Seiko Matsuda Ballad Songs: Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

Because I Want to See You ~Missing You~Matsuda Seiko1rank/position

I Want to See You ~Missing You~ – Seiko Matsuda (Full)

A popular song by the eternal idol, Seiko Matsuda.

As she moved beyond her idol years and transformed into a mature woman, her popularity and support never waned—she kept forging ahead.

She truly is Japan’s ultimate songstress.

This song gives voice to a woman’s aching heart, and her clear, beautiful tone resonated deeply with listeners.

The way she sings a woman’s bittersweet love with such emotion is beautiful.

It’s a ballad that deserves to be called a classic.

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Yoshizaki Keiko

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Bloom like a rose, fall like a cherry blossom.Matsuda Seiko2rank/position

Seiko Matsuda – "Bloom Like a Rose, Fall Like a Cherry Blossom" Music Video (Short Ver.)

Speaking of Seiko Matsuda, she produced numerous hit songs during her idol years.

As for a masterpiece from her later period, it would have to be “Bloom Like a Rose, Fall Like a Cherry Blossom.” It’s a ballad filled with a mature charm that differs from her earlier days.

Red Sweet PeaMatsuda Seiko3rank/position

Red Sweet Pea – Seiko Matsuda

This song is Seiko Matsuda’s eighth single, released in 1982, with composition by Yumi Matsutoya.

Often cited as a representative track from the peak of Matsuda’s idol era, it expresses a woman’s cute, endearing feelings.

It’s a classic that’s frequently sung at karaoke.

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utatane

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Lapis-Lazuli EarthMatsuda Seiko4rank/position

Lapis-colored Earth – Seiko Matsuda

This is a grand piece that sings of deep love and hope for the Earth.

Released by Seiko Matsuda on her 1986 June album “SUPREME,” the work features lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto and music by Natsumi Hirai, depicting the story of people traveling around the Earth as if aboard a spaceship.

The image of a beautifully gleaming lapis-lazuli Earth and the feelings for the people living upon it unfold alongside a sweeping melody that resonates deeply with listeners.

It also carries wishes for world peace and environmental protection, and it has been included in high school music textbooks and embraced as a choral piece.

In April 2010, it was used as a wake-up call on the International Space Station, coloring the moment of gazing at the Earth from space.

It is a moving song that speaks to the heart when you want to feel the Earth’s beauty and the preciousness of life.

SWEET MEMORIESMatsuda Seiko5rank/position

SWEET MEMORIES ~Sweet Memories~ Music Video (YouTube Edit)

This song is etched in the hearts of many as a ballad that sings of a bittersweet love.

Seiko Matsuda’s clear, translucent voice beautifully paints memories of a love that has passed.

Released in August 1983, it was also featured in a Suntory commercial.

The story of lovers who hurt each other in their youth resonated with many people, turning it into a classic that has been covered by numerous artists.

It’s a moving track you’ll want to listen to when you wish to heal the pain of heartbreak or reflect on memories with someone dear.

I Want to See You ~Missing You~Matsuda Seiko6rank/position

Junichi Inagaki with Aya Matsuura – I Want to See You

It was released in 1996 as Seiko Matsuda’s 38th single.

Among her singles, it recorded her highest sales and became a million seller.

It was used as the image song for Canon’s “PIXEL,” and in 2014 it was performed as the finale act at the 65th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.

uniformMatsuda Seiko7rank/position

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Originally released in 1982 as the B-side to the eighth single “Akai Sweet Pea,” this song has long been cherished as one of Seiko Matsuda’s hidden masterpieces.

With lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto, music by Kureta Keiko (the pen name of Yumi Matsutoya), and arrangement by Masataka Matsutoya, it was created by a stellar team.

The lyrics portray the feelings of the protagonist walking beside the person they like amid a sea of umbrellas on graduation day, brimming with the bittersweet tension between the desire to confess and the urge to hold back.

It masterfully condenses the universal theme of the end of student days into just 3 minutes and 33 seconds.

Despite being a B-side, its quality is such that Seiko Matsuda herself said it was “as complete as an A-side.” In 1984, it was included on the compilation album Touch Me, Seiko, which collected coupling tracks and reached No.

1 on the Oricon weekly chart.

It’s a song I highly recommend to those setting out on a springtime journey or anyone nostalgic for their school days.

Blue PhotographMatsuda Seiko8rank/position

Seiko Matsuda Blue Photograph

Although it was originally a B-side single, this celebrated ballad won overwhelming support as a TV drama theme song.

The poignant melody blends beautifully with the world of the TBS drama “Ao ga Chiru,” and it likely remains deeply etched in many hearts.

When it was first released in October 1983, it was a B-side, but due to its strong reception it was reissued as a double A-side, and it held the No.

1 spot on TBS’s “The Best Ten” for eight consecutive weeks.

Seiko’s crystal-clear vocals express pure feelings for friends who part ways upon graduation.

It’s a gem of a song to revisit at life’s crossroads, as you look back on a radiant youth.

Once more, from the beginning.Matsuda Seiko9rank/position

Seiko Matsuda “Once Again, From the Beginning” Official Music Video

Seiko Matsuda’s 37th single, released on May 11, 1994.

A love song calling for us to return to those days once more.

By looking back and reexamining things with an honest heart, we might discover what truly matters—this song conveys those precious, easily forgotten truths through deeply poetic lyrics.