Guaranteed to move your emotions! Emo songs released in the Reiwa era
In recent years, the word “emoi” has been widely used among young people.
It comes from “emotional,” meaning a state that’s easily affected by feelings, and it’s used to express emotions like happiness, sadness, loneliness, nostalgia, and bittersweetness.
This time, we’ve put together a list of “emoi” tracks limited to releases from the Reiwa era.
Beyond just the lyrics, some songs feel “emoi” through their melodies and ensemble, so we hope listeners of all ages—not just younger generations—can feel the “emo” vibe.
- Just listening to it gives me chills! A moving song released in the Reiwa era
- Gently soaking into a weary heart... Healing songs released in the Reiwa era
- When you want to immerse yourself in music alone! Tear-jerker songs released in the Reiwa era
- Listening will surely fill you with courage! Cheer songs released in the Reiwa era
- [Classic and Contemporary Hits] Emotionally Stirring, Heart-Touching Songs
- [Sentimental/Emotional] A Collection of Vocaloid Songs That Shake the Heart [Moving Songs]
- A collection of Vocaloid youth songs [emo, romance, etc.]
- Recommended for couples! Reiwa-era love songs that warm the heart
- Emotional songs that resonate in a sentimental autumn. A collection of autumn tunes.
- A collection of uplifting, youth-themed songs — timeless tracks that set your heart on fire
- The nostalgic atmosphere tugs at your heartstrings. Tear-jerker songs from the Showa era.
- Emotional songs to listen to in spring: a collection of masterpieces that suit the season of meetings and farewells.
- An emo song for winter. A winter tune that resonates with the heart.
Guaranteed to move your emotions! Emo songs released in the Reiwa era (21–30)
hydrangeaPEOPLE 1
A poignant ballad you’ll want to listen to on a rainy day.
This song, performed by PEOPLE 1, is a masterpiece in which vocalist Ito’s richly expressive voice gently sinks into your heart.
Released in June 2022, it colored the drama Kanakana’s most heartrending scenes as an insert song.
It was later included on the album Hoshimeguri, Kimi ni Kinsei.
The lyrics, which liken shifting romantic feelings to the seasons and hydrangeas, are lyrical and squeeze your heart even just to read them.
skinshaitoopu
With delicate vocals and a gentle melody, this ballad quietly seeps into a tired heart.
The singer is Shytoop, a rock band whose lyrics skillfully capture everyday scenes and emotions, resonating with listeners.
In this work, the story is carefully woven around a protagonist who tends to lose confidence amid busy days, and who, in the moment they touch the warmth of a loved one’s skin, rediscovers their true self.
The track was produced as the web movie song for a skincare brand released in April 2024, and was included on the major-label debut single “Hikariau,” released in July of the same year.
Give it a listen, and you’ll feel the stiffness in your heart gently unwind.
rendezvousshaitoopu
Shytope is a three-piece rock band whose name comes from the “shy moles”—a group formed in a university music club that practiced in an underground studio.
Their popularity grew mainly through social media, and they made headlines for topping the Billboard JAPAN charts.
This song is a poignant breakup ballad that gazes back at a love that has passed.
Even while knowing it’s impossible, the protagonist dashes through the rain, longing to reunite with their lover—a scene likely to resonate with many teenagers.
The languidly sweet vocals and emotional soundscape make it perfect for nights when you want to sink into your feelings.
It’s a stylish, sentimental rock tune also included on their first full-length album, “Hors d’oeuvre.”
evening primroseNovelbright
This ballad, which portrays a love you can’t forget even after a breakup, was released by Novelbright in December 2020.
It was selected as the Monthly Song for the weather segment of Fuji TV’s information program “Tokudane!” in February, and the band also appeared live on the show.
The grand arrangement woven by piano and strings is layered with Yudai Takenaka’s emotional high-tone vocals, creating a world that is both heartrending and beautiful.
The lyrics, which reflect on memories spent in a city at dusk and feelings for someone you can no longer meet, will deeply resonate with anyone who has experienced heartbreak.
When you face parting with someone dear—carrying loneliness and regret yet trying to look forward—this song will gently stay by your side.
Memento moriŌmori Motoki
A song themed around life and death included on the EP “French,” released in February 2021 as a solo work by Motoki Ohmori of Mrs.
GREEN APPLE.
As its Latin title—meaning “remember death”—suggests, it contemplates the finiteness of life through motifs such as parting, departures, and memories, yet delivers a warm sense of affirmation rather than fear.
The piece was adapted into a picture book in September 2021, and further expanded beyond the realm of music with a stage adaptation as a reading play starring Mone Kamishiraishi set for December 2024.
With serene, lyrical soundscapes that seep into the heart, this ballad reflects on the farewells that will one day come and teaches the importance of living in the present.