Popular Birthday Song Rankings [2026]

Happy Birthday To YouOfisharu Higedan Dism22rank/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?

Thank youikimonogakari23rank/position

Ikimonogakari 'Arigatou' Music Video

This is a heartwarming song filled with gratitude.

Ikimono-gakari’s gentle vocals and lyrics expressing thanks for the time spent together resonate deeply with listeners.

Released in 2010, it was also used as the theme song for the drama “GeGeGe no Nyōbō.” The song reached a personal best of No.

2 on the Oricon charts and won the Excellence Award at the 52nd Japan Record Awards, earning the love of many.

It’s a perfect song for expressing gratitude to someone special or for farewells such as graduation ceremonies.

Using it in a birthday video will convey your appreciation even more strongly.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYMONGOL80024rank/position

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

MONGOL800’s “Birthday Song” is a track that straightforwardly expresses the joy of celebrating a birthday.

Released on April 7, 2000, it was included on the album “GO ON AS YOU ARE.” Its lyrics convey a positive attitude toward growing older and the happiness of being celebrated by loved ones, delivering a simple yet heartfelt message.

Also used as the theme song for NHK General TV’s “Tsurube no Kazoku ni Kanpai,” this piece is perfect not only for those celebrating their own birthday but also for anyone who wants to celebrate someone special.

Be sure to give it a listen—its warm sound encapsulates the musical style of MONGOL800, an Okinawa-based band.

HappinessAI25rank/position

AI – Happiness

This is a renowned R&B-style song that portrays a chain of hope and happiness.

Released in December 2011, it was inspired by a drawing made by a child that AI saw during a meeting.

With its strong, heartfelt message, the song was featured in Coca-Cola’s Christmas campaign from 2011 to 2015, bringing a warm atmosphere to many.

Included on the album “INDEPENDENT,” it became highly popular, earning Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan.

Reminding us that happiness is always close by, this track is perfect as background music for a video gift on a friend’s birthday.

If you send it while reflecting on the precious moments you’ve shared and conveying your feelings for them, it’s sure to make them happy.

From your momHatsuda Etsuko26rank/position

Etsuko Hatsuda 'From Your Mom' Solo Performance – Daughter! Happy 12th Birthday!

“From Your Mama” is Etsuko Hatsuta’s debut single, released in 2009.

It’s a song in which a mother’s love for her child is conveyed through gentle music and straightforward lyrics.

Hatsuta, a mother of two herself, writes of the swelling affection during pregnancy, the stumbles and regrets of inexperienced parenting, and the way she grows stronger little by little, coming to love her child from the bottom of her heart.

A baby’s first year—turning one—is truly special.

As you look back on this past year, let this song help you reaffirm your love for your child.

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sasashina

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Happy Birthday to You27rank/position

Happy birthday to you [Happy Birthday to You] with vocals

“Happy Birthday to You” is such a classic birthday song that it’s fair to say everyone, young or old, knows it.

In fact, the song has a very long history: it originated as a parody of “Good Morning to All,” composed in the United States around 1893.

Its simple melody, easy enough for small children to sing, is perfect for birthday parties at nurseries and kindergartens.

Don’t forget to include the birthday child’s name in the final line of the lyrics!

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Yuuki

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Only the number of starsMayumiinu28rank/position

Only as many as the stars – by Mayumiinu

Sung by Mayumiinu, a singer who has worked on numerous commercial jingles, this song is perfect for conveying a mother’s feelings of “Thank you for being born” to her child.

If it sounds familiar, that’s because it was used in a Moony commercial! The lyrics overflow with love from start to finish, and as you listen, you’ll likely find your own child even more precious.

For a first birthday, the scenes of mother and baby depicted in the lyrics may resonate especially well.

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Hane Keisuke

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