Popular Japanese music. Latest rankings [2026]

Amanojaku1641rank/position

Amano Jakku / 164 feat. GUMI (Official)

Amano-jaku has a band sound with a really cool bassline.

The overall vocal range is G#3 to G5, and it modulates even higher in the final chorus.

If you want to nail a cool rock delivery, mixed voice is essential.

If you keep belting with a strong falsetto, your voice will gradually lock in, but breath control, explosiveness, and core strength are very important.

However, since this was for karaoke scoring this time, as long as the pitch is on, anything goes.

It might be good to think of it as practice to master mixed voice and keep singing in falsetto at first.

Keep time with your whole body so the rhythm doesn’t slip.

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Kubota Mami

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PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism2rank/position

Official HIGE DANDism – Pretender [Official Video]

A gem from Official HIGE DANDism that tightens your chest from the very first piano notes.

Released in May 2019, it captured many hearts as the theme song for the film “The Confidence Man JP.” Even while knowing the love won’t come true, the painful emotion of still caring for the other person comes through vividly.

Realizing you’re not worthy of them and dreaming of meeting again in a different fate carries a helpless, aching sadness.

Instead of confessing love, all you can do is praise their beauty—this frustrating sense of distance is portrayed through Satoshi Fujihara’s emotional vocals.

If you’re holding feelings you can’t erase no matter how you try to give up, this song will surely stay gently by your side.

bouquetback number3rank/position

back number – Bouquet (Short ver.)

Back Number’s “Hanataba” hits you in the chest with a realism that feels like a conversation lifted straight from two lovers.

The lyrics depict a woman voicing worries about cheating and the future, and a man who, though awkward, tries to face her sincerely.

It’s also lovely how the song expresses love without ever using the title word itself within the lyrics.

Released as a single in June 2011, it’s also included on the album Superstar.

It gained attention as the ending theme for TBS’s COUNT DOWN TV and in commercials.

Cherished as a wedding staple, it’s also recommended for couples who’ve just started dating or for times when you feel anxious because you can’t read your partner’s feelings.

Eine KleineYonezu Kenshi4rank/position

Kenshi Yonezu – Eine Kleine

There are nights when, the more dearly you care for someone, the more you’re seized by a bittersweet ache that makes you even doubt where you belong.

This song from Kenshi Yonezu’s album YANKEE gently stays by the side of a wavering heart like that.

The sorrow that sits right next to the joy of meeting, and the secrets you want to tell but end up hiding.

Even while holding contradictory feelings, the earnest wish to simply stay connected with the other person is sure to bring you to tears.

Included on the album YANKEE released in April 2014, this track also became widely loved as a Tokyo Metro commercial song.

Its music video, illustrated by Yonezu himself, drew attention as well, and its bittersweet yet warm worldview has resonated with many.

It’s a song especially for those who lack confidence and feel timid in love, or for those who keep an unfulfilled longing tucked away in their hearts.

It will affirm even that pain as something beautiful.

Karakuri Pierrot40mP5rank/position

[Hatsune Miku (40mP)] Karakuri Pierrot [Original]

Among Vocaloid songs, “Karakuri Pierrot” has an exceptionally relaxed tempo.

The vocal range isn’t too high, so women can keep the original key, while men might find it just right to lower it by two to three semitones.

The small amount of lyrics is another plus! You should be able to sing steadily without rushing.

Don’t push your voice—aim for a straight, honest pitch.

The key goes up in the last chorus, but if you sing with more energy than in the first chorus, you should be able to stay steady.

For scoring systems, focus on singing as mechanically straight as possible.

Clear enunciation will also make the pitch bar respond well.

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Kubota Mami

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LokiMikito P6rank/position

Mikito-P "Roki" MV

It’s a fast-paced, groove-focused song with call-and-response between male and female vocals, but it’s perfectly singable solo.

Whether male or female, don’t worry about shifting octaves—just stick to your own part and you’ll handle it smoothly without sounding odd, and it’ll come out cool! There are some shouted sections, but be careful not to overdo it in scoring mode.

First, sing lightly while honestly following the pitch bar.

Once you get used to it, adding a bit of shouting or some rasp will make it sound even cooler! If you have a partner, aiming for a high score together can be a lot of fun, too!

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Kubota Mami

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NonfictionHirai Ken7rank/position

Ken Hirai “Nonfiction” MUSIC VIDEO (Short Ver.)

Life can feel overwhelming, full of absurdities and helpless moments.

In times like these, I hope you’ll listen to Ken Hirai’s 42nd single.

Written as the theme song for the drama “Little Giant,” it was released in June 2017.

Born from Hirai’s profound grief over losing a friend, the song delivers fundamental questions about life and a heartfelt cry to see a loved one again, piercing the heart with a voice that cuts deep.

You may find it impossible to listen without tears…