Ranking of Popular Ghibli Songs [2026]

Always With MeHisaishi Joe43rank/position

“Always With Me” from Spirited Away, string quartet

From Spirited Away.

The original song is by Yumi Kimura.

Wakako Kaku, who also wrote the lyrics for this piece, is active as a lyricist, poet, and singer-songwriter, and has provided lyrics for a variety of artists including SMAP and Rimi Natsukawa.

This song won honors such as the Gold Prize at the 43rd Japan Record Awards.

She also wrote the lyrics for “Mother Sea,” a song from the Studio Ghibli film Ponyo.

Known by many alongside the film, it’s a piece whose lyrics evoke death yet, with a somehow calming melody, resonates deeply in the heart.

In this city in AsiaJōjō Taihūn44rank/position

[Healing Effect] Ghibli Music Box: Pom Poko — In This Asian Town (BGM for Work and Sleep)

Doesn’t just hearing the melody make you feel nostalgic? Released as a single in July 1994, it was tied in as the theme song for Isao Takahata’s film Pom Poko.

It’s included on albums such as Kaze no Matsuri ~CARNAVAL~.

This track is packed with a multilayered charm, where the bustling, exotic atmosphere of the city intersects with reflections on the nature we’re losing.

Its rich, eclectic rhythms and gentle vocals seem to naturally slip into your heart.

When you’re stuck with work or studying, listening to it can give you a refreshing reset!

contrailMatsutōya Yumi45rank/position

Contrail (Vapour Trail) – Yumi Arai (Yumi Matsutoya)

“Hikoukigumo” is an early signature work by Yumi Matsutoya, released under her former name Arai Yumi.

Its lyrical worldview is captivating, overlaying a gaze toward a life cut short and the passage of time with the image of a contrail.

Released in November 1973 as the title track of her debut album Hikoukigumo, the song was later chosen as the theme for Studio Ghibli’s film The Wind Rises, which premiered in July 2013, leading to its broad rediscovery among younger listeners.

Its quiet, poignant melody is deeply immersive and recommended as background music when you want to focus on your work.

Mother’s BroomHisaishi Joe46rank/position

Joe Hisaishi – Mother’s Broom (from Kiki’s Delivery Service)

This piece features a captivating melody line that blends expectations of independence with a touch of anxiety.

It opened the album “Kiki’s Delivery Service Image Album,” released in April 1989 ahead of the film’s premiere.

It expresses, through sound, the feelings passed from parent to child and the emotions of setting off into a new world.

The gentle tones of accordion and strings avoid excessive assertiveness and speak directly to the heart.

I think it’s great for working while staying relaxed.

Merry-Go-Round of LifeKumiko47rank/position

Merry-Go-Round of Life – Kumi Ko (Howl’s Moving Castle)

“Merry-Go-Round of Life,” the familiar main theme from Howl’s Moving Castle.

For inclusion on Kumiko’s best album “Waga Uruwashi ki Koi Monogatari,” Wakako Kaku wrote brand-new lyrics, turning it into a vocal piece.

If you once thought, “I love this song, but it’s instrumental so I can’t sing it…,” please give it a try now.

The lyrics, carried by the wistful melody, are irresistibly poignant and evocative.

I hope you’ll sing it with plenty of mood and feeling!

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sasashina

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strollHisaishi Joe48rank/position

My Neighbor Totoro – Hey let’s go (Ghibli 25th year Budokan concert)

Azumi Inoue’s “Sanpo,” the signature song from Studio Ghibli’s emblematic film My Neighbor Totoro, is performed here with orchestra and chorus.

The footage is from “Joe Hisaishi in Budokan: 25 Years with the Animations of Hayao Miyazaki,” featuring numerous Ghibli masterpieces arranged and conducted by Joe Hisaishi himself.

The live texture of the orchestra is truly wonderful.

This piece was previously arranged for “Orchestra Stories: My Neighbor Totoro,” which includes a narrated performance—highly recommended as well.

Like an instrument introduction, it features sections where only the woodwinds or only the brass play, as well as sections for strings and percussion, plus solo passages, making it an arrangement that showcases the orchestra’s appeal.

It’s also recommended as an introductory piece for those new to orchestral music.

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sai-kisaragi

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The girl who fell from the skyHisaishi Joe49rank/position

From Castle in the Sky: 'The Girl Who Fell from the Sky'

A piece by Joe Hisaishi included on the image album for Castle in the Sky (Laputa).

It serves as a mystical theme symbolizing the heroine, Sheeta.

While classical in nature, it features grand, fantastical orchestration.

The fusion of synthesizer and orchestra showcases Hisaishi’s distinctive musical style.

Released in August 1986 and re-released in August 2004, this work is also perfect as wedding background music.

Its mysterious atmosphere can enhance the couple’s entrance or serve as the soundtrack for a photo slideshow, making it versatile for various uses.