[New Year’s Songs] Timeless classics and popular New Year tunes you’ll want to listen to at the start of the year
For New Year’s, you want to listen to songs that fit the season, right?
You might think of traditional pieces like “Haru no Umi,” but isn’t it surprisingly hard to find J-pop that feels perfect for New Year’s?
In fact, while there are tons of Christmas songs, there are relatively few songs for the New Year.
In this article, we’ll introduce lots of tracks you’ll want to play as the year begins, focusing mainly on J-pop!
Be sure to read to the end and soak up the New Year’s spirit!
Of course, we’ve also picked out the classic New Year’s staples!
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[New Year’s Songs] Classic and Popular Tracks to Hear in the New Year (51–60)
New Year’s gift money ~TOUDAIMOTOKURASHI~misoshiru’s
This is a song by MISO SHIRU’s, a mysterious rock band that has performed live with RADWIMPS and even appeared on their CDs.
Many of us probably heard, when we were little, “I’ll hold onto your New Year’s gift money until you’re older,” right? Sparked by that single phrase, this humor-filled track depicts an all-out battle over New Year’s money.
New Yearsayonara poniiteeru
Let me introduce “New na Year,” a song by Sayonara Ponytail—affectionately known as SayoPoni—who debuted in 2011! It’s an innovative track whose lyrics consist solely of “Happy New Year”! The intro phrase is so pleasant to the ear that you’ll want to hit repeat.
The choral work is fantastic too, resulting in a feel-good finish that lifts your spirits.
Try listening during the countdown or right after ringing in the New Year to celebrate the start of the year!
familyKitagawa Daisuke
Let me introduce “Kazoku” (Family), sung by enka singer Daisuke Kitagawa, who also received the Japan Composers’ Association Encouragement Award at the Japan Record Awards in 2008.
It’s a song for looking back on the year with your family at the start of the New Year.
The music video has a warm touch, featuring Kitagawa’s real mother and showing homemade dried persimmons hanging to cure.
It’s a track that overflows with gratitude for family right at the beginning of the year.
If you usually find it hard to express thanks to your family, why not take the opportunity of the New Year to listen together and share your appreciation for the past year?
New Year (Japanese New Year)Taki Rentarō
“New Year’s Day,” composed by Rentaro Taki with lyrics by Kume Higashi, is a song that could be called the quintessential New Year’s tune.
Counting the days on one’s fingers—“How many more sleeps until New Year’s?”—it expresses the excitement of welcoming the new year in this traditional Japanese New Year song.
It depicts customs and games of the Japanese New Year, such as flying kites, spinning tops, bouncing a handball, and playing hanetsuki.
Children’s eager anticipation for the New Year has not changed from past to present.
That is precisely why this nursery song, “New Year’s Day,” continues to be widely loved and sung today.
[New Year Songs] Classic and Popular New Year Tunes to Listen to in the New Year (61–70)
Counting song/New Year’s song
This is a New Year’s counting song whose lyrics include traditional New Year’s games like hanetsuki (battledore and shuttlecock) and temari (handballs).
It is said to have been sung since the mid-Edo period, with melodies and wording that vary by region.
The lyrics vividly condense scenes of the festive New Year decorations, children excited to welcome the new year, adults enjoying sake feasts, and first shrine visits, making it perfect for the season! Though the wording is a bit old-fashioned, the New Year holidays could be a great time to sing it and teach your child how to count.
National Sake-Drinking Festival Song of Japanbarakūda
Anyway, it’s the kind of song you want to listen to—and sing—whenever there’s something to celebrate.
It’s a classic for parties and banquets.
The track is by the comic band Baracuda and was released in 1979.
Doesn’t the melody sound familiar? In fact, its original source is “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo,” the song from the Disney film Cinderella.
It’s packed with phrases that get stuck in your head after just one listen.
Perfect for everyone to sing together and get the crowd going.
festivalKitajima Saburō
Saburo Kitajima, who boasts the most appearances for the white team on the NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen.
He often closes the show singing this piece, “Matsuri,” so even younger generations have likely heard it at least once.
Released as a single in 1984, the song depicts scenes of festivals praying for a bountiful harvest and a big catch, conveying a rugged masculinity and dynamic power.
Brimming with the Japanese spirit rooted in festivals—gratitude to the gods and respect for nature—this song is perfect for enlivening New Year’s, the most significant turning point of the year.
