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]
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- Ranking of Sad Songs by Japanese Pop Artists: Popular Tracks [2026]
Popular “yami” songs: Japanese music / J-pop artist rankings [2026] (11–20)
There was no meaning to being born.mafumafu15rank/position
This is Mafumafu’s signature work, a cry from the heart that chronicles losing one’s sense of self-worth and ceaselessly questioning the meaning of life.
It’s included on the album “Kagurairo Artifact,” released in October 2019.
The song confronts the value of discarded lives, a society indifferent to others, and the powerlessness of being unable to save anything despite having the potential to become anyone.
Though the lyrics are filled with despairing questions, they ultimately resound with a strong resolve that we must go on living.
It’s a song that stands beside those who find life hard or have lost sight of their own worth.
Hated by life.Kanzaki Iori16rank/position
When standing on the brink of profound agony, any words can be a source of encouragement.
Kanzaki Iori’s “Hated by Life Itself” is a song that stays close to you in exactly such moments.
Its weighty piano melody and plaintive strings are gentle on the ears yet resonate powerfully with the heart.
Like a single beam of light piercing the dark night, the lyrics stir the listener’s emotions and instill the courage to rise again.
With a wealth of cover versions available on YouTube, this song is one I’d recommend to anyone searching for a reason to keep living.
to liveMizuno Atsu17rank/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.
MarshmallowDECO*2718rank/position
Despite its sweet-sounding title, DECO*27’s track released in October 2025 stands out for its hard guitar riffs and aggressive sound.
The lyrics, depicting the protagonist’s psychological struggle as they realize the relationship is a sham and try to cut through the other person’s deceit, shake the listener with their sharp wording.
Its structure—rooted in rock while incorporating rap elements and drop-like developments—recalls “Ghost Rule” and “Hibana,” yet delivers an even more intense finish.
It’s a song that middle schoolers grappling with the complexities of human relationships can relate to, and one that will likely resonate deeply.
Just being alive is admirable.ReoNa19rank/position
When your heart feels heavy and you can’t move, there’s a song that gently stays by your side.
Included on ReoNa’s fifth single “Nai Nai,” released in May 2021, this piece—written and composed by Toa Kasamura—is a track that resonates deeply.
Carried by the sound of the piano, ReoNa’s whispery vocals speak as if softly reading a diary aloud, giving voice to your innermost thoughts.
Rather than forcing encouragement, the lyrics simply offer the warmth of being there, making it a song you’ll want to hear when you’re worn out from trying too hard.
The choral parts, inspired by hymns, envelop you and quietly convey a blessing for living through today.
It’s a song I especially recommend to anyone getting by while holding on to painful feelings.
Kill my ex-boyfriendGōruden Bonbā20rank/position
This is the fourth single by Golden Bomber, released in 2008.
Golden Bomber is famous as an air band, but their songs themselves are always distinctive and draw attention.
As you might guess from the shocking title, this song expresses resentment toward the boyfriend of the person the singer has fallen for.
However, because it has a bright, rock-style feel, it doesn’t come across as too heavy—that’s the key point.
Popular Yami Songs: Japanese Music/J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026] (21–30)
Dried flowersYuuri21rank/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.
