A compilation of cool Japanese rock band songs. Recommended tracks for cover bands.

Whether you’ve just started playing an instrument or you’re in a band choosing songs for an upcoming live show, you might be thinking, “I want to play something cool!” In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of cool band songs.

We’ve gathered a variety of tracks—ones with cool vocals, ones with impressive instrumental performances, and more—so feel free to use this as a reference! Once you decide which song to play, all that’s left is to practice until you can perform it with style!

Playlist

A compilation of cool Japanese rock band songs. Recommended tracks for cover bands.
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Sugar Song and Bitter StepUNISON SQUARE GARDEN		Delivering stylish music with high-level performance skills
2	astronomical observationBUMP OF CHICKEN		BUMP OF CHICKEN’s “Tentai Kansoku” is a classic song.
3	RewriteASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION		ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION’s signature song “Rewrite”
4	THE SONGHanbureddāzu		A forward-looking rock song by Humbreaders
5	Ultramarine DaysToukyou Jihen		Tokyo Jihen’s rock-style debut single
6	Kaiju no Hanabuta (Monster’s Flower Song)Vaundy		Vaundy’s captivating song brimming with a sense of chords
7	Strawberry MargaritaELLEGARDEN		A fresh, exhilarating new song themed around life changes
8	ImaginationSPYAIR		A refreshing rock sound that expresses the spirit of challenge in youth
9	I wonder where tears come from.Harukamirai		An emotional rock song by Harukamirai
10	Irreversible replaceMY FIRST STORY		A rock song of determination to overcome loneliness
11	single-minded; earnest; wholehearted; dedicatedSUPER BEAVER		SUPER BEAVER’s theme song for My Hero Academia
12	Make It Out AliveONE OK ROCK		ONE OK ROCK's Monster Hunter tie-in song
13	Blue HabitatKitanitatsuya		Tatsuya Kitani’s depictions of youth and his technically adept songs
14	to youMONGOL800		Famous fast-tempo songs perfect for cover bands
15	Love Dryeryangusukinii		A song whose driving energy and melody by Young Skinny resonate with the heart
16	Frenzy Hey Kids!!THE ORAL CIGARETTES		Let's perfectly recreate a song by THE ORAL CIGARETTES
17	Baby BabyKami wa saikoro o furanai		A pop song that reflects the tour experience
18	LadybirdMONOEYES		A hopeful rock song about self-discovery
19	threadkuriipuhaipe		CreepHyp is popular among yami-kei girls
20	No.1DISH//		An encouraging song that gives courage with a band sound
21	Telecaster StripePorukadotto Sutingurei		A song with cool guitar and vocals
22	Odoru-LoopFurederikku		Frederic gains popularity with highly addictive songs
23	The Zero Sense10-FEET		A passionate song depicting the fervor of young people chasing their dreams
24	Wasted NightsONE OK ROCK		ONE OK ROCK song introduction
25	good-for-nothingZa Kuromaniyonzu		An anthem that affirms a self outside social norms
26	Drive, go!Za Kuromaniyonzu		A high-velocity track packed with the joy of rock ’n’ roll
27	InfernoMrs. GREEN APPLE		Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s ultimate rock tune
28	Happy Pre-Wedding SongYabai T-shatsu Yasan		Yabai T-Shirts Yasan is a rock band popular among students.
29	Ghost in the FlowersYorushika		Yorushika's piano rock songs are captivating
30	Transparent GirlNUMBER GIRL		NUMBER GIRL establishes the foundation of Japanese rock
31	Until the gobies dash to their endzutto mayonaka de ii no ni.		I wish it could be midnight forever. Highly addictive.
32	swim04 Limited Sazabys		The challenge with covering Sazabys is the difficulty of the vocals.
