Popular “yami” songs: Japanese music / J‑Pop artist rankings [2026]
When you’re feeling down, entrust those feelings to songs that sing about the same emotions.
This time, we’ll introduce Japanese artists who specialize in “dark/healing songs,” ranked in order.
Before long, you’re sure to feel better.
- Popular Depressive Songs Ranking [2026]
- Ranking of Dark/Jaded Japanese Songs [2026]
- Popular Japanese Music / J-POP Artist Rankings [2026]
- [Yami Song] Fight darkness with darkness!? Deep tracks that stay close to your pain
- Hidden gems of yami songs. Recommended popular tracks.
- Popular Tearjerker Song Rankings [2026]
- [Yami Song] A mental breakdown track that sings the true feelings of a melancholic heart
- Popular Unrequited Love Songs: Japanese Music/J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026]
- Popular R&B. Japanese Artist Rankings [2026]
- Popular Unrequited Love Song Rankings [2026]
- Yami songs recommended for women
- [Relatable Lyrics] Emo songs to listen to when you're stuck after a breakup or relationship troubles
- Ranking of Sad Songs by Japanese Pop Artists: Popular Tracks [2026]
Popular Yami Songs: Japanese Music/J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026] (21–30)
Cinderella BoySaucy Dog21rank/position
That moment when your heart drifts away from someone you once loved so much is truly heart-wrenching.
“Cinderella Boy,” included on Saucy Dog’s 2021 release “Lazy Sunday,” beautifully portrays the bittersweet emotions between lovers.
From the warm arpeggio intro to the emotional chorus, its melody resonates with anyone going through a painful breakup.
It’s a song that makes you want to tuck away those irreplaceable times and precious memories somewhere in your heart, rather than throwing them away.
Dried flowersYuuri22rank/position
This is the second major-label digital-only single by singer-songwriter Yuri, who has gained popularity on YouTube through song commentary and cover videos of other artists’ tracks.
It’s a quintessential 2021 J-POP number, known for being the first by a male solo artist to surpass 400 million streams, and doing so at record speed.
Written from the perspective of a woman after a breakup, the lyrics vividly portray the complex emotions that only someone in that situation could understand.
With its heartrending melody, the story within the lyrics really resonates—an ideal song to sink into when dealing with heartbreak.
to liveMizuno Atsu23rank/position
This is a song that gently stays close to a delicate heart that feels weighed down even by the smallest moments of everyday life.
Released in July 2021 as a collaboration between Atsu Mizuno and the Vocaloid Kafu, it has reached 10 million views on YouTube.
The conflicting emotions—wanting distance from school or relationships, blaming oneself, yet still wishing to keep living somewhere deep inside—are carefully portrayed within a simple, piano-centered soundscape.
Listen to it on nights when tomorrow feels frightening, or in moments when you feel no one will understand you.
I don’t need friends—die.Shinsei Kamattechan24rank/position
Both the title and the lyrics themselves are pretty dark.
It’s a song by the rock band Shinsei Kamattechan, known for their often talked-about aggressive live performances.
It’s included on their 2012 album “Tanoshii ne.” The rhythm and sound get addictive the more you listen.
But somehow—despite how out there the song is—it also makes you feel a bit wistful.
Nightmare of the Galactic CitySEKAI NO OWARI25rank/position
It’s a poignant song about the feelings you have toward a self that wants to change but can’t.
It’s a track by SEKAI NO OWARI, a band active internationally, included on their third album “Tree,” released in 2015.
Perhaps because the lyrics were written based on vocalist Fukase’s real experiences, the song has a gentle tone yet a realistic finish.
There are surely people who are struggling with the same thoughts as in this song.
Music might be the catalyst that helps you reflect on yourself.
IdentitySakanakushon26rank/position
Released in August 2010, this single is a somewhat wistful dance tune that fuses an intense Latin beat with electronic sounds.
It was featured in a commercial for Toshin High School and used as the theme song for the film “Judge!”, and can be seen as a turning point for Sakanaction.
When you feel like you’re losing your sense of self or get anxious comparing yourself to others, this song gently asks, “What does being you really mean?” It’s a number that empathizes with the hazy, restless feelings of junior high schoolers.
Non-breath ObligePinokio P27rank/position
There are times when you want to let out feelings that have nowhere to go, right? Nonbreath Oblige is a delicate, heartrending song that you’ll want to listen to when it gets hard to go to school.
Released in 2021 by PinocchioP, it stands out for its lyrics that question a modern society where it’s hard to say what you really mean, and for its beautifully colored music video.
When you’re worn out from being careful around friends at school or when things aren’t going well in class, listening to this track might help ease your mind.
Sparks of Lies96neko28rank/position
Even when you know it’s a hopeless love, hasn’t everyone experienced being unable to control their feelings? You often hear about people who are too afraid of ruining a good relationship to confess their feelings.
This is a song I want those struggling with that kind of bittersweet dilemma to hear.
It portrays a heartrending love, yet, contrary to the lyrics, the up-tempo, catchy performance is really cool.
Love me, love me, love meKikuo29rank/position
This song portrays an overpowering love so intense it borders on madness, a plea to be loved relentlessly.
The eerie sound design amplifies the unsettling atmosphere of the track, with extremely hard-panned elements that heighten anxiety.
Alongside the deep, overwhelming affection, it also expresses a desire to eliminate anything that gets in the way—at times depicted in a violent manner, which leaves a strong impression.
While the intensity of the love comes through, the overall mood and nuanced lyrics evoke images of an unstable mind and feelings of fear.
The happiest way to die in the worldkoka30rank/position
The late Uta’s song delves deeply into the loneliness and despair of human relationships.
It sings of a paradoxical kind of happiness—being hated by everyone in the world so that one can die without troubling anyone.
The track vividly portrays the feelings of someone who has lost their connection to society, resonating with listeners’ hearts.
Released in March 2023, it took part in the VOCACOLE 2023 Spring TOP 100 ranking.
Coupled with IA’s translucent vocals, it creates a uniquely immersive world.
It’s a song that stands beside those burdened with sadness and loneliness, offering empathy.
If you’re struggling, it will gently wrap your heart in comfort.