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

Team friendsChiba Yūki86rank/position

Yūki Chiba – Team Tomodachi (Official Music Video)

I think today’s middle school students are closer to hip-hop than any generation before them.

Among them, many middle school heads are probably listening to trap music, which leads the times.

What I recommend is Team Tomodachi.

This track is a hit number by Yuki Chiba, aka KOHH, that gained worldwide popularity.

It’s laid back in trap style, so the flow is very simple.

Even those not used to rapping should have no problem performing it.

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Ryo

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Let’s give it a tryWANIMA87rank/position

Yattemiyou

An energetic track that covers a nursery rhyme everyone’s heard at least once, given a bold rock arrangement in true WANIMA style.

Even when you’re feeling sluggish before starting to study, the song’s exhilarating drive will naturally boost your motivation.

Its positive message—urging you to try first without fearing failure—will give powerful encouragement to anyone tackling entrance exams or test prep.

Released as a digital single in January 2017, it also created a buzz as the theme song for au’s “Santaro” commercial series.

Give it a listen when you want to face your weaker subjects with a positive mindset.

parabolaOfisharu Higedan Dism88rank/position

Official HIGE DANDism – Parabola [Official Video]

Official HIGE DANDism is a four-member rock band.

The vocalist Satoshi Fujihara’s soothing high-tone voice and approachable melodies are especially striking.

While songs like “Pretender” and “I LOVE…” may give them a strong image as love song artists, “Parabola” is a perfect cheer song for starting a new chapter in life.

It was also featured in a Calpis Water commercial, and its lyrics—seeking hope in an uncertain future—seem to gently light a lamp in hearts that feel crushed by anxiety.

Take note of the lyrics, which are poetically beautiful yet strikingly real.

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gummy

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Because I’ve always loved you.neguse.89rank/position

Neguse. “Because I’ve Always Loved You” Official Music Video

A straight-shooting cheer song from Neguse, the Nagoya-born rock band whose motto is “smiles”! Its message, delivering the value of “keeping at it” head-on, slowly seeps into a tired heart.

The structure—unfolding from Ryotachi’s rhythmic rap to a soaring sing-along chorus—gives listeners a powerful push forward.

Released for streaming in June 2024, it’s also included on the EP “Ai to Ai no Fight!” Chosen as a summer high school baseball cheer song and the theme for “Netto Koshien,” it even became the melody played at Koshien Station—a hot topic indeed.

Give it a listen especially when the May blues sap your motivation.

It’ll remind you of that fiery feeling: you can give it your all because you love it!

Bling-Bang-Bang-BornCreepy Nuts90rank/position

Creepy Nuts “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” × TV Anime “MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES” Collaboration Music Video #BBBB Dance

Created by Creepy Nuts as the opening theme for season 2 of the anime “Mashle: Magic and Muscles,” which follows a protagonist who can’t use magic and aims for the top with pure muscle in a world where magic is the norm, this track was released in January 2024.

The jersey-club-inspired production by DJ Matsunaga and spell-like lyrics by R-Shitei fuse to create an addictive sound that sticks in your head after just one listen.

The lyrics intertwine Mash’s conviction to fight with raw strength and R-Shitei’s own experiences and philosophy, expressing a strength that transcends common sense and a rapper’s pride.

With the “BBBB Dance” trending globally on TikTok and the song topping Billboard Japan’s 2024 year-end Hot 100, it’s a perfect track to hype up a karaoke session with friends.