[High School Students] Popular Japanese Music / J-POP Rankings [By Generation]

Teenager ForeverKing Gnu71rank/position

King Gnu – Teenager Forever

A powerful anthem that brilliantly captures the radiance and restlessness of youth.

Its driving melody, carried by a brisk rhythm, stirs the heart, and the determination to keep moving forward despite the anxieties and impatience of being young is deeply moving.

Featured on the album “CEREMONY,” this track was used in January 2020 as the commercial song for Sony’s WF-1000XM3 true wireless earbuds, with King Gnu’s distinctively original sound drawing wide attention.

The deftly interwoven piano and guitar arrangement vividly conveys the urgency and inner conflicts of people living in a time-pressed modern world.

It’s the perfect song for moments when you need a push—during morning commutes, on the way to school, or when racing to meet a deadline.

366 daysHY72rank/position

HY – “366 Days” Live Music Video

This is a heartbreak song that expresses the aching feelings of a love that suffers because you can’t forget the one you love.

It’s common to look back and think, “If only I’d given up back then, maybe I wouldn’t have been hurt this much…” But that’s the thing about love—you can’t just stop yourself there.

When the more you try to forget someone, the more they occupy your mind, maybe all you can do is wait for time to heal it.

This song can be seen not only as a pure love song about continuing to think of someone you loved, but also as a song about an affair filled with lingering attachment.

Which do you feel it is?

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yuri

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The meaning of goodbyeNogizaka 4673rank/position

Nogizaka46 'The Meaning of Goodbye'

This is a song that gently stays by your side when you graduate from the days of throwing yourself into club activities with everything you had.

It’s a Nogizaka46 track, released in November 2016 as their 16th single, with Nanami Hashimoto as the center.

It carefully portrays the sense of an impending farewell woven into everyday life and the pain of losing time that once felt ordinary.

If you’re carrying the loneliness of parting ways with teammates who shared both joys and hardships, you’ll surely relate—it will make you realize the preciousness and wonder of having met those companions.

Biting the second handzutto mayonaka de ii no ni.74rank/position

ZUTOMAYO - “Bite the Second Hand” Music Video (Zutto Mayonaka de Iinoni. – Byoushin wo Kamu)

A song that expresses a bittersweet love with a clear, translucent vocal.

Released on YouTube in June 2018 as ZUTOMAYO’s debut track, it quickly became a hot topic.

After being issued as a digital-only single, it was also included on the album “Tadashii Itsuwari Kara no Kishō,” and by September 2021 it had surpassed 100 million streams.

The lyrics delicately depict the pain of heartbreak and a sense of loneliness, and the memorable piano riff stands out.

With its slow tempo, it’s easy to sing and perfect for getting hyped with friends at karaoke.

It was also used as the closing BGM for Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting, resonating with many listeners.

Perfect-Sense DreamerONE OK ROCK75rank/position

[HD] ONE OK ROCK – Perfect Sense Dreamer “Mighty Long Fall at Yokohama Stadium” LIVE

It’s a well-known hit by ONE OK ROCK, a rock band that represents Japan and enjoys overwhelming popularity among teens and people in their twenties.

Taka’s high-quality vocals—mixing English—and his high tones might be tough to pull off unless you’re in your student years.

True to the band’s style, the lyrics are about chasing your dreams and never giving up until you grab them, giving you the power to push forward.

It’s a perfect song for high school students brimming with dreams!

RPGSEKAI NO OWARI76rank/position

SEKAI NO OWARI「RPG」

SEKAI NO OWARI’s “RPG,” perfect for a closing ceremony, has a good tempo and is also recommended for the exit march.

It’s a song that will let you feel fulfilled and accomplished after taking part in the sports day with your classmates and having fun together.

In the end, the entire venue will surely become one, with everyone holding hands for a moving moment.

The powerful vocals and the band’s performance make it a song that sends encouragement to children stepping into the future.

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mayumi

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Hide-and-seekYuuri77rank/position

Yuuri “Kakurenbo” Official Music Video

Contrary to what you might expect, Kakurenbo actually has a fairly narrow vocal range; it’s sung gently between E3 and F#4.

It’s popular across generations, and many of my students chose to sing it! Since it’s a song where it’s easy to add dynamics, it should be relatively straightforward to pick up extra points for expressiveness.

In the A verse, keep the volume restrained and gentle; in the B verse, some higher notes appear, so focus on the rhythm and make sure to hit the pitch bar accurately.

The C section in the latter half is where the most emotion comes through, so it’s okay to sing with more volume than you think.

A surprisingly tricky part is the quiet section of the final chorus.

After the big build-up in the C section, the chorus enters with restrained emotion, so if you reset your feelings right before the chorus and create a clear break, you’ll be able to sing more calmly and stay on pitch more easily.

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Kubota Mami

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