Best/Loved Songs with Great Lyrics by Female Singer-Songwriters: Ranking [2026]

Cheer up!Takeuchi Mariya92rank/position

Cheer Up – Mariya Takeuchi

Please play this song for your best friend who’s feeling down! It’s a classic meant to encourage a friend you want to tell, “Cheer up,” so you can laugh together again someday.

Its gentle, heart-melting vocals will captivate many people, regardless of gender.

I want to go back to that day.Arai Yumi93rank/position

Yumi Matsutoya – I Want to Return to That Day (Yumi Arai The Concert with Old Friends)

It’s Yuming’s classic from her Arai Yumi era, “I Want to Return to That Day.” The love we experience in our youth shines brightly; not only the time we’re together, but even the moment of parting is dazzling.

The more time passes, the more our memories are idealized, and we find ourselves not only simply wishing we could try again with the boy from back then, but also longing for the radiant version of ourselves from those days.

Dear BrideNishino Kana94rank/position

Kana Nishino “Dear Bride” MV (Short Ver.)

Released in 2016 as Kana Nishino’s 29th single.

Created for a friend who was getting married, it is her first wedding song, with lyrics expressing “words of blessing for the bride” that only a close friend can say.

It’s a heartwarming ballad filled with various emotions—memories with her friend and the heartfelt wish, “I want you to be happy!”

Dear…Nishino Kana95rank/position

Kana Nishino 'Dear...(short ver.)'

A love song by Kana Nishino, an artist popular mainly among women for her crystal-clear voice that resonates endlessly and her songs that exquisitely capture subtle emotions.

It’s a number that conveys straightforward feelings for someone you truly love, and a recommended karaoke song for women in their 20s who are happily in love.

SAKURA. I love you ?Nishino Kana96rank/position

Kana Nishino - “SAKURA, I love you?” (short ver.)

This is a song by Kana Nishino—hugely popular among young women—that portrays cherry blossoms and heartbreak.

The story follows a woman who, upon seeing rows of cherry trees, can’t help but remember her ex with whom she spent cherry blossom season.

The lyrics dwell on the lingering feelings she still carries.

We all have moments when something small suddenly brings back memories of an old romance, don’t we? The fact that she can turn such universally relatable experiences into lyrics is surely one of the secrets behind her popularity!

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Hane Keisuke

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darlingNishino Kana97rank/position

Kana Nishino 'Darling' MV (Short Ver.)

Kana Nishino’s songs, which charmingly capture cute crushes and bittersweet feelings from a woman’s perspective, are also big hits at karaoke.

The song “Darling” is an adorable number that portrays a realistic, mutual love—complete with those little annoyances and relatable “we’ve all been there” moments in relationships.

Sung from the girlfriend’s point of view, it shares gripes about her boyfriend and the gap between ideals and reality, but by the end you’ll want to tease, “So you’re just bragging!” It’s a warm, feel-good track that leaves you thinking, no matter what happens, she really loves him.

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utatane

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Things I like about youNishino Kana98rank/position

Kana Nishino “The Things I Like About You” MV (Short Ver.)

From a male perspective, Kana Nishino’s songs can sometimes make you think, “Please don’t say anything more painful than this!” and it would be really tough if your own girlfriend said those things to you.

Even from the female side, there are times when you might think, “Isn’t that going a bit too far?” However, this song is a love song that lists many of her boyfriend’s good points and sings, “I love you just the way you are.”