Popular Band Rankings [2026]

A Little Love SongMONGOL80015rank/position

A Little Love Song

A beloved classic that stands as a monument to youth punk! Riding on a driving, fast-paced beat, it sings of love for the important people close to us and an unchanging, eternal bond.

Its straightforward message fires up your heart every time you listen and gives you the energy to keep your hands moving at work! Featured on MONGOL800’s album “MESSAGE,” released in September 2001, this song sold over 2.8 million copies despite being an indie release, and it was used as the motif for the film “Little Love Song” and as the ending theme for the anime “Teasing Master Takagi-san.” It’s a guaranteed pick-me-up when you want to boost your mood and focus, or when you need that last push—highly recommended!

Tomorrow as wellSHISHAMO16rank/position

SHISHAMO “Tomorrow Too”

An energetic rock number that blows away the fatigue from weekday work and study.

Included on SHISHAMO’s album “SHISHAMO 4,” released in February 2017, this track is widely known as an NTT Docomo commercial song.

As an anthem cheering on people who work hard every day, it resonates with many listeners.

The lyrics, filled with a forward-looking determination to go see the person who supports you on the weekend, are perfect for women giving their all each day.

The key change in the chorus is exhilarating, and it’s sure to be a hit if you sing it together at karaoke.

Pick it when you want to liven up a girls’ night out.

Thank youikimonogakari17rank/position

Ikimonogakari 'Arigatou' Music Video

Feelings of gratitude that are too embarrassing to express on ordinary days might be easier to convey honestly at graduation.

This song, which portrays the warmth of holding someone’s hand, the happiness of everyday life, and the resolve to walk toward the future, is truly a classic befitting a new beginning.

Ikimono-gakari’s single “Arigatou,” released in May 2010, was widely loved as the theme song for the NHK morning drama Gegege no Nyōbō.

Thanks to its universal appeal, it was also selected as the entrance march for the 2011 National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament.

The words woven by Yoshiki Mizuno and the vocals of Kiyoe Yoshioka gently resonate with listeners’ hearts.

Why not listen to this perfect piece for expressing gratitude to parents and teachers at graduation and find the courage to take your next step?

As many times as you likeDREAMS COME TRUE18rank/position

DREAMS COME TRUE – “Nando Demo”

An uplifting anthem that stands by those feeling anxious about starting a new life in spring and gives them a powerful push forward.

DREAMS COME TRUE, known for numerous hit songs, released this as their 35th single in February 2005.

Written specifically as the theme song for Fuji TV’s drama “Emergency Room 24 Hours: Season 3,” it has given courage to many.

The lyrics depict the importance of facing challenges without giving up, no matter how many times you stumble, and Miwa Yoshida’s powerful vocals resonate deeply.

Set to a rock-tinged sound, the arrangement builds rapidly toward the chorus, delivering an overwhelming sense of exhilaration.

If you sing it when you’re troubled or want to rally yourself, it will surely put you in a positive frame of mind.

How about belting it out together with friends for an even bigger boost?

wishsumika19rank/position

sumika / Wish [Music Video]

It’s included on the double A-side single “Negai / Higher Ground,” released on December 11, 2019, and was written as the theme song for the TV Asahi drama Ossan’s Love -in the sky-.

The overall vocal range of the song is A2–A4.

While there are high notes, you don’t need to belt them; using falsetto is fine.

The tempo isn’t too fast either, so it should be comfortable to sing.

For the low notes in the first verse, make sure to use plenty of breath and push the sound forward so it resonates without sounding muffled.

Since the melody gradually rises toward the chorus, keeping your facial muscles lifted and singing with a bright tone will help you switch into the higher register smoothly.

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Kubota Mami

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All of the YouthFujifaburikku20rank/position

Fujifabric – Youth of Everything

Among classic Japanese rock songs, there are some that become approachable once you can play an eighth-note beat.

This track is fundamentally based on an eighth-note groove throughout, with the distinctive feature that the bass drum and snare placements shift at times.

Another notable point is the use of closed rimshots from the intro up to just before the first chorus.

All the eighth-note beats that appear in the song are simple, so if you first organize which beats are being used, it’ll be easier to remember the song’s structure.

If you’re a beginner and this is your first encounter with closed rimshots, take this opportunity to learn them.

You’ll see when you try it that, at first, you probably won’t get a clean tone like an experienced drummer.

Experiment with how you place your hand and which part of the stick you strike the rim with.

As you learn to produce a variety of sounds from the same instrument through different techniques, playing becomes even more enjoyable!

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Hane Keisuke

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migratory bird[Alexandros]21rank/position

[Alexandros] – Wataridori (MV)

A signature number by [Alexandros], with a driving melody and piercing high-register vocals that stir the listener’s heart.

It was included on a single released in March 2015 and is also known as the theme song for the film “Ake Garasu (Akegarasu).” The lyrics, which depict striving single-mindedly toward dreams and goals like a bird spreading its wings and soaring into the sky, really resonate.

When your mock exam results aren’t great or you feel anxious because you can’t see what lies ahead, the song’s positive energy will give you a push forward.

It’s a track I want exam takers to keep as a good-luck charm—something to listen to when you want to believe in yourself and sprint all the way to the finish.