Top Female Singer-Songwriters and Popular Songs of the 2000s [2026]

Love is…Kato Miria76rank/position

MILIYAH Kato “Love is…”

The grand ballad inspired by the classical masterpiece Canon delivers a straightforward message—no matter what happens, we’ll stay together—that truly resonates.

Even when loneliness and anxiety make it hard to see ahead, there is someone who will never give up on you and keep supporting you.

It sings of the strength and preciousness of such love and bonds.

Released in June 2007 as Miliyah Kato’s tenth single, the song also served as the ending theme for the anime Toward the Terra.

Its inclusion in the best-of album M BEST II shows how it has continued to be loved over time.

A pledge of eternal love, this work is the ultimate love song—one that makes you want to stay with the person you cherish forever.

Sayonara, baby.Kato Miria77rank/position

Miliyah Kato 'Sayonara Baby'

This is a bittersweet love song about a heart swaying between true feelings and outward appearances.

She wants to believe his words, yet deep down she doubts them, and still can’t bring herself to end things… You can sense her wavering emotions in the chorus’s back-and-forth between the man and woman.

The track is a work by singer-songwriter Miliyah Kato, released in September 2008 as her 13th single.

Its arrangement is striking, unfolding from a wistful piano intro into a danceable four-on-the-floor sound.

The song is also included on the acclaimed album “Ring.” When you’re unsure of the other person’s feelings and don’t know what to do, listening to this might resonate with your complicated state of mind.

YOU… feat. Izumi Nakasone (HY)Kato Miria78rank/position

Miliyah Kato “YOU… feat. Izumi Nakasone (HY)”

Speaking of collaborations between powerhouse female singers, we can’t forget this song by Miliyah Kato and Izumi Nakasone of HY.

Based on real unrequited-love stories sent in by radio listeners, the two artists co-created this gem of a ballad.

Released in September 2014 as their 30th single, it was also included on the milestone 10th-anniversary album “MUSE.” The frustration of not being able to put your feelings into words, and the emotional wavering as you move toward confessing your love, come through poignantly in the harmony between Kato’s delicate vocals and Nakasone’s warm voice.

Chosen as the theme song for a radio drama, this track just might gently give you the push you need if you’re struggling with a one-sided love.

COLORSUtada Hikaru79rank/position

Utada Hikaru – COLORS

Utada Hikaru’s 12th single, released on January 29, 2003.

The melody is striking, featuring elements of both traditional Japanese and electronic music throughout, starting from the intro.

Interestingly, in live performances and on TV, it’s sung one key lower; at the time of recording, the key was raised to align with others’ opinions.

After this song’s release, she took a one-year hiatus, but the track left a uniquely Utada-like, memorable impact.

For YouUtada Hikaru80rank/position

Hikaru Utada – For You

This is a song by Hikaru Utada, notable for its heavy kick drum and harmonies that evoke a subtly Japanese flavor.

From the perspective of a sensitive 17-year-old, it portrays “loneliness” and a pure wish to do something for someone else—feelings that quietly stir the listener’s heart.

The track was included on a single released in June 2000 and sold approximately 450,000 copies in its first week.

On nights when you want to be alone with your thoughts, surrendering yourself to this melody will bring back those bittersweet emotions you’ve kept tucked away deep inside.