[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.

Biting the second handzutto mayonaka de ii no ni.72rank/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 ROCK73rank/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 OWARI74rank/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-seekYuuri75rank/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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It feels like I’m in love.Yuika76rank/position

It’s like I’m in love / “Yuika” [MV]

A heartrending ballad that delicately portrays the feelings of a single-minded girl.

As her emotions for the person she loves grow stronger, the protagonist’s yearning for them to notice her feelings becomes all the more poignant.

Featured as an insert song in “Koisuru ♥ Shūmatsu Homestay 2024 Winter,” the track garnered attention as a song that brightens the romance show, and it also drew the spotlight as singer-songwriter Yuika’s major-label debut.

It’s the perfect song for anyone feeling the flutter of a new crush or the frustration of not being able to confess their feelings.

Why not give it a listen and relive the bittersweet romances of your youth?

Cry BabyOfisharu Higedan Dism77rank/position

Official HIGE DANDism – Cry Baby [Official Video]

An ambitious work crafted by Official HIGE DANDism as the opening theme for the anime Tokyo Revengers.

The song fuses lyrics that brilliantly capture the anime’s worldview with an innovative sound that shifts keys roughly ten times.

It sings of the protagonist’s indomitable spirit in the face of fate, his comeback from setbacks, and the bonds with his friends, inspiring courage and emotion in listeners.

Since its release in May 2021, it peaked at No.

4 on Billboard JAPAN’s Japan Hot 100.

It continued to be a long-running hit, ranking 13th on the year-end chart for 2021.

When you want to strive toward your goals together with your cherished friends, this song is sure to be a pillar of support.