you meet along the way, and songs that make you reflect on the life ahead…
We’ll introduce lots of music that will add a touch of color to your life!
Music is an inseparable part of life.
Let’s walk a vibrant path together, accompanied by all kinds of music!
- A classic Japanese song about life. A track that gives you energy.
- Timeless songs that sing of hopes and dreams. Masterpieces that lead those who strive toward the future.
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
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- An irreplaceable masterpiece that conveys the meaning of life and the preciousness of existence. A deeply moving song of encouragement.
- [A Cheer for Myself] A pep song dedicated to you who are doing your very best
- Classic songs about roads. Recommended popular tracks.
- Classic songs that sing about the past. Recommended popular tracks.
- [Songs Portraying Strong Women] Positive Tracks to Listen to When You’re Feeling Discouraged
Masterpieces that sing of diverse lives. Recommended popular songs (51–60)
The One and Only Flower in the WorldSMAP
This song, which is also featured in school textbooks, keeps replaying in our hearts with a freshness that makes it hard to believe it was released in 2003.
It’s said that Noriyuki Makihara, who wrote the lyrics and composed the music, hastily finished this piece after the song he originally submitted was rejected.
It’s an anecdote that hardly seems fitting for the birth of such a classic.
The lyrics, which say that each and every one of us is special, are, if anything, directed at modern people who tend to push themselves too hard.
It feels as though the spirit of “Take it easy!” rather than “Do your best” runs through the entire song.
Life is the best way to kill time.karen na aibori
A refreshing song sung by the lovely Ivory.
By comparing life to “killing time,” it reminds us of the importance of taking it easy.
Released in June 2024, the track features a comfortable melody produced by HoneyWorks.
It’s perfect for your commute to school or work, and it’s sure to give you the energy to do your best today.
When you’re feeling desperate, this warm song suggests it might be okay to think, “I’ll just live casually, as a way to pass the time.”
AnswerIkuta Rira
A moving ballad by Lila Ikuta that weaves delicate emotional expression with a powerful message, portraying the search for answers to forge one’s own future.
It beautifully captures the protagonist’s emotional journey—from anxious nights curled up in tears to the resolve to carve out a path with their own hands.
Released in March 2021, the song was also featured in a Tokyo Marine Nichido Anshin Life commercial.
It gently encourages people who, despite feeling anxiety and loneliness in their daily lives, choose to face forward and overcome them.
It’s also recommended when you want to convey your feelings at karaoke.
The strong and fleeting onesCocco
It was released in 1997 as Cocco’s second major-label single.
The song was used in Japan Airlines’ “JAL Hawaii Campaign” commercial.
While the tune is bright and refreshing, the lyrics center on a forbidden love.
It’s a track that lets you immerse yourself in Cocco’s distinctive worldview.
Masterpieces that sing about diverse lives. Recommended popular songs (61–70)
chicken riceHamada Masatoshi / Makihara Noriyuki
“Chicken Rice” is a single released in 2004 under the names Masatoshi Hamada and Noriyuki Makihara.
For the lyrics, Makihara specifically requested Downtown’s Mr.
Matsumoto.
He recalled his impoverished childhood and wrote about the chicken rice he ate at Christmas.
Easy★RiderOkuda Tamio
This is a signature work by Tamio Okuda, with a refreshing melody and liberating lyrics that color the important moments of life.
The image of an endless road you can freely keep driving down harmonizes beautifully with the music’s freeing feel.
Released in June 1996, it reached No.
4 on the Oricon Weekly Chart and stayed on the charts for 16 weeks.
It gained attention as the song for Nissan’s Wingroad commercial and was also used in a McDonald’s Japan commercial in 2021.
Its sound, which stirs a pure urge to hit the road without a set destination, is perfect when you want to step away from the everyday and see new scenery, or when you want to elevate the mood of a drive.
Ah, life has its tearsSatomi Kotarō
Many people might not even know the song’s title, “Ah, There Are Tears in Life,” despite its fame as the theme song for the period drama Mito Komon.
Since the long-running series spanned many years, various singers performed it, but because he sang it for a long stretch, many may strongly associate the song with Kotaro Satomi.
The lyrics portray the journey of life, making it a perfect prompt for reflecting on one’s own life.
It’s important to convey a sense of bravery, as if firmly planting one’s feet on the ground, to create a powerful, impactful performance.
