Popular ballads. Band ranking [2026]

NautilusYorushika8rank/position

Yorushika – Nautilus (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Listening to it makes you feel like you’ve just finished watching a movie.

It’s a song by Yorushika, a band led by composer n-buna and vocalist suis, included on their second album Elma, released in 2019.

The beautiful tone of the piano slowly seeps into your heart.

The dynamic arrangement seems to directly project the emotions held by the song’s protagonist.

Since the album itself is a story-driven work, it might be best to listen to it all the way through.

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Araki Jakkan

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balladKetsumeishi9rank/position

Ketsumeishi “Ballad”

Ketsumeishi is known for having lots of bright songs with plenty of hip-hop and rap elements, but they actually have ballads too! With gentle melodies over piano and string-backed arrangements… this side of Ketsumeishi is really satisfying to listen to, and it looks cool to sing as well! The song runs close to seven minutes, so it’s on the longer side, but it’s highly recommended when you want something mellow.

Of course, there’s rap in it too, but the tempo is relaxed, so it’s easy to learn and easy to groove to.

It seems best to sing while moving your body in a big, open way.

The chorus is a real highlight, so if you sing each phrase carefully, you can really put your feelings into it.

There are spots where it slips lightly into falsetto, which adds a surge of poignancy.

The latter half of the chorus is a sweet spot for singing, so don’t hesitate—project your voice with confidence!

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Kubota Mami

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Midsummer FruitSazan Ōrusutāzu10rank/position

Midsummer Fruit

A gemlike love ballad that vividly paints an inner landscape at summer’s end, where bittersweet sorrow melts into luscious scenes.

The lyrics strikingly capture the pain of heartbreak and the lingering passion of a memorable love.

Released by Southern All Stars in July 1990, the song was created as the theme for the film Inamura Jane, directed by Keisuke Kuwata.

It reached No.

4 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and earned Platinum certification.

It resonates especially deeply when you’re holding onto feelings of love or melancholy—and it’s a perfect track for the season when summer draws to a close.

All of the YouthFujifaburikku11rank/position

Fujifabric – Youth of Everything

Fujifabric is a three-piece rock band that made their major debut in 2004 with the album Alamode.

Their song Wakamos no Subete is captivating for its lyrics that poignantly capture the melancholy of summer’s end.

“Gazing at the last fireworks of the year, I find myself recalling those memories no matter how many years go by…”—such beautiful lines leave a lasting impression.

Songs like this, which express what young people feel in everyday life in down-to-earth words, were born in great numbers in the 2000s, which is why they feel so nostalgic.

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Yuuki

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I want to take only you away just like this.DEEN12rank/position

DEEN “I Want to Steal You Away Just Like This <Kiseki Version>”

This is the debut single by DEEN, a rock band that made its major-label debut as part of the Being boom that swept Japan in the 1990s.

Despite being their debut song, it was also used in a commercial and became a million-selling hit, standing as DEEN’s biggest and most iconic track.

It’s a ballad packed with elements that anyone would consider a classic: bittersweet feelings and hope directed toward a former partner, and a gentle, beautiful melody.

It’s a soothing song that heals the fatigue of everyday life, and one I recommend even to those who don’t usually listen to ballads.

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Hoshino Takashi

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MPRINCESS PRINCESS13rank/position

Princess Princess “M”

A flagship track by PRINCESS PRINCESS, a girls’ band that left its mark not only on the history of women’s bands but on Japanese rock as a whole.

Many people would say this is their favorite song.

In fact, this track was included on the B-side of that massive hit “Diamonds.” It’s curious that such a masterpiece was treated as a B-side—good songs will always be discovered by listeners, those intrepid explorers, wherever they are.

The lyrics, about not being able to throw away the page for an ex-lover whose name starts with M, belong to a time before smartphones.

The word “page” itself carries a certain nostalgia.

With its beautiful harmonies, it’s a ballad that’s also great for karaoke.

catDISH//14rank/position

cat

This song, written and composed by singer-songwriter Aimyon, is the B-side to the single “We Did It” released in August 2017.

When Takumi Kitamura performed an acoustic version on the YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE in March 2020, it sparked renewed buzz, and its total streaming plays surpassed one billion.

The piece portrays lingering attachment and heartache for someone dearly missed, expressing a yearning for a person who has become as free and capricious as a cat.

When you’re worn out from work or relationships, or when memories of a past love resurface, this song is sure to bring you to tears.