Theme Songs, Insert Songs, and Popular Song Rankings by Female Singer-Songwriters [2026]

My heart is with youtsuji ayano29rank/position

Ayano Tsuji – My Heart Goes Out to You (Music Video)

This is a single released by Ayano Tsuji in 2000.

In addition to being used on the TV show Ponkikkies, it was also featured in a cosmetics commercial.

The gentle sound of the ukulele—Ayano Tsuji’s signature instrument—resonates softly, creating a calming atmosphere that leaves a strong impression.

Despite the soothing sound, the lyrics seem to express a bittersweet feeling within oneself.

It’s also a song that conveys a strong determination, as if calling out to both the listener and the self that hearts remain connected even when apart.

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kappamaki

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dogwood (flowering dogwood)Hitoto Yo30rank/position

Hitoto Yo – Hanamizuki

In response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, Yo Hitoto wrote this signature song as a powerful prayer for peace.

Set to a grand ballad, it expresses a moving, universal wish: that happiness will continue for a hundred years for the one you love and the people dear to them.

Released in February 2004 as her fifth single, it set a record by staying on the Oricon charts for 125 consecutive weeks.

It has been featured as the theme for NTV’s Tuesday Suspense Theater, in JRA commercials, and as the theme song for a film of the same title.

It’s a timeless masterpiece to listen to when you sincerely wish happiness for someone important, or when you want to quietly stand by someone facing difficulties.

The song has been performed many times on the 24-Hour Television charity program, moving countless viewers.

Relationship of Others feat. SOIL & “PIMP” SESSIONSHitoto Yo31rank/position

Yo Hitoto - 'Other People's Relationship' feat. SOIL & "PIMP" SESSIONS

This song revives a classic from the Showa era with a sleek, modern jazz arrangement, bringing a sultry new sheen to it.

Yo Hitoto’s deeply emotive vocals intersect with the dynamic performance of SOIL&“PIMP”SESSIONS to vividly depict a hidden love—sweet yet bittersweet.

Released as a single in August 2014, it became a talking point as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Hirugao: Love Affairs in the Afternoon.” Perfect for nights when you want to linger in the afterglow of love, it captures the complexities of adult romance with exquisite nuance.

Between the Sky and YouNakajima Miyuki32rank/position

Between the Sky and You / Miyuki Nakajima with Lyrics 💎 High-Quality Full 🎧 Homeless Child Theme Song 📺 (cover) Sora to Kimi no Aida ni – Miyuki Nakajima

It’s the theme song from the 1994 TV drama starring Yumi Adachi.

The drama, which included scenes so extreme they’d be unthinkable today, was so popular it even won a Buzzword of the Year Award.

The powerful vocals, as if speaking on behalf of the protagonist, are truly empowering.

Riding on the back of a silver dragonNakajima Miyuki33rank/position

Riding on the Back of a Silver Dragon [Gin no Ryū no se ni notte] / Miyuki Nakajima — Drama “Dr. Coto’s Clinic” Theme Song, Unplugged cover by Ai Ninomiya

Dr.

Coto’s Clinic is a 2003 drama adaptation of Takatoshi Yamada’s manga about a doctor striving at a clinic on a remote island.

The lead role was played by Hidetaka Yoshioka, and it became his signature work following From the North Country.

The theme song was Miyuki Nakajima’s “Ride on the Back of the Silver Dragon,” which reached No.

4 on the Oricon singles chart.

According to Nakajima, the “silver dragon” refers to a surgical scalpel.

It’s a standout song with lyrics carrying the message “Rouse your spirit and take flight,” which really hits home.

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Hamada Takuya

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ORIONNakajima Mika34rank/position

Mika Nakashima "ORION" Music Video

Based on Keigo Higashino’s mystery novel, the live-action drama “Ryusei no Kizuna” aired on the TBS network in 2008, starring Kazunari Ninomiya.

It’s a suspense drama in which three siblings, whose parents were brutally murdered when they were young, hunt down the real culprit to take revenge, making it a work you can enjoy while deducing the perpetrator.

Mika Nakashima’s “ORION,” used as an insert song, features heartrending lyrics and melody and became one of her signature tracks.

Erika Toda, who played the younger sister of the three siblings in the drama, also appears in the music video, so be sure to check that out too!

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miyabi

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Invisible StarNakajima Mika35rank/position

Mika Nakashima “Invisible Star” MUSIC VIDEO

A quietly penetrating, lyrical ballad.

Mika Nakashima’s rich, resonant voice beautifully conveys the loneliness of a heart offering prayers to a starless night sky.

Released in February 2007, this song served as the theme for the drama Haken no Hinkaku, starring Ryoko Shinohara, which depicted the struggles and dilemmas of contract workers and became a social phenomenon.

Loved as an anthem that stands beside everyone who, despite doubts and anxieties about work, keeps trying to move forward.