Ranking of Dark/Jaded Japanese Songs [2026]
We’re showcasing the monthly top 100 “yami” J-pop songs ranked by view count, all in one place.
When you’re feeling down, upbeat or empowering tracks can help—but sometimes you need songs that gently sit with your pain and offer sympathy.
The playlist is updated weekly.
- Popular Depressive Songs Ranking [2026]
- Popular “yami” songs: Japanese music / J‑Pop artist rankings [2026]
- Sad Song Rankings [2026]
- Lonely Song Rankings [2026]
- Popular Heartbreak Song Rankings [2026]
- [Songs to Listen to When You Want to Die] I want to disappear... A song to support you who feel that way
- Popular Tearjerker Song Rankings [2026]
- [Yami Song] Fight darkness with darkness!? Deep tracks that stay close to your pain
- [Dark Songs] A carefully curated selection of deeply dark tracks and heartbreaking songs that accompany you in tough times
- Saddest Songs Ranking [2026]
- [Trash Songs] A carefully curated selection of tracks about the lowest, worst kind of loser—and hidden gems!
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- [Support for the Heart] Songs That Give You Courage When Times Are Tough
J-Pop Depressive Song Rankings [2026] (21–30)
magic mirrorOmori Seiko21rank/position
For those who keep smiling to fit in within a society that feels hard to live in, I want you to listen to “Magic Mirror.” It’s included on Seiko Oomori’s 2017 release “MUTEKI,” and the music video—featuring her strumming a guitar out on the streets—leaves a strong impression.
The lyrics, which capture a girl’s honest feelings, are filled with a poignant sorrow.
Hearing the acoustic textures within the band sound makes you want to let your emotions flow.
If you’re tired of conforming to those around you or feeling lonely, please listen to her voice.
Non-breath ObligePinokio P22rank/position
There are times when you want to let out feelings that have nowhere to go, right? Nonbreath Oblige is a delicate, heartrending song that you’ll want to listen to when it gets hard to go to school.
Released in 2021 by PinocchioP, it stands out for its lyrics that question a modern society where it’s hard to say what you really mean, and for its beautifully colored music video.
When you’re worn out from being careful around friends at school or when things aren’t going well in class, listening to this track might help ease your mind.
I thought about killing myselfamazarashi23rank/position
amazarashi is a rock band from Aomori Prefecture.
Their songs are striking for lyrics that, while afflicted, still carry a certain gentleness.
This work, too, has an extremely intense title, but in the end someone’s presence brings salvation.
It’s a song that gently stays close to a worn-out heart.
Dried flowersYuuri24rank/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.
AitaiKato Miria25rank/position
It’s a heartbreaking love song that pleads, “Look only at me, choose me.” It’s a track by singer-songwriter Miliyah Kato, also known for “Love Forever” and “BELIEVE,” included on her 2009 album “Ring.” In 2010, it was also used as an insert song in the film “Villain.” The lyrics portray a woman’s desperate wish for the person she loves to finally notice her, and it’s genuinely tear-jerking.
If you’ve recently gone through a breakup or your unrequited love didn’t work out, this will almost certainly hit home.
Cinderella BoySaucy Dog26rank/position
That moment when your heart drifts away from someone you once loved so much is truly heart-wrenching.
“Cinderella Boy,” included on Saucy Dog’s 2021 release “Lazy Sunday,” beautifully portrays the bittersweet emotions between lovers.
From the warm arpeggio intro to the emotional chorus, its melody resonates with anyone going through a painful breakup.
It’s a song that makes you want to tuck away those irreplaceable times and precious memories somewhere in your heart, rather than throwing them away.
to liveMizuno Atsu27rank/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.
Nightmare of the Galactic CitySEKAI NO OWARI28rank/position
It’s a poignant song about the feelings you have toward a self that wants to change but can’t.
It’s a track by SEKAI NO OWARI, a band active internationally, included on their third album “Tree,” released in 2015.
Perhaps because the lyrics were written based on vocalist Fukase’s real experiences, the song has a gentle tone yet a realistic finish.
There are surely people who are struggling with the same thoughts as in this song.
Music might be the catalyst that helps you reflect on yourself.
IdentitySakanakushon29rank/position
Released in August 2010, this single is a somewhat wistful dance tune that fuses an intense Latin beat with electronic sounds.
It was featured in a commercial for Toshin High School and used as the theme song for the film “Judge!”, and can be seen as a turning point for Sakanaction.
When you feel like you’re losing your sense of self or get anxious comparing yourself to others, this song gently asks, “What does being you really mean?” It’s a number that empathizes with the hazy, restless feelings of junior high schoolers.
I wanted to be your last girlfriend.Koresawa30rank/position
Koresawa is a female singer-songwriter who debuted in 2011, known for her distinctive bear-themed visuals and for not showing her face.
Her relatable lyrics have earned her strong support from women.
“Saigo no Kanojo ni Naritakatta” (“I Wanted to Be Your Last Girlfriend”) features heartbreakingly clingy lyrics that contrast with its bright sound.
Even so, its upbeat melody makes it an easy-to-listen-to ‘yami song’ about emotional pain.
