Senri Oe’s Most Popular Songs Ranking [2026]

dearŌe Senri43rank/position

dear

In the bustle of the city, you catch a glimpse of a former lover and feel your chest tighten.

This is a pop ballad that evokes such a bittersweet scene.

Rather than dwelling only in sentimentality, it also conveys a gentle gaze of gratitude toward the one you parted with, woven into a beautiful melody that is uniquely Senri’s.

Released in July 1990, it was also beloved as the song for Suzuki’s Cultus commercial.

That same year, it served as the lead single for the acclaimed album APOLLO, which reached number one for the first time, and its sophisticated sound—colored by strings and horns—leaves a lasting impression.

When you want to gaze at the city lights and sink into your memories, this song will surely rest quietly by your side.

Two Homework AssignmentsŌe Senri44rank/position

Senri Oe – Two Homework Assignments (1983, 3rd single) Futatsu no Shukudai

A sparkling pop number that vividly conjures a scene from a school festival.

The lyrics, which liken the wavering heart—torn between confessing feelings to someone you like and holding back—to two assignments, are so fresh and innocent they make your chest tighten.

The transparent synths and sprightly guitar sounds arranged by Kenji Omura carry the sweet-and-sour thrill of youth.

Released in December 1983 as the third single and included on the album “Pleasure,” this is one of Senri Oe’s signature early songs.

There’s even an anecdote that Oe himself said he composed it without thinking too much about the structure, and that momentum may be what gives the track its fresh appeal.

It’s a song you’ll want to listen to when you want to bask in nostalgia or rekindle those innocent feelings.

girlfriendŌe Senri45rank/position

Senri Oe – Girlfriend (1983, 2nd single)

A recut single from the debut album “WAKU WAKU,” released in August 1983.

It’s a signature early track by Senri Oe that sings of the bewilderment toward a classmate who suddenly became grown-up and beautiful, along with the bittersweet stirrings of first love.

The poetic lyrics—so characteristic of Oe, likening a wavering heart between two people to the wind—tighten the chest.

Arranged by Kenji Omura, the sparkling pop sound accentuates both the radiance and the poignancy of youth.

Listening to this piece may make you feel a touch of nostalgia, as if flipping through a school-days photo album.

Perfect for nights when you want to sink into a sentimental mood.

FriendŌe Senri46rank/position

Senri Oe – Friend (single CD)

This is a song whose wistful yet warm piano tones gently nestle close to the heart.

It was Senri Oe’s eighth single, released in November 1985, and was also included on that year’s album “Chibusa.” It carefully weaves the tender, frustrating emotional landscape of two people whose relationship has shifted from lovers to friends.

Many listeners will likely feel their chests tighten at the world it evokes—where the ache of unexpected memories resurfaces despite thinking you’d forgotten, and warmth coexists with a wish for the other’s happiness.

The word choices, which conjure up the cityscapes of the time, further deepen the nostalgic atmosphere.

Under arranger Nobuyuki Shimizu, the shimmering synths and gentle timbres of acoustic instruments let the song’s tender melody slowly sink into the heart.

PoolsideŌe Senri47rank/position

Poolside

It’s a number that evokes the bittersweet yet beautiful scene of a pool on a quiet Monday, soaking into the heart.

Featured on the third album, “Miseinen,” released in March 1985, this track brims with the fresh sensibilities of Senri’s early years.

The frustrating feeling of being more than friends but not quite lovers—so close yet so far—resonates tightly in the chest, carried by the piano-centered sound.

Nobuyuki Shimizu’s sophisticated arrangement, along with the water sound effects and the Rhodes piano solo in the interlude, further deepens the nostalgic atmosphere.

It’s a perfect gem for moments when you want to gently recall the sweet-and-sour memories of youth or sink into a sentimental mood.

RomanceŌe Senri48rank/position

Senri Oe – Romance (1984, 5th single)

The fifth single, released in July 1984.

The arrangement was handled by Tetsuya Komuro, who was a rising star at the time.

It was apparently the first time Senri Oe himself asked Komuro to do the arrangement, and their chemistry produced a fresh new sound.

The forward-leaning, almost breathless rhythm and the shimmering tones of the synthesizer are especially striking.

Carried by this exhilarating sound is a delicate portrayal of love—the paradox of feeling lonelier than before you met.

It’s not just sweet and bittersweet; the deeper the love grows, the more the ache tightens in your chest.

It’s a classic that captivates with its curious charm, where vivid scenes of youth coexist with experimental sound.

The Third PartnerŌe Senri49rank/position

The Third Partner

It conjures up a nostalgic scene where you can almost see a brass band parade, and it tightens my chest.

I’m drawn into a bittersweet yet romantic mood that captures a fleeting moment with an unexpected partner at a dance party in our youth.

The detail of the record needle skipping and throwing the order off highlights the sparkle of a fateful encounter and leaves a strong impression.

This piece was included on the single “BOYS & GIRLS,” released in March 1984, and can also be heard on the album “Pleasure” from the same year.

It has that distinctive Chisato-style pop sensibility paired with a slightly wistful melody—an intriguing charm.

If you listen to it while overlaying it with memories of your school days, I think those fresh feelings from back then will come rushing back.