Popular Birthday Song Rankings [2026]

Happy Birthday to you youYUI15rank/position

YUI Happy Birthday to You with Lyrics

This is a classic song by singer-songwriter YUI for celebrating birthdays.

The melody is incredibly catchy, and before you know it, you’ll find yourself humming along.

The lyrics depict fun scenes like blowing out candles and making a toast, while also conveying a warm promise for the future—to stay together even through tough days.

The track is included on the acclaimed album “CAN’T BUY MY LOVE,” released in April 2007.

YUI’s cute vocals and the bright, buoyant sound will make any celebration even more lively.

It’s perfect not only for surprise performances for a special friend or partner, but also as party BGM or a song for everyone to sing together at karaoke.

Birthday songSKELT 8 BAMBINO16rank/position

Thank you for being born… a moving tear-jerker song [MV] Birthday Song / Skelton Eight Bambino

Birthday Song is a heartwarming birthday tune by SKELT 8 BAMBINO, filled with gratitude for being born and wishes for happiness to come.

Its lyrics, which sing of the meaning of your existence and the joy of living, gently wrap the heart of the person celebrating their birthday and bless their special day.

Released in November 2014 and included on the album A Bouquet for You of That Day, which brims with appreciation for someone special, this track is recommended for those who want to sincerely say “congratulations” on a loved one’s birthday, as well as for those who wish to learn to truly love themselves.

pupilaiko17rank/position

aiko - “Hitomi” (from Live Blu-ray/DVD ‘My 2 Decades 2’)

From the birth of new life to the moment of farewell, aiko’s songs gently embrace the many phases of life.

Lyrics that sing of the mystery of life and profound love resonate deeply with listeners.

Released on August 23, 2006, this work was also performed during the “Love Like Pop Vol.20” tour, capturing fans’ hearts.

It’s perfect for birthdays when you want to convey feelings to someone important, or for celebrating the arrival of new life.

Wrapped in aiko’s warm voice, why not take a moment to feel the bond you share with those dear to you?

HAPPY BIRTHDAYback number18rank/position

back number – HAPPY BIRTHDAY (full)

Don’t birthdays feel a little bittersweet when you’ve got an unrequited crush? In moments like that, the music of back number, a three-piece rock band from Gunma Prefecture, gently keeps you company.

It’s a night spent longing to hear “Happy birthday” from the person you like.

The protagonist’s frustration—able to think of silly small talk, yet unable to say the one thing that matters—really tugs at your heart.

Released in February 2019 as their 20th single, this song also made waves as the theme for the TV drama “A Story to Read When You First Fall in Love.” It’s perfect for those nights when you’d rather step away from the circle cheering “Happy birthday!” and sink into your feelings alone.

Or maybe you could sing it at karaoke and let them notice how you really feel…

that might just work!

HAPPY BIRTHDAYFUNKY MONKEY BABYS19rank/position

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

A heartwarming song by FUNKY MONKEY BABYS that warmly wraps the feeling of celebrating a birthday.

Featuring lyrics filled with love and gratitude and a bright, pop sound, it gently expresses feelings for someone special.

Included on the album “Funky Monkey Babys 4,” released in December 2011, the song carries a message that celebrates the beauty of life through the special day of a birthday.

As a popular birthday track on TikTok, it’s perfect for creating videos for someone important to you.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to convey heartfelt congratulations.

BirthdayMr.Children20rank/position

Birthday / Mr.Children: Piano (Solo) / Beginner

Since their major debut in 1992, Mr.Children have achieved record-breaking success in Japanese music history and continue to run at the forefront even now in the 2020s.

Their 38th single, “Birthday,” released in 2020, was written as the theme song for the film Doraemon: Nobita’s New Dinosaur—a franchise that Kazutoshi Sakurai says he loved reading in his grade-school years.

Rather than celebrating a birthday itself, the lyrics gently speak in Sakurai’s signature words to celebrate each individual life and affirm living true to oneself—truly wonderful, isn’t it? For those who want to play this masterpiece on piano, especially beginners, start by practicing the melody with just your right hand.

It can be tricky to express Sakurai’s slightly syllable-heavy, narrative phrasing on the piano, but if you practice slowly and get used to it, it shouldn’t be too difficult.

It’s also important to play the verses and the chorus with distinct expressions in mind!

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Happy Birthday To YouOfisharu Higedan Dism21rank/position

Happy Birthday To You

Every time we celebrate a birthday, many of us may feel that we’re a little different from the adults we imagined we’d be as children.

This song gently stays close to that slightly sentimental feeling.

Rather than building to a flashy high, it offers quiet encouragement, giving you a push to say goodbye to your timid self and make a fresh start.

The track is included on the 2016 mini-album “MAN IN THE MIRROR.” Why not gift it to a dear friend—or to yourself?