Ken Hirai’s Most Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

even ifHirai Ken8rank/position

Ken Hirai 'even if' MUSIC VIDEO

A singer-songwriter who leads Japan’s R&B scene, Ken Hirai continues to captivate many fans with his strikingly chiseled features and sweet, soulful voice.

Do you know the famous ballad he has cherished and kept singing as the theme song for his concept live series, “Ken’s Bar,” which he considers his life’s work? Its lyrics, like a solitary monologue at a bar counter while tilting a glass, confess an unbreakable longing for someone who loves another—immersing you in a heartache that feels like watching a love film.

Originally a phantom track performed only at live shows, it was released in December 2000 as a limited-time single in response to fervent fan requests.

Some listeners may have felt their hearts tighten at its portrayal of a forbidden love.

With its mellow atmosphere, it’s the perfect song to revisit on a night when you want to reflect on past romances.

Dear daysHirai Ken9rank/position

Ken Hirai 'Dear Beloved Days' MUSIC VIDEO

Produced by Kiyoshi Matsuo for the first time in ten years to cap off the 15th anniversary, this exquisite ballad, tinged with sadness yet evoking hope for the future, was released on May 4, 2011 as the theme song for TBS’s Sunday drama JIN: The Final Chapter.

The song spans a very wide vocal range from G#2 to C5, with a clear structure where the range gradually rises from the A verse to the B verse and then the chorus.

The low notes in the A verse are pitches you don’t often use, so be careful not to let your voice get muffled.

Take a deep breath and project your voice forward, letting the air flow.

The start of the chorus uses phonemes that make falsetto easy to produce, so if you really let your head voice resonate, you should be able to hit the notes without any problem.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Kubota Mami

Report a problem

ElegyHirai Ken10rank/position

Ken Hirai “Elegy” MUSIC VIDEO

This is a masterpiece whose poignant love story, told from a woman’s perspective, resonates in the rich vocals of Ken Hirai.

It delicately portrays the feelings of a woman consumed by love, expressing the intense emotions of fixation on her partner and a fierce willingness to embrace even the pain of love.

Released in January 2007 as the theme song for Toho’s film Love’s Crucible, it was also included on the album FAKIN’ POP and performed at the 58th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.

In 2021, it was covered by Fuyumi Sakamoto on her album Love Emotion, continuing to influence many artists.

It’s a song to listen to on nights after heartbreak or when you’re suffering from thoughts of someone you love.

Nevertheless, I want to do it.Hirai Ken11rank/position

Ken Hirai “Soredemo Shitai” Music Video

A double A-side single that portrays a thrilling, forbidden love where you want to make your crush turn around and notice you.

The music video—shot entirely in Delhi, India—features Ken Hirai dressed as an Indian man, showing off Bollywood dance moves, which became a major talking point.

Viewers have even said it “doesn’t feel out of place.” The lyrics are distinctive, making it a song you can recognize right away.

I think the key is how emotionally you sing the opening of the chorus.

The vocal range isn’t that high, so you might be able to sing it in chest voice.

Once you’re feeling it, belting it out in chest voice instead of falsetto can feel really good.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Kubota Mami

Report a problem

Because it won’t reach / Because it doesn’t reachHirai Ken12rank/position

Ken Hirai “Because It Won’t Reach” MUSIC VIDEO

This is a ballad written as the theme song for the film “50 First Kisses,” starring Takayuki Yamada and Masami Nagasawa in dual leading roles.

It sings of a bittersweet love for someone whose memory resets every day, and the music video’s clown dance in a tatami room became a hot topic.

The vocals over a light electric guitar are particularly striking.

The key point is the chorus’s choppy, start-and-stop melodic line, where the singer intentionally inhales and exhales during the breaks to let you enjoy the sound of the breath.

Try singing it with an easy touch, without overexerting yourself.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Kubota Mami

Report a problem

Grandfather’s ClockHirai Ken13rank/position

Ken Hirai 'Grandfather's Clock' MUSIC VIDEO

This song resonates with Ken Hirai’s warm, heartfelt vocals.

Centered on themes of family love and the passage of time, it weaves a 100-year story of a grandfather and an old clock.

Released in August 2002, it became familiar through NHK’s “Minna no Uta” and an au commercial.

It’s said to be a particularly memorable track for Hirai and even a foundation of his singing.

The single sold a total of 667,000 copies, reached No.

1 on the Oricon charts, and won the Japan Gold Disc Award.

It’s recommended for those who have experienced parting from a loved one or want to feel the bonds of family.

If you sing it at karaoke, you’re sure to be moved to the core.

Mr. Monster feat. AimyonHirai Ken14rank/position

Ken Hirai “Kaibutsu-san feat. Aimyon” MUSIC VIDEO

This is a lavish collaborative number by Ken Hirai, a leading figure in the J-POP scene, and Aimyon, who can now be called an icon of the times.

Written by Ken Hirai with Aimyon in mind, the song portrays a hopeless unrequited love—knowing it won’t be rewarded yet still being irresistibly drawn in.

The inescapable sorrow of it all is set to a sophisticated, urbane pop sound.

Released in March 2020, it was also included on the album “Anata ni Naritakatta” (“I Wanted to Be You”).

If you’re struggling with a futile love, this song might resonate perfectly.