Kiyoshiro Imawano’s Most Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Hand Clapping Rhumba 2000Imawano Kiyoshiro & Tin Pan51rank/position

Kiyoshiro Imawano w/ Tin Pan – Hand Clapping Rhumba 2000

The backing band is a mixed group of Tin Pan Alley–style artists, which is really luxurious.

If there had been a TV program like this, I wish I had recorded it.

I hope they rebroadcast it.

The lyrics of this song are great, too.

And this video lets you enjoy Kiyoshiro’s unique stage performance.

Two People Who Can’t Go HomeImawano Kiyoshiro & Inoue Yosui52rank/position

The Two Who Can’t Go Home – Yosui Inoue & Kiyoshiro Imawano

It’s a song co-written by a young Kiyoshiro and Yosui, included on Yosui Inoue’s album “Kori no Sekai” (Ice World).

It’s also very popular among Yosui’s fans.

The lyrics of the first verse are straightforward and easily come across as good lyrics, but I used to think the second verse—said to have been written by Kiyoshiro—was plain.

Lately, however, I’ve been impressed by the brilliance of its wording.

Let’s slip out of the party.Imawano Kiyoshiro & Shinohara Ryoko53rank/position

Kiyoshiro Imawano · Ryoko Shinohara

This is a duet with Ryoko Shinohara, who was mainly active as a singer at the time.

It’s a very catchy song, and I remember the part where she kissed during a TV appearance.

Among Kiyoshiro’s female fans, there seemed to be quite a bit of jealousy toward Ryoko Shinohara.

Forbidden Rouge MagicImawano Kiyoshirō × Sakamoto Ryūichi54rank/position

Forbidden Rouge Magic / Kiyoshiro Imawano + Ryuichi Sakamoto [))STEREO((]

It’s a collaboration whose music, visuals, and music video are all sensational.

In particular, the video where the two share a kiss shocked many people.

The song itself is techno-pop with a simple structure, and the repeated chorus phrase is addictive.

S.FImawano Kiyoshirō55rank/position

S.F.

A collaboration with Char.

Right after SkyPerfecTV started and I signed up, Kiyoshiro appeared on a variety show broadcast on Fuji TV’s channel.

When I saw him in the singing segment, I was amazed at how cool young Kiyoshiro was.

The song is a really cool rock ’n’ roll track.

STAND BY MEImawano Kiyoshirō56rank/position

Stand By Me (Live From Nakano Sun Plaza / 1987)

The classic song “STAND BY ME,” covered by many artists around the world.

Among the versions covered by Japanese artists, the rendition by Kiyoshiro Imawano—which has garnered great popularity—was featured in a 2019 commercial for WONDA.

The fusion of the profound performances by the star-studded cast of Takeshi Kitano and Kankuro Kudo with Kiyoshiro Imawano’s “STAND BY ME” leaves a lasting impression.

Elementary school children are passing by the road in front of my house again this morning.Imawano Kiyoshirō57rank/position

Kiyoshiro Imawano ~ This morning again, elementary school children pass in front of my house.

This is a memorable song featuring Kiyoshiro Imawano’s warm voice and a melody tinged with melancholy.

The piece sings of childhood memories, the cityscape that has changed, and the realization that the one who has changed the most is oneself.

It expresses an attachment to the things that remain unchanged even as time passes.

It is included on the albums “Kanashii Kotobakkari” and “sings soul ballads,” and was released in November 2011.

It was also used as the theme song for a drama 23 years ago and is remembered by many as a nostalgic tune.

It’s a recommended track for times when you want to move between past and present and reflect on your own changes and growth.

salarymanImawano Kiyoshirō58rank/position

Salaryman

Theme song of the drama “Boku no Shūshoku” (My First Job).

Kiyoshiro Imawano himself also appeared in it, and it was also Yutaka Takenouchi’s debut work.

The broadcast coincided with Japan’s employment ice age, and the calmly sung days of a salaryman, along with the final falsetto, strike the heart in a strangely poignant way.