[New Year’s Songs] Timeless classics and popular New Year tunes you’ll want to listen to at the start of the year

KadomatsuCRAZY KEN BAND

Kadomatsu

How about a dazzling tune to ring in the new decade of the 2020s? Written by Crazy Ken Band as the theme song for the film “We Make Antiques! Kyoto Rendezvous,” this track features glittering big band–style brass and a breezy swing feel.

Riding on Ken Yokoyama’s deep vocals, it humorously portrays New Year social scenes and the subtleties of human relationships, using auspicious New Year motifs to invite good fortune at the start of the year.

Produced for the film released in January 2020, it was also included on the October 2020 album “NOW.” Its flashy, stylish vibe makes it perfect as BGM for New Year gatherings, drives, and parties.

With an urban jazz sound, it lifts your spirits and sets a festive mood!

YAVAHAMAX ~ “Hey, let’s go to Shibahama,” said Atai and Chanhy4_4yh

YAVAHAMAX ~ “Hey, let’s go to Shibahama,” said Atai and Chan

This is a stylish coupling track from a single themed on the rakugo story “Shibahama.” It’s a unique piece: a conversational rap that actually proposes visiting Edo, the setting of the classic, in real life.

Released in December 2017 as the first production by rakugo performer Shunpūtei Ichinosuke, the single is structured with this track as the introduction and the title track as the main part.

Overlaying the modern map onto the reclaimed shoreline of Shiba, the lyrics weave in proper nouns like the Keihin-Tōhoku Line and Tamachi, brimming with curiosity as they link the classic to the present day.

Another highlight is the year-end-appropriate arrangement: an electro sound reminiscent of YMO layered with motifs from Beethoven’s Ninth.

It’s the perfect song for anyone who wants to let their thoughts wander into the world of rakugo over the New Year, or feel the classical performing arts up close.

HAPPY NEW SHOW TIME!Katorina Guriiberu (CV: Amaki Sarii) Otori Kokona (CV: Iwami Manaka) Shizuka (CV: Hasegawa Ikumi)

HAPPY NEW SHOW TIME!

It’s a bright, poppy number that’s perfect for kicking off the New Year.

Released in January 2024 as an insert song for the game “World Dai Star: Yume no Stellarium,” it weaves traditional Japanese New Year scenes—like temple bells on New Year’s Eve, first shrine visits, and osechi cuisine—into its lyrics.

The blend of traditional Japanese instruments and lively, sparkling vocals makes it festive and fun.

Give it a listen when you want to fill your heart with hope for the year ahead—it’s sure to lift your spirits.

The ending of EVEHattan Amika

The ending of EVE

How about a song that portrays a woman reflecting on days with her former lover as she sets out toward a new self? It’s a track by Amika Hattan, included on her first album, “Autumn Breeze,” released in September 1999.

With lyrics and composition by Hiromasa Ijichi and arrangement by Yasutaka Mizushima, this lyrical number quietly sings of the strength to break with the past and live in the present.

Created in the same year she won the Japan Record Awards’ Best New Artist, Hattan’s clear vocals resonate deeply.

It’s a perfect song for anyone looking to sort out the past and face forward in the New Year.

Love multiplied by 100! New Year’s-holiday-defying training☆Mikoshiba Momotarō (CV: Kenichi Suzumura) Nitori Aiichirō (CV: Kousuke Miyata)

Love multiplied by 100! New Year’s-holiday-defying training☆

One of the character songs from the anime Free!, this track depicts New Year’s–specific training scenes.

Although it starts with New Year’s greetings, the spotlight quickly shifts to the duo’s lively back-and-forth as they throw themselves into practice, leaving the celebratory mood behind.

The calls for warm-ups and the stretching sequences are expressed with an upbeat tempo, conveying the passionate energy of youth dedicated to sports.

Included in the Free! Character Song Mini Album Additional Edition released in August 2023, this piece is a duet realized nine years after their respective solo songs in 2014.

It’s recommended for those who want to stay disciplined toward their goals from New Year’s Day, or when you want to reminisce about your club activity days!

The first dream of the year with youTaka Fuji Nasu (CV: Morishita Rena)

[The Idolmaster] “First Dream With You” (Song: Natsu Takafuji)

This song, themed around the first dream of the year, is a Japanese-style pop number that captures the New Year’s uplift and gentle hope.

Rena Morishita’s soft yet dignified vocals deliver a blessing for the year ahead and a hint of dreams to come.

A lively rhythm infused with traditional Japanese elements blends seamlessly, and the radiant melody envelops listeners in a festive atmosphere.

Released in January 2021 as the ending theme for the anime The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls Theater Extra Stage, it was later included in THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS LITTLE STARS EXTRA! “Kimi no Stage Ishou, Hontou wa…”.

It’s highly recommended as the perfect track for a peaceful moment spent with family over the New Year holidays, or for a quiet morning when you hold your New Year’s resolutions close to your heart.

God of RomanceHirose Kōmi

Kohmi Hirose / God of Romance

For those who ring in the New Year at a ski resort, this is a familiar song.

Many people probably start the year on the slopes listening to it, feeling excited and upbeat.

It’s a true ski-resort anthem that pumps up skiers and snowboarders celebrating the New Year.