33	It’s not me unless it’s meGesu no Kiwami Otome.		Introduction to Gesu no Kiwami Otome’s signature songs
34	SupernovaELLEGARDEN		Let's energize our band activities with Ellegarden's songs.
35	Me and the DawnFOMARE		A bittersweet love song by FOMARE
36	Lingering over springMy Hair is Bad		My Hair is very popular.
37	YesterdayOfisharu Higedan Dism		A song of strong love that protects a loved one
38	umbrellaKing Gnu		Full of King Gnu’s charm
39	STAY TUNESuchmos		Suchmos’s signature flirtatious rock
40	HONEYL’Arc〜en〜Ciel		L'Arc's 10th single highest sales record
41	asking for the moonKANA-BOON		KANA-BOON’s signature rock songs
42	silhouetteKANA-BOON		High-energy songs perfect for band performances
43	bright redMy Hair is Bad		The appeal and performance of My Hair is Bad's “Makka”
44	RPGSEKAI NO OWARI		A theme song everyone enjoys through music and dance
45	Song of a FriendBUMP OF CHICKEN		BUMP OF CHICKEN's warm ballads are moving
46	migratory bird[Alexandros]		A forward-looking song by [Alexandros] brimming with a sense of speed
47	THE OVERUVERworld		UVERworld’s new song debuts at No. 2 as a TV drama theme song
48	somedaySaucy Dog		The bittersweet lyrics of Saucy Dog are beautiful
49	together; along with; bothWANIMA		A well-known, fast-paced song by WANIMA
50	New Treasure IslandSakanakushon		Sakanaction: a fusion of nostalgia and novelty
51	bouquetback number		Back Number’s classic love songs
52	equalsumika		sumika's captivating singing voice and performance
53	parabolaOfisharu Higedan Dism		Official HIGE DANDism’s songs are challenging and captivating.
54	My Past Life, Many Lifetimes AgoRADWIMPS		Introducing popular songs by RADWIMPS.
55	deadlockKamisama, boku wa kizuite shimatta		The Allure of the Mysterious Band and Budding Romance
56	Pray[Alexandros]		A grand rock song by ALEXANDROS
57	Ready to RockBAND-MAID		A youthful anthem that powerfully sings of a passion for rock
58	rainbowAqua Timez		Refreshing songs by Aqua Timez
59	AgainWANIMA		WANIMA’s passionate, soulful performance
60	Howling DiverBLUE ENCOUNT		Cheer on your determination with Blue Encount’s hot-blooded songs
61	SHAMROCKUVERworld		Introducing a refreshing song by UVERworld
62	From Me to Youflumpool		A fast-paced rock song by flumpool
63	Rose of PassionTHE BLUE HEARTS		The Blue Hearts’ classic punk anthem
64	ain’t on the map yetNulbarich		Representative Western-style songs by Japanese bands
65	The world calls it love.Sambomasutā		Sambomaster Densha Otoko Theme Song
66	Crimson Lotus FlowerLiSA		LiSA’s Gurenge is loud rock.
67	FLY AGAINMAN WITH A MISSION		A signature song of the Wolf Band, a powerful work that portrays life
68	Tsubasaandāgurafu		Undergraff's major-label debut single
69	avoid noteMrs. GREEN APPLE		A rock-style song commentary on Green Apple
70	A third of pure-hearted feelingsSIAM SHADE		A hot song that starts with guitar
71	DororoASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION		Expressing love and hate in the opening theme of Dororo
72	Wherever you areONE OK ROCK		Its cool lyrics and Western-music vibe are appealing
73	RikaSIX LOUNGE		Rika, the re-recorded song by SIX LOUNGE
74	Christmas songback number		Back Number's ballads are perfect for winter.
75	VenusTele		Tele's new song 'Venus' is a rock track with a refreshing melody
76	The Shining One(s)ACIDMAN		ACIDMAN composed the theme song for Golden Kamuy
77	Goodbyekariyushi 58		Kariyushi58's theme song for Zeni Geba
78	Dear, boyHump Back		An anthem of courage and hope for those who chase their dreams
79	Banzai ~ I’m glad I loved you ~Urufuruzu		A song that expresses feelings of love straightforwardly
80	broad daylightKing Gnu		King Gnu has high vocal and instrumental difficulty.
81	Way of DifferenceGLAY		GLAY’s romantic love song is a big hit
82	Eight beatZa Kuromaniyonzu		Straight-ahead rock driven by the primal impulse of a legendary rocker
83	powder snowRemioromen		I can sing the chorus of Konayuki well.
84	monsterKANA-BOON		Singing the desire to remain human
85	HIT IN THE USABEAT CRUSADERS		Signature songs of BEAT CRUSADERS
86	Soldiers of Februarythe cabs		Introduce the cabs’ iconic math rock songs
87	Linda LindaTHE BLUE HEARTS		Linda Linda is a classic song that’s guaranteed to get the crowd going.
88	One Night CarnivalKishidan		Rock songs popular among delinquent-type girls
89	I for YouLUNA SEA		The song for LUNA SEA’s first appearance on Kōhaku
90	Shangri-LaChatto Monchī		A song that delicately portrays the complexities of romance and self-esteem
91	oneselfSambomasutā		Sambomaster’s new song depicts growth
92	youthZa Hairouzu		A youth punk song by The High-Lows
93	RickenbackerRīgaru Rirī		A poignant song that expresses the power and ambivalence of music
94	There is no tomorrow.SHISHAMO		Let's perform SHISHAMO's cool songs with a girls' band
95	TokyoTetsukaze Tōkyō		Practice the song “Tokyo” by Tetsukaze Tokyo with a band
96	I want to hug you.Mr.Children		A masterpiece ballad written and composed by Kazufumi Sakurai
97	MelissaPorunogurafiti		It's a cool opening song from Fullmetal Alchemist.
98	branching pointWANIMA		WANIMA’s new song expresses choices and resolve in life.
99	Big mouthMissile Girl Scoot		A masterpiece by Missile Girl Scoot that fuses diverse genres
100	90’S TOKYO BOYSOKAMOTO’S		Introduction to OKAMOTO’S groovy tracks
101	Red tambourineBLANKEY JET CITY		1990s love songs by BLANKEY JET CITY
102	Two MessesCRAZY N’ SANE		A fusion track of shout and rap metal by a rabbit-masked band
103	SquallThe Yellow plan		The powerful rock music of The Yellow Plan
104	Shimi feat. ATARASHII GAKKO!Makishimamu Za Horumon		Leaders' insane loud rock
105	giftRADWIMPS		NHK morning drama theme song, hope and warmth
106	BOYZ SECO MENCHAI		A modern sense of romance rendered with distorted guitars
107	A butterfly that cannot fly dreamsTogenashi Togeari		A rock tune depicting the struggles and hopes of youth
108	Sugar Surfoishikuru meronpan		A fantastical piece with an impressive seascape
109	A Little Love SongMONGOL800		MONGOL800’s love song becomes a big hit
110	KusushikiMrs. GREEN APPLE		Mrs. GREEN APPLE's anime opening theme song
111	NOW LOADINGmakaroni enpitsu		Macaroni Enpitsu’s love song
112	Absolute relationshipakai kouen		A song that portrays the sense of distance in human relationships
113	MatterONE OK ROCK		A powerful rock song by ONE OK ROCK
114	SAWAA=		AA='s 10th-anniversary song, a fusion of loud rock and industrial
115	That’s The Way We UniteBACK DROP BOMB		A powerful musical work of genre fusion
116	after songINNOSENT in FORMAL		A heartwarming song depicting the way home after a live show
117	Light In DarkSABANNAMAN		A fusion of reggae and rock, an experimental work
118	A, I, E, T, O, HSUPER JUNKY MONKEY		The innovative music of SUPER JUNKY MONKEY
119	space-time manipulationWRENCH		WRENCH's otherworldly sound experience
120	TimerXmas Eileen		Electronic × Rock fusion track
121	BLOW BACK [HOUSE OF THE RISING FUNK]YKZ		YKZ’s mixture rock song
122	Bingosukebōkingu		A fusion sound of hip-hop and punk
123	Cinderella syndromehisuterikku panikku		Fusion music of metalcore and J-pop
124	Golden GraffitiROTTENGRAFFTY		A rock masterpiece that sings of anger and hope
125	Singin’ in the Rainthe pillows		the pillows Youth Song Searching for Myself in the Rainy Town
126	Crazy Babyfisshumanzu		A love song thinking of my lover
127	To me4na		4na's song "Watashi e" is characterized by its refreshing quality.
128	fuseDeNeel		A song that powerfully expresses the will to live
129	DestroyerTHE STARBEMS		THE STARBEMS' 10th anniversary song
130	VENGEANCEcoldrain		A fast-paced coldrain song with a revenge theme
131	STARSw.o.d.		w.o.d.'s powerful new song
132	mixMarushii		Marcy's new song mix feels refreshing.
133	TWILIGHT!!!King Gnu		Gently embracing the strong will and emotions of people moving forward
134	GOD OF ROCKROS		A tour de force of guitar-rap fusion
135	CrossfaithMoNoLith		Depicting profound despair with a destructive sound
136	Fuzzy NavelConton Candy		Conton Candy’s love song becomes a big hit
137	Chu, diversity.ano		ano’s captivating songs, Chinese-style and trending
138	Killerskuroneko CHELSEA		New rock song by Black Cat CHELSEA