Songs to listen to in autumn: Ranking of popular Japanese bands [2026]
Since it’s the season of autumn music, how about lending an ear this year to artists you don’t usually listen to?
We’ve selected songs from Japanese bands that are perfect for fall, so you’re sure to find one or two that strike a chord.
Let’s make it a season full of diverse interests!
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Songs to Listen to in Autumn: Popular Japanese Band Rankings [2026] (61–70)
DearMrs. GREEN APPLE61rank/position
An emotional ballad written as the theme song for the film “Dear Family,” released in June 2024.
Lyrics expressing deep love for someone precious resonate through an ensemble woven from grand orchestration and band sound.
Its warm yet bittersweet message feels perfect for those autumn nights when you find yourself longing for connection.
Released in May 2024, the song reached No.
8 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 weekly chart.
A heartwarming number you’ll want to listen to while thinking of someone important.
lilacMrs. GREEN APPLE62rank/position
A heartwarming rock tune by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, packed with the sweet-bitter flavor of youth and the anticipation of growth.
Centered on memories with loved ones and the finiteness of life, this song was chosen as the opening theme for the anime “Oblivion Battery,” which began airing in April 2024, and went on to win the 66th Japan Record Awards in December of the same year—achieving the remarkable feat of back-to-back victories.
It offers comfort to those feeling anxious or lonely in a corner of the city, giving them the courage to face forward while embracing their own imperfections.
When the start of a new chapter leaves you feeling low, listening to this track may lighten your heart and help you take a fresh step forward.
Song of PointillismMrs. GREEN APPLE63rank/position
A Mrs.
GREEN APPLE song that expresses various feelings about the finiteness of time.
Used as an insert song in the film “Ao-Natsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-Nichi,” it conveys the emotions of two characters in the story.
The warm, grand sound centered on the piano is striking, and as it builds toward the chorus, the momentum of the music increases as if mirroring the swell of emotion.
While cherishing the memories piled up within limited time, the song voices—almost like a cry—the wish for this relationship to continue if at all possible.
It powerfully communicates the desire for summer not to end, and for the relationship not to end.
Same BlueOfisharu Higedan Dism64rank/position
A song by Official HIGE DANDism released on October 2, 2024 as the theme for the anime Blue Box.
It features an emotional, piano-centered sound, highlighted by Satoshi Fujihara’s clear, translucent vocals.
While delicately portraying the struggles and growth of youth, it carries a message filled with hope.
The lyrics beautifully express the changing seasons and the ebb and flow of first love, resonating deeply with listeners as they align with the anime’s worldview.
The theme of “blue,” symbolizing purity and fragility, is vividly woven throughout the lyrics, adding to its appeal.
It’s a refreshing yet powerful track that’s perfect for listening to on an autumn evening.
NonfictionSaucy Dog65rank/position
Saucy Dog is a three-piece rock band known for relatable lyrics and emotive vocals.
Released digitally in January 2022, this track candidly expresses a heart swaying between ideals and reality.
The opening dives straight in without an intro, and the driving beat exceeding 200 BPM seems to amplify the protagonist’s impatience.
With lyrics portraying the melancholy of comparing yourself to others in the season scented with fragrant olive, it’s likely to resonate with many people in their twenties.
The song was chosen as the theme for the WOWOW original drama “Ryunosuke Kamiki’s Day Off” and is included on their 6th mini-album, “Sunny Bottle.” It’s a rock tune that accompanies a sentimental autumn—one to play when you’re struggling with being yourself.
SeptemberAndrop66rank/position
A somehow nostalgic sound that suits the autumn air—a coming-of-age song delivered by androp.
The emotionally charged ensemble reminiscent of 1990s power pop feels so good, doesn’t it? The lyrics sing of the frustrating love of youth—the desire to get closer but being unable to—stirring the heart in tandem with Takahito Uchisawa’s sweet, heartrending vocals.
Released in September 2022, the song is also included on the EP “fab,” which came out the same year.
The music video uses live footage from Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall, further enhancing the song’s nostalgic atmosphere.
It’s a lyrical number perfect for the autumn season—one that gently accompanies you on the way home from a school festival or sports day, when you’re feeling just a little bit lonely.
Festival preparationsgagaga supi67rank/position
Speaking of autumn, school festivals really heat up, don’t they? And speaking of youth!—there’s the Kobe punk rock band Gagaga SP and their single released in 2004.
If you’ve ever fallen in love because of a school event, this one will hit especially hard.
It brings back that special rush and those bittersweet feelings, and it really gets you.
A fleeting yet fiery track where fury and sentimentality coexist.
Only being able to meet in certain places or at certain times is truly heartbreaking, isn’t it… The lyrics even toy with the thought that it might have been better never to have met at all—there’s a touch of loneliness there that’s painfully relatable.
Summer MemoriesKetsumeishi68rank/position
This song by Ketsumeishi is a quintessential summer anthem, isn’t it? But don’t you think listening to it in September stirs up a different feeling? The fun of summer passes in the blink of an eye.
With the hint of autumn in the air, you can close your eyes and feel all those memories while listening to this track! You might even get a little sentimental riding along with the rap’s rhythm… Their definitive summer song—highly recommended for early autumn!
October’s (2025 mix)Harukamirai69rank/position
How about a slightly bittersweet song that conjures up scenes of a crimson sunset sky and a flowing river? This work by Harukamirai, a rock band from Hachioji, portrays the determination to live powerfully “here and now,” even while carrying uncertainty and frustration about the future.
The contradictory emotions of youth—feeling more constrained the more you seek freedom—surge into your chest atop a melody that makes you want to hum along.
The track was included on the November 2017 mini-album “Hoshikuzu no Uta” and was later rebuilt with a new sound.
On a contemplative walk home, or on a night when you wish someone would sing just for you, listening to it might gently stay by your side.
Liar MoonYorushika70rank/position
A delicate ballad by Yorushika, where the piano’s quiet melody and vocalist suis’s gentle voice seep into the heart.
Released in June 2020, this song served as the ending theme for the animated film “A Whisker Away,” adding a tender afterglow to the story.
It portrays the protagonist’s profound loneliness and sense of loss as they continue to wait, even as the memory of “you” grows faint.
Layering poetic words, it expresses an unquenchable thirst of the heart.
On an autumn night, why not gaze quietly at the beautiful moon alone and let your thoughts drift to days gone by?