Ranking of Popular Japanese Music and J-POP Artists Among People in Their 40s [2026]

A Midsummer Night’s DreamMatsutōya Yumi29rank/position

Fall in Love - Koibito ni Ochite by Akiko Kobayashi

With its exquisite key and tempo that suit a wide range of singers, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a fun, confidence-boosting song for karaoke-loving women in their 40s.

The sophisticated melody and lyrics by Yumi Matsutoya have been loved across generations, and when paired with the comfortable accompaniment, you’ll feel as if the karaoke room instantly transforms into a magical summer world.

Enjoy a wonderful moment with this song, which is upbeat yet composed, and cherished by a broad audience.

HELLOFukuyama Masaharu30rank/position

Masaharu Fukuyama – HELLO (Full ver.)

The song “HELLO,” distinguished by its acoustic guitar, is a hit released by Masaharu Fukuyama in the 1990s.

It also gained popularity as a TV drama theme song, and its appeal can be summed up in its pleasant melodic line.

Brimming with positive energy, the lyrics carry a power that moves many people.

Loved by a wide range of ages, this track is also recommended as a karaoke staple.

It’s easy to sing, and its melody—something everyone hums at least once—has a timeless, universal charm.

GLORIAZIGGY31rank/position

ZIGGY「GLORIA」

ZIGGY is one of the rock bands that sparked the band boom of the ’80s.

Their hallmark sound was influenced by LA metal and bad-boys rock, and they were especially known for their upbeat songs.

Speaking of ZIGGY’s classics, isn’t “GLORIA” the first that comes to mind? The vocal line in this song spans a fairly narrow range, from mid1 G to mid2 G, and the pitch movement isn’t very dramatic.

There’s a hi C used as a vocal embellishment, but since this is an ad-lib section that doesn’t earn extra points in karaoke scoring, you don’t need to stick to the original pitch there if the height is too demanding.

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Ryo

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TRUE LOVEFujii Fumiya32rank/position

TRUE LOVE / Fumiya Fujii

For those of you now in your 40s who spent your teenage years in the 1990s, you might associate Fumiya Fujii more with his work as a solo artist than with The Checkers.

Fujii is active in many fields beyond music, but his most famous song as a solo singer is TRUE LOVE, released in 1993 as his solo debut single.

It’s fascinating that there are many anecdotes surrounding the song’s creation—such as the fact that Fujii had no prior experience composing before writing it, and that the odd time signature in the intro came from a mistake he made while recording the demo, which was kept as is.

It’s a massive hit so iconic it appears in textbooks and remains a karaoke favorite, yet it’s based on classic chord progressions and features a straightforward melodic development, making it very easy to sing.

One point to note: in the first chorus he sings certain parts in falsetto, while in the second chorus he sings those parts in chest voice—so keep that in mind and deliver it with strength.

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KOH-1

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Time Goes ByEvery Little Thing33rank/position

Time goes by – Every Little Thing (Full)

A gemlike love ballad that embraces everyone’s sense of incompleteness and loneliness with universal kindness.

Released by Every Little Thing in February 1998, this song beautifully portrays how lovers may hurt each other yet grow together through the experience of love.

Chosen as the theme song for Fuji TV’s Thursday 10 p.m.

drama “Amai Kekkon” (“Sweet Marriage”), it went on to sell over 1.4 million copies.

It has since become familiar as a commercial song for numerous brands, including Toyota and SoftBank.

With its gentle melody and lyrics whose depth resonates more and more with life experience, it’s sure to move you.

OH MY LITTLE GIRLOzaki Yutaka34rank/position

Yutaka Ozaki – Oh My Little Girl

This is the 14th single by singer-songwriter Yutaka Ozaki, who commanded immense popularity with powerful messages that spoke for the youth and overwhelming charisma, yet tragically passed away at the young age of 26.

A ballad that secured numerous tie-ins with dramas and films and became a million seller.

Its lyrics, which make you feel you are loved wholeheartedly and sincerely, are likely to resonate deeply with women in their 40s.

Influenced by many cover versions by various musicians, this gem of a love song is cherished by a wide range of listeners.

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Hoshino Takashi

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for a long timeKiroro35rank/position

Kiroro “Nagaimono” Official Music Video

Nagaira, one of Kiroro’s signature songs released in January 1998.

The overall vocal range is A3 to C5, with F4 used the most, so this calm range should be very singable for women in their 40s.

The high notes come on the syllable “na” in the chorus, which is tricky to pronounce, so you need to project more firmly than you might think.

Try pinching your nose and saying syllables in the “na” and “ma” rows.

When you try it, your voice will usually sound nasal… However, once you can produce a good tone even with that nasal quality, the nasality drops away, and the usually nasal “na” and “ma” sounds become easier to pronounce.

Give it a try!

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Kubota Mami

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