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.
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Popular “Yami” Songs: Japanese Music / J-Pop Artist Rankings [2026] (41–50)
voiceAmano Tsukiko43rank/position
Tsukiko Amano debuted in 2001 as a singer-songwriter shrouded in mystery, keeping her profile undisclosed.
“Koe” is her 11th single, released in 2005, and it exquisitely matches her uniquely cool-toned voice with lyrics that embrace self-sacrifice.
In 2009, she changed her stage name to Tsuki Amano and expanded her activities beyond music.
The Day the Curse Was LiftedTaito44rank/position
This song has a story: although Taku Takeru was bullied in junior high and closed himself off, he was able to regain his smile through encounters with fans and the people around him.
It’s a track that, while being a “dark” song, still inspires hope, making you think, “Let’s accept ourselves as we are, acknowledge ourselves, and keep moving forward.”
shameless; indecentchanmina45rank/position
A track by Chanmina that portrays a destructive love driven purely by instinct.
Released digitally in September 2021, it drew attention as the title song of her third full-length album, Harenchi, which came out in October of the same year.
In March 2022, it was chosen as the theme song for ABEMA’s dating reality show The Grass Is Greener Next Door 3, becoming a long-running hit with over 200 million streams.
The lyrics, where wavering emotions, desire, and guilt intersect, vividly depict the peril of a love you know you shouldn’t pursue but can’t stop.
Those moments when you surrender to impulses you can’t even control yourself are sure to resonate with anyone who’s felt the same.
I thought about killing myselfNakajima Mika46rank/position
There are days when you don’t want to do anything or go to school, and your heart can feel lonely.
When upbeat music feels too hard to listen to, try giving “Boku ga Shino to Omotta no wa” a listen.
Mika Nakashima released it in 2013, and it also drew attention because Hiromu Akita from the rock band amazarashi produced it.
Life isn’t full of only good things, but its lyrics—ones that make you feel like you can try living a little more gently—speak to you softly, especially when you’re feeling lonely.
Please listen to this song at least once; it reminds you that it hurts precisely because you’re doing your best and living earnestly.
My Room, My Dress Shirt, and MeHiramatsu Eri47rank/position
This is Eri Hiramatsu’s eighth single, released in 1992.
It became her biggest hit and won the Japan Record Award for Lyrics.
A film of the same name, inspired by the song, was later released.
The lyrics are distinctive, and if you change the way you listen to it a little, you may find yourself thinking, “This woman is unwell.” The vocals and melody are sweet and very cute, but with deeper listening you notice something different beneath the surface.
If being alive is painfulMoriyama Naotaro48rank/position
This is Naotaro Moriyama’s 16th single, released in 2008.
The song is themed around facing life and death, and the impact of its opening lyrics is very strong.
However, those lyrics are not negative; they carry a message that by taking a moment to reflect on your own life, you can reaffirm what it means to live.
Perhaps it’s important, at times, to listen closely to this song, not run from the pain but rather sit with it, and spend time facing yourself.
Stalker’s Song: Third Block, Your HouseAbe Mao49rank/position
As the title suggests, it’s a disturbed love song in which the lyrics repeatedly depict stalker-like behavior.
It’s a track by singer-songwriter Mao Abe, included on her third album “Su,” released in 2011.
The contrast between the breezy rhythm, her bright vocals, and the song’s content is both fascinating and frightening.
Women looking for songs to perform solo with guitar should definitely give it a listen.
