Ranking of Popular Japanese Music and J-Pop Artists Among Junior High School Students [2026]

proofflumpool50rank/position

flumpool “Proof” Music Video (Full Chorus ver.)

Hearing flumpool’s “Akashi” playing on the field during the closing ceremony is truly moving.

This song carries a warm message, and it feels like it stays close to the children, who sense something and have given their all throughout the sports day.

When it echoes across the grounds, you can’t help but be touched.

It’s a song that gives courage to children stepping forward into the future, so please give it a listen.

The sense of accomplishment from a day of hard work may deeply resonate in your heart.

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mayumi

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We’ve gotta do what seems impossible.Sambomasutā51rank/position

I’ve gotta do the thing that seems impossible.

A powerful anthem that gives you a push in those youthful moments.

Released by Sambomaster in February 2010, this song carries a warm message that boosts self-affirmation and the spirit to take on challenges.

Centered on themes of “not giving up,” “moving forward,” and “possibility,” it offers a gentle embrace for everyone’s anxieties and doubts while giving the courage to take a new step.

It has been featured in a Nissan commercial and as the image song for the film Cheer☆Dance, resonating with many hearts.

It’s a classic that students training for sports festivals, as well as anyone standing at a crossroads in life, should hear.

365 Days’ Paper AirplaneAKB4852rank/position

[MV full] 365 Nichi no Kamihikōki / AKB48 [Official]

The time eventually comes to retire from the club activities you devoted yourself to during your school days.

Along with a touch of sadness, AKB48’s “365 Nichi no Kamihikōki” is the perfect song to listen to as you feel a sense of accomplishment and the bonds with your teammates.

With its warm melody and resonant lyrics, it encourages you to look back on the days you’ve spent and take a courageous new step forward.

Its message, conveyed in soothing vocals as if speaking to you, will deeply resonate when you find yourself pausing between the end and beginning of youth.

It’s a recommended track for those who want to offer words of encouragement to graduates setting off toward a new future.

Teenager ForeverKing Gnu53rank/position

King Gnu – Teenager Forever

For students, one of the most important events in school life is surely the sports day or athletic festival.

In other words, it’s a precious page of youth.

To add color to those memories, why not play “Teenager Forever”? It’s a song by the popular mixture band King Gnu, included on their third album “CEREMONY,” released in 2020.

Many of you may know it as it was used in a SONY commercial.

The lyrics convey a powerful message—a burning desire to keep on running forever—that’s absolutely top-notch.

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Araki Jakkan

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I should be able to fly (in the sky).supittsu54rank/position

Spitz / I Should Be Able to Fly in the Sky

On the day you set off on a new journey, you naturally want to listen to songs that make you feel grateful for having met your classmates and teachers.

“Sora mo Toberu Hazu” (“We Could Even Fly in the Sky”), released by Spitz in 1994, features Kusano’s crystalline vocals that lift your spirits.

The bittersweet lyrics prompt you to look back on your school days, and the catchy melody makes it easy to sing along.

The chorus lyrics, which make you feel like you can go anywhere, are perfect for singing on graduation day!

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mutō

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Team friendsChiba Yūki55rank/position

Yūki Chiba – Team Tomodachi (Official Music Video)

I think today’s middle school students are closer to hip-hop than any generation before them.

Among them, many middle school heads are probably listening to trap music, which leads the times.

What I recommend is Team Tomodachi.

This track is a hit number by Yuki Chiba, aka KOHH, that gained worldwide popularity.

It’s laid back in trap style, so the flow is very simple.

Even those not used to rapping should have no problem performing it.

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Ryo

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I can’t stand that cute girl.narumiya56rank/position

I can't stand that cute girl – Narumiya

Set to a poppy, upbeat rhythm, this track vividly chronicles complex feelings like infatuation and jealousy.

It’s a single released by singer-songwriter Narumiya in September 2023, and it sparked a huge response mainly on social media.

Packed with possessiveness toward a crush and aching wishes, the more you listen, the tighter your chest feels.

Yet those disarmingly honest lyrics end up speaking for your feelings and lightening your heart.

Why not give it a listen when you’re struggling with unrequited love or wishing someone would understand your true feelings at night? If you let yourself sink into the up-tempo groove and let out the haze in your heart, you might feel a bit refreshed.