For When You Want to Get Sentimental: Classic Japanese Songs Overflowing with a Melancholic Atmosphere

POPS writer/editorKEI
Since discovering music during my school days, I’ve mainly listened to Japanese and Korean pop. I have experience writing articles for sites like Utaten. 2000s J-pop and 2010s K-pop were especially the soundtrack of my youth. With the mindset that “good is good,” I enjoy music across genres. Thanks to past work environments and their influence, I was exposed to lots of classic rock and kayōkyoku (Japanese popular songs), which may have broadened the scope of what I love. At RAG MUSIC, I currently focus on K-pop and J-pop. I strive to edit with a feel for the scene and an eye for hit potential.

There are times when you suddenly find yourself feeling sentimental, aren’t there?

Cheering yourself up is one way to go, but it might also be nice to just let yourself be as you are in those moments.

In this article, we’ve picked out songs you can sink into on a sentimental day.

Letting yourself go with the flow and listening to classics like these can be surprisingly soothing.

These tracks aren’t just for autumn nights—you can enjoy them in all sorts of seasons and situations.

Hopefully you’ll find a song that fits your sentimental mood.

[For When You Want to Be Sentimental] Classic Japanese Songs Overflowing with a Melancholic Atmosphere (81–90)

Midnight JokeTakako Mamiya

Midnight Joke – Takako Mamiya

Midnight Joke Takako Mamiya

A masterpiece where Takako Mamiya’s beautiful vocals perfectly match a jazzy, stylish fusion sound.

Driving alone, it exudes a superbly cool sense of humor—like a joke you’d come up with in the middle of the night—and becomes a song that allows you to indulge in sentiment during those lonely, sorrowful hours of the night.

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In conclusion

I introduced some classic sentimental Japanese songs you can really sink into.

There were many heartbreaking breakup tunes, but each track features an acoustic sound centered on acoustic guitar, with a slow, mellow atmosphere that really seeps in.

They’re sentimental numbers that work both as background music and for deep, attentive listening.

I’d be happy if this helps you find a new favorite track.