Ranking of Male J-Pop Singers’ Best-Lyric and Most Popular Songs [2026]

Aoba Castle Love Songsatou muneyuki29rank/position

Aoba Castle Love Song

This song, Masayuki Sato’s major-label debut, was released as a single in May 1978 and became a smash hit, selling over one million copies and earning him the New Artist Award at that year’s Japan Record Awards.

It vividly conjures images of Sendai’s beautiful cityscape and the flow of the Hirose River, and can be called a masterpiece that resonates deeply with listeners.

The lyrics portray the aching feelings of someone thinking of a loved one, leaving a poignant afterglow reminiscent of the quiet that follows a lively summer festival.

It was once used as the departure melody at JR Sendai Station, so many people may have heard it before.

If you enjoy lyrical songs that evoke the timeless scenery of Japan, or if you want to bask in gently nostalgic summer memories, this is a piece you should definitely listen to.

spring thunderfuki no tō30rank/position

Shunrai / Fuki no Tō (1979) [Lyrics] 2024 [No. 6]

This song depicts thunder that announces the arrival of spring and cherry blossom petals dancing in the air.

Its expression of the preciousness and transience of life is striking.

1979年5月にリリースされ、アルバム「人生・春・横断」にも収録されています。

This was Fuki no Tō’s 13th single, said to have been created by Yasuyo Yamaki in hopes of his mother’s recovery from illness.

Conveying feelings for someone important through music—doesn’t this track embody that sentiment? Just like the sudden thunder on a spring night, life brings unexpected events.

It might be a good song to listen to at such times.

Easy GoElefanto Kashimashi31rank/position

Elephant Kashimashi “Easy Go” Short ver.

It’s a song with a driving groove and melody that feels masculine and cool.

It’s by the four-piece rock band Elephant Kashimashi, known for songs like “Koyoi no Tsuki no Yō ni.” It was released in 2018 as their 51st single.

I recommend listening to it when you’re feeling totally drained.

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Araki Jakkan

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Cherry blossoms, along the path where petals swirl upElefanto Kashimashi32rank/position

Elephant Kashimashi – “The Road Where Cherry Blossoms Dance Up”

Sakura no Hana, Maiagaru Michi o depicts the resolve to walk forward with a loved one as spring arrives and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

Released in 2007 by Elephant Kashimashi, a rock band known for its unique sound infused with blues and rock, the song looks back on life and sings of a spring spent with a beloved person after overcoming various hardships.

The passionate band performance, enhanced with a vibrant arrangement, conveys a powerful sense of determination and will.

Paired with Hiroji Miyamoto’s soulful vocals, it’s a love song that unfolds a heartwarming story set in the spring season.

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mutō

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Blown by the windElefanto Kashimashi33rank/position

Blown by the wind

This is a song by The Elephant Kashimashi, released in 1999.

The band often sings about “wind,” and this track is one of those—its charm is sprinkled throughout with images of the wind.

While being blown by the breeze, it sings about reflecting on the days we’ve lived so far and taking a step toward tomorrow.

It feels like the kind of song that would put a spring in your step on your way home from work or school.

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en

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O flowers now in full bloom,Kobukuro34rank/position

Kobukuro – Oh flowers now in full bloom

Set to a triple-time melody, this song expresses the hope and possibilities that bud with the arrival of spring.

Released in February 2014 as the theme song for NHK’s Sochi Olympic and Paralympic broadcasts, it features Kobukuro’s warmly enveloping vocals that leave a lasting impression.

Included on the album “One Song From Two Hearts,” it reached No.

7 on the Oricon Weekly Chart.

It is an anthem for those moving forward, a song that gives a supportive push to anyone striving toward their goals.

GraduationKobukuro35rank/position

Kobukuro “Graduation”

Kobukuro has many moving, heartfelt songs.

They have fans across generations—many even parent-and-child duos—and you can understand that broad appeal as soon as you listen.

From the title alone, this track is a straightforward graduation song.

The lyrics are firmly centered on graduation, and it’s a piece that will surely bring tears as you look back on three years of student life.

What once felt ordinary reveals itself, in hindsight, to be irreplaceable—something you realize when you graduate and even more so as you become an adult.

It’s a deeply moving song that I hope adults will listen to as well, one that brings back those feelings.

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utatane

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