Male Singer-Songwriters of the 2000s: Popular Song Ranking [2026]
Around this time of year, acoustic-style singer-songwriters start to draw attention again.
It may also have been around this period that the image of singer-songwriters as refreshing began to take hold.
Here’s a ranking of popular songs by male singer-songwriters from the 2000s.
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Male Singer-Songwriters of the 2000s: Popular Song Rankings [2026] (61–70)
Before our feelings overlap…Hirai Ken64rank/position
This is the 22nd single by singer-songwriter Ken Hirai, who has released numerous hit songs thanks to his powerful vocals and distinctive edge voice.
The track was produced as the theme song for Toyota’s Corolla Fielder commercial, and its emotional arrangement, opening a cappella, immediately grabs your heart.
The melody, woven with a soulful yet wistful vocal tone, seems to harmonize naturally with autumn imagery and scenery.
With lyrical lines that evoke a sentimental mood, it’s a ballad best enjoyed while feeling the crisp air of fall.
ParadiseHirai Ken65rank/position
This is Ken Hirai’s eighth single.
It’s said to be a work on which he staked his career, as he hadn’t enjoyed much success up to that point, and the song’s hit opened up a path for his future—giving it a very important place in his catalog.
It’s a powerful ballad that conveys a sense of struggle.
Life is BeautifulHirai Dai66rank/position
A heartwarming song that’s perfect for peaceful moments by the sea.
Dai Hirai’s gentle voice, paired with soothing sounds of ukulele and acoustic guitar, quietly reminds us just how precious the small joys of everyday life are.
The message embedded in this piece—“Life is beautiful”—guides the heart toward those sparkling moments we tend to overlook in our busy days.
Released in June 2016 as the title track of the acclaimed album “Life is Beautiful,” it also became well-loved as the theme for House Foods’ “Java Curry” commercial.
Whether you’re lost in thought on a beach at sunset or standing at a turning point in life, this song is sure to resonate deeply with the listener.
Slow & EasyHirai Dai67rank/position
This song, distinguished by the gentle sound of the ukulele, is a piece that symbolizes Dai Hirai’s lifestyle.
It’s the title track of the album “Slow & Easy,” released in May 2015, and it was also used in a Sumitomo Forestry commercial.
Over time, it surpassed 100 million total streams in June 2022.
While it might seem like a simple, relaxing summer tune, the piece carries a profound message: happiness isn’t something you create—it’s something you notice.
In the rush of everyday life, do you ever find yourself comparing with others and feeling anxious? This is the kind of song that, when you listen to it at such moments, gives you a gentle pause that lightens your heart.
Broken RadioTokunaga Hideaki68rank/position
Like music flowing from a nostalgic radio, a timeless song that seeps into the heart along with memories was created by Hideaki Tokunaga in July 1990.
The track, which overlays the feelings of a boy transitioning from adolescence to adulthood with the image of a broken radio, was used as the theme song for the TBS drama “Tokai no Mori” (“Urban Forest”) and reached No.
5 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
Featuring a grand arrangement by Ichizo Seo and beautifully harmonized with Tokunaga’s delicate vocals, the song artfully blends elements of pop and ballad into a moving piece.
It was also included on the album “JUSTICE” and performed at NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 2006 and 2009.
Conveying the transience and passion of youth, as well as a yearning for self-renewal, this work gently embraces the emotional fluctuations everyone experiences while growing up—a resonant song that speaks to the heart.
March Toward TomorrowKuwata Keisuke69rank/position
Written by Keisuke Kuwata in 2011, at a time when many people were anxious about tomorrow, this is a marching song of hope.
Its unadorned, simple sound centered on acoustic guitar seeps all the more deeply into the heart.
The lyrics carry a strong message to the disaster-stricken areas, and there is a verse that sounds as if it sings “in Tohoku,” a characteristically modest form of encouragement from Kuwata that is profoundly moving.
This warm number was released in August 2011 as part of a triple A-side single and was also used in an NTT Docomo commercial.
It’s a talisman-like song, perfect for those moments when you want just a little boost of energy or a gentle push on the back.
TokyoKuwata Keisuke70rank/position
It’s a heavy 6/8 time ballad that ranked No.
1 for two consecutive weeks, No.
1 for the month, and No.
11 for the year, and it is the eighth single under the solo name.
Although it has no tie-in, the music video is well-produced and was filmed in a downpour to match the lyrics.