[2026 Edition] Songs Loved by People in Their 60s: Classic Hits from Their Youth
For people now in their 60s, their youth was around the 1970s, right?
The music you listened to in your teens and twenties still resonates in your heart today, wrapped in memories.
In this article, we’ve compiled songs that colored the youth of those in their 60s—classics from the era when many Showa pop and folk masterpieces were born.
We hope it helps you reminisce alongside your memories of those days, and also serves as a guide for choosing karaoke songs to enjoy with your peers.
Of course, it’s also recommended for younger generations interested in Showa-era music!
- Good songs recommended for people in their 60s: classic and popular Japanese tracks
- Popularity Ranking of Songs by Generation: 60s [2026]
- [Recommended for people in their 70s] Classic nostalgic hits: A collection of youth songs
- Recommended for women in their 60s! Easy-to-sing Japanese karaoke songs
- Coming-of-age songs for your 50s: heart-thumping × heartwarming classics and popular tracks [2026]
- Popular Japanese songs among men in their 60s: recommended masterpieces and classic tracks
- [60s] Karaoke Popularity Rankings by Generation [2026]
- Recommended for women in their 60s! Songs that get the crowd going at karaoke
- Love songs that resonate with women in their 60s: gem-like romance tunes that revive memories of youth.
- [For People in Their 60s] Ranking of Easy-to-Sing Karaoke Songs [2026]
- [Ages 60s] Popular Japanese Music / J-POP Rankings [By Generation]
- A love song that makes a man in his sixties relive his youth. Timeless classics that rekindle the romances of those days.
- Spring songs for people in their 60s: A collection of classic tracks about cherry blossoms and farewells
[2026 Edition] Songs Loved by People in Their 60s: Classic Hits from Their Youth (21–30)
Until we meet againOzaki Kiyohiko
One of the classic Showa-era kayokyoku hits, released in 1971.
The pop sensibility that lets you recognize it the moment the intro starts still feels outstanding today.
And of course there’s the beautiful, straightforwardly moving melody line—but above all, Kiyohiko Ozaki’s overwhelming vocals are truly one of a kind.
Not only his incredible power and technique, but also his strikingly non-Japanese sense of style made him every bit the star of his time.
As for the content, it portrays a man and woman with a bit of a “complicated” past, making it a poignant, deeply flavorful masterpiece—so be sure to listen closely to the lyrics.
Parting at 22kaze
This song, known as a signature piece by the folk duo Kaze, was released in 1975 and became a massive hit, selling over one million copies in total.
It’s said that Shozo Ise pulled an all-nighter determined to write a song that would definitely sell.
The delicate lyrics and melody, written from a woman’s perspective, resonate deeply with listeners.
The complex emotions of choosing to part ways after a five-year relationship are expressed through a beautiful, heartrending vocal performance.
It’s a song that offers comfort to anyone who has experienced a farewell with someone dear.
Please take your time and listen closely.
[2026 Edition] Songs Loved by People in Their 60s: Classic Hits from Their Youth (31–40)
17 years oldMinami Saori
She made a striking debut with this song and won the Best New Artist Award at the 1971 Japan Record Awards.
Composed by Kyohei Tsutsumi, it was a fresh-sounding track for the time, blending kayōkyoku and pop.
Its style matched her exotic, sun-kissed, and cute image, and her popularity soared in no time.
She later shocked the public by marrying photographer Kishin Shinoyama.
The song is also famous for being covered by Chisato Moritaka in 1989, which led to a major resurgence.
A long nightMatsuyama Chiharu
The classic songs that colored the 1970s are still a soothing oasis for many people in their 60s today.
Among the many tracks from that era, Chiharu Matsuyama’s “Nagai Yoru” holds a special place.
Riding the wave of New Music’s shift toward rock, its exhilarating, fast-paced melody made it unforgettable and a karaoke staple.
While it carries a touch of nostalgia, it also sparks excitement, making it beloved across generations.
It’s a must-listen not only for those who want to look back on their youth, but also for younger listeners interested in exploring Showa-era pop.
Please give me wingsakai tori
Even if you’re not in your 60s, many people know “Tsubasa wo Kudasai” (“Please Give Me Wings”).
It was released in 1971 by Akaitori, a folk band active from 1969 to 1974, and later became a choral piece sung at elementary and junior high schools nationwide.
If you’re from a younger generation and aren’t sure what to sing when you go to karaoke with someone in their 60s, try adding this song—you can enjoy it together.
If you’ve never heard the original, take this opportunity to give it a listen!
the first strong spring windkyandīzu
Released in March 1976, Candies’ “Haru Ichiban” is still loved by many.
Its charm lies in a melody that heightens positive feelings along with a fresh sense of the season.
It became such a hit that it ranked 21st on the Oricon year-end chart, and by the time of their farewell concert, total sales had reached nearly 490,000 copies.
It’s truly a song that vividly colored many people’s youth.
Riding on the spring breeze, the catchy chorus that hints at the start of a new romance brings back that fluttering excitement no matter when you listen to it.
The Begin of Twilightchiaki naomi
This song was originally included on the B-side of Hiroshi Mizuhara’s single released in 1959.
Although the lyrics were by Rokusūke Ei and the music by Hachidai Nakamura, it wasn’t much of a hit at the time.
However, after Naomi Chiaki chose it as a cover, it gradually