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.

Playlist

Ranking of Dark/Jaded Japanese Songs [2026]
	Title	Playlist	Review
1	Eine KleineYonezu Kenshi		Middle school romance and Kenshi Yonezu’s songs
2	NonfictionHirai Ken		A cheering song to listen to when you're lost in life
3	a May flyRADWIMPS		Aggressive lyric songs by RADWIMPS
4	Your Dissection Pure Love Song ~Die~aimyon		A dark love-themed song by Aimyon
5	Nothing I do goes well.meiyo		An emotional song portraying self-loathing and inner conflict
6	Cute Girlfriendsyudou		A touching song that captures the emotions of a bittersweet love
7	What do you want to become?Rozarīna		A healing song for university students anxious about the future
8	mentally unstable personMioyamazaki		An emotionally charged song of menhera rock
9	CountdownCocco		Cocco’s debut song expresses anger and pain.
10	lipstickKato Miria		Miliyah Kato’s heartbreak song, a cry from the heart
11	Absolute GirlfriendOmori Seiko		The appeal of Seiko Oomori’s signature song “Zettai Kanojo”
12	moonlightOnitsuka Chihiro		In this vast world, the helplessness and loneliness I feel...
13	reassessmentMARETU		Addictive electronic-sound songs by the Vocaloid producer MARETU
14	Black sheepKeyakizaka46		The courage to believe in yourself amid distrust of others
15	There was no meaning to being born.mafumafu		A song that is a cry from the heart asking about the meaning of life
16	He was alive, wasn’t he?aimyon		AIMYON’s debut song, about life and death
17	Kill my ex-boyfriendGōruden Bonbā		A shocking love song by Golden Bomber
18	magic mirrorOmori Seiko		An anthem to support those who keep smiling in a painful society
19	Just being alive is admirable.ReoNa		ReoNa’s song “Nai Nai” gently embraces the heart
20	I thought about killing myselfamazarashi		Characterized by gentle lyrics that heal a troubled heart
21	AitaiKato Miria		A bittersweet unrequited love song by Miliyah Kato
22	Dried flowersYuuri		Yuri’s “Dry Flower,” a heartrending breakup song
23	Cinderella BoySaucy Dog		A moving song that portrays the heartache of lost love and cherished memories
24	Nightmare of the Galactic CitySEKAI NO OWARI		A song of bittersweet feelings toward a self that cannot change.
25	Non-breath ObligePinokio P		I want to vent these feelings that have nowhere to go…
26	IdentitySakanakushon		A melancholic Latin dance track marking Sakanaction’s turning point
27	I wanted to be your last girlfriend.Koresawa		A bear singer-songwriter who hides their face
28	dissonanceKeyakizaka46		An idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto...
29	Hated by life.Kanzaki Iori		Music that finds hope amid suffering
30	Sparks of Lies96neko		The bittersweet feelings of an unattainable love and music
31	Everything other than death is just a scratch.Koresawa		Positively getting through tough days
32	Girls don’t cry.katahira rina		Girls don’t cry; a declaration to live strong
33	The happiest way to die in the worldkoka		A poignant song that portrays the solitude of the late singer
34	Stray SheepKamisama, boku wa kizuite shimatta		Listen to your own voice
35	to liveMizuno Atsu		A Vocaloid song that gently supports a delicate heart
36	I miss you so much and want to see you.Nishino Kana		A poignant song about lingering feelings for an ex-lover
37	indigoSukima Suichi		Songs by Sukima Switch are masterpieces that resonate with the heart.
38	Our FailureMorita Doji		The definitive “yami” song—watch out, it goes way too deep!
39	planetariumOtsuka Ai		A ballad imbued with the bittersweetness of love under the starry sky
40	dizzinessOnitsuka Chihiro		Onitsuka’s soul-stirring songs, the power to stand beside our suffering
41	Write it as “regret,” read it as “future.”mafumafu		Mafumafu’s rock ballad: a cry from the heart
42	BathroomShiina Ringo		Ringo Sheena’s signature song, expressing emotion and desire
43	I don’t need friends—die.Shinsei Kamattechan		A poignant, mad song by Shinsei Kamattechan
44	wedgeOku Hanako		Hanako Oku, who sings about the depth of love and the sorrow of parting
45	Love me, love me, love meKikuo		Eerie lyrics depicting a mad love
46	I want to see you.sawada chikako		Singing a bittersweet love with a pure voice
47	tobacco / cigarette(s)Koresawa		The regret of parting as I search for the warmth that was lost
48	remainingYoshizawa Kayoko		Kayoko Yoshizawa’s languid/ennui-tinged vocals stand out…
49	Qshiina mota		Dark/sick but with a sense of liberation, rock and refreshing
50	RainingCocco		A rain song that resonates with the heart: Cocco's “Raining”
51	voiceAmano Tsukiko		A mysterious songstress pursues her music career with a unique worldview.
52	366 daysHY		A mix featuring male and female twin vocals...
53	curseYamazaki Hako		Hako Yamasaki's 'Curse' heals the darkness of the heart.
54	MetronomeYonezu Kenshi		The metronome’s misalignment reflects the relationship.
55	The kid who always gets comparedTsuyu		An anthem to encourage those hurt by comparisons with others
56	MarshmallowDECO*27		DECO*27's song portrays complex human relationships.
57	Stalker’s Song: Third Block, Your HouseAbe Mao		Abe Mao’s stalker-like love song
58	Sunflower That Wants to DieShinsei Kamattechan		A moving song that portrays the anguish of living
59	The Day the Curse Was LiftedTaito		Takuto’s Story of Overcoming Bullying and Finding Hope
60	The holeKing Gnu		A heart-touching ballad that portrays loneliness and loss
61	shameless; indecentchanmina		Chanmina’s catastrophic love song
62	I thought about killing myselfNakajima Mika		On days when I don’t want to do anything and don’t even want to go to school…
63	A Bouquet for YouUtada Hikaru		Hikaru Utada, who had suspended her music activities, ...
64	DarlingSuda Keina		Suda Keina’s song “Darling” is trending.
65	seems like (just) my imaginationChōchō P		Singing of the heart’s struggle and the agony of heartbreak
66	If being alive is painfulMoriyama Naotaro		Naotaro Moriyama’s 2008 release, “1…”
67	My Room, My Dress Shirt, and MeHiramatsu Eri		Eri Hiramatsu's classic song “Destiny,” a big hit
68	Hide and Seek19’s Sound Factory		Acknowledge and accept your true self
69	phantom / illusion / vision / fantasyShibata Jun		A lonely heart swaying in the wake of a breakup with a lover
70	LOSERYonezu Kenshi		It’s Kenshi Yonezu’s fifth single. In the music video, too…
71	The Howling of the Lost OneNeru		The struggle of not being able to understand a child's heart
72	seems like (just) my imaginationmaji musume		Songs for when you're tired that lighten your heart
73	GibbsShiina Ringo		Sheena Ringo’s dark “yami” songs: soul-stirring masterpieces
74	Echoes of a rainy voiceOrangestar		Songs that resonate with the heart when things aren’t going well
75	Only on nights when I want to dieAina ji Endo		A warm song where a loved one’s smile supports the heart
76	It’s not that I want to die.Asanomachi		KAFU’s fleeting, heartrending singing voice resonates in the heart.
77	ETERNAL BLUEMinami		A song that defies the world’s abusive words and the hardship they cause
78	Colorless Self-Harmnekobōro		A translucent, melancholic song that heals your worries
79	excuseSha ran Q		A masterpiece of a heartbreak song that paints the depths of the heart
80	Lonely Envykoyori		koyori’s nostalgic, high-quality songs
81	Synicalityden\|kujira		Synicality: a nursery rhyme-style song with dark lyrics
82	powder snowRemioromen		Remioromen is the well-known three-piece rock...
83	thought crimeYorushika		Yorushika’s “Thought Criminal,” a song about loneliness
84	Kagerou Daysjin (shizen no teki P)		Jin’s Time-Loop Tragic Love Song
85	fragileEvery Little Thing		This ballad son called 'fragile'...
86	Zamzateniwoha		Depicting the pain of a heart rejected in a Latin style
87	umbrellaSEKAI NO OWARI		An umbrella that shields from the rain of the heart, a hopeful song that heals loneliness
88	My EarlWada Takeaki		A song that portrays girls’ worries
89	The Religion of Solitudesyudou		The religion of loneliness is a sick song open to diverse interpretations
90	confessionHirai Ken		The sadness of Ken Hirai’s heartfelt cry not being heard
91	How to Conquer the WorldNeru		An emotional high-pitched Vocaloid song
92	Wolverine Nenzutto mayonaka de ii no ni.		A piercingly heartfelt piece that weaves feelings of loneliness and self-denial…
93	to break things bit by bit / to smash things piece by piecekikuo		Kikuo is a morbid and beautiful music creator
94	RevengeMy Hair is Bad		A song that portrays the shift in feelings from the sorrow of a broken heart to resentment
95	Crushed by an empty skyamazarashi		The appeal of amazarashi: moving songs that fill the holes in the heart
96	The Little Match GirlSuiyōbi no Campanella		Dark-themed songs by subculture artists
97	Tenshō Shō Tenshōkikuo		Kikuo's 13th work: a Vocaloid song reaches a million
98	Kurayasukoppu		A dark, depressive song composed by a Vocaloid producer
99	girl’s self-harmPolyphonicBranch		Grunge Vocaloid song, rock that sings of the darkness of the heart
100	night after nightKurahashi Yoeko		It sounds expansive and cheerful, and yet, strangely...