[Autumn Classics] Japanese Songs to Listen to and Sing in October: A Curated Selection of Beloved, Heartfelt Hits

OctoberTETORA

TETORA – October – Official Live Music Video

A song by TETORA is one I want to listen to when the air starts to turn a bit chilly.

This track is included on the album “13 Months,” released in June 2024.

The album is a conceptual work themed around one year and one extra month, imbued with memories and feelings tied to each month.

The emotional vocals overlap with autumn’s distinctive sentimental atmosphere, gently resonating in the heart.

How about giving it a careful listen on a long night when you feel like getting lost in thought?

KoiAndrop

androp – “Koi” Music Video, theme song for the film “Until I Meet September’s Love”

androp is a four-piece rock band acclaimed for their meticulous sonic approach.

This song was written as the theme for the film “Until I Meet September’s Love” and released in February 2019 as their 11th single.

Even when fate stands in the way and meeting becomes impossible, an unwavering resolve to keep thinking of the other person is conveyed through delicate piano tones and a crystal-clear vocal.

Its pure, unadorned lyrics quietly stir the listener’s heart.

It’s a perfect classic for moments when you want to reaffirm your feelings for someone special, wrapped in the slightly wistful air of autumn.

Night journeyYorushika

Yorushika – Night Journey (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

How about a song that gently seeps into your heart on a long autumn night? The number by Yorushika beautifully captures the delicate emotions that waver in the quiet of the night.

It conveys the frustration of wanting to break free from the present yet being unable to take that final step.

Even so, the resolve to face forward while believing in a sliver of hope comes powerfully through in Suis’s clear, translucent vocals.

Released in March 2020, this piece was produced as an insert song for the feature-length animated film “A Whisker Away” and is also included on the album Plagiarism.

It’s a recommended track for contemplative walks home or moments when you want to sit quietly and reflect on yourself in a calm room.

On a full-moon nightaimyon

Aimyon – If It's a Full Moon Night [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

A very moody song that evokes a long autumn night with a beautifully shining moon.

Released in April 2018 as Aimyon’s fourth major-label single, it’s also included on the acclaimed album “Shunkanteki Sixth Sense.” Although the words suggested by the title hardly appear in the lyrics, the song has a curious charm: through skillful metaphors—like the image of melting ice cream—it vividly brings to life a sensual night shared by two people.

Many of Aimyon’s lyrics adopt a male perspective, and I think that’s one of the reasons her music appeals broadly without alienating listeners.

At karaoke, singing it with a touch of boldness might help you sink into the song’s world and make it feel just right.

It’ll get stained.Chatto Monchī

Chatmonchy “I’ll Be Dyed” Music Video

If you’re looking to indulge in a slightly sentimental mood on a chilly autumn night, I recommend a wistful mid-tempo number from Chatmonchy.

Released in November 2008, this song poignantly conveys the loneliness of city nights and the tender ache of stretching yourself to do something unfamiliar.

The gradient of a heart that has lost something precious and is slowly dyed a different color seems to resonate in your chest, carried by Eriko Hashimoto’s aching vocals.

This was the band’s ninth single and marked their first entry into the Oricon Top 10.

It was also used as the theme song for the drama “Tonsura” and included on the classic album “Kokuhaku” (Confession).

Sing it earnestly at karaoke, and memories of your youth might just come flooding back.

maybeYOASOBI

YOASOBI “Tabun” Official Music Video

A song by YOASOBI released in July 2020 that also serves as the theme for a short film of the same name.

It depicts a quiet morning shared by two people facing a breakup, and is a mid-tempo number that gently accompanies the melancholic autumn season.

YOASOBI’s songs might seem difficult to sing, but this one features a calm rhythm that lets you savor the lyrics.

Ikura’s clear, transparent vocals delicately convey the complex emotions—the helpless sense of loss after a relationship ends, a heart wavering over the fact that it’s no one’s fault, and the sudden resurgence of regret.

It’s a moving song recommended for autumn nights when you want to sing as if telling a story, pouring your feelings into every word.

osmanthus (fragrant orange osmanthus; sweet olive)natori

Natori – Fragrant Olive

Singer-songwriter Natori, who shot to fame with the 2022 smash hit “Overdose.” This new track is a jazzy pop tune, perfect for an autumn night.

Sung in a whispery voice, it paints the sudden melancholy that creeps into a humdrum daily life and the complicated feelings toward the “you” by one’s side.

You can almost picture the sweet scent of flowers gently wrapping those restless emotions.

It’s also fun to listen while interpreting the poetically written lyrics in your own way.

Released in August 2023, the song is also included on the album “Gekijou” (Theater).

On a long autumn night, when you want to sink into a slightly sentimental mood, why not sing it with an ennui-tinged vibe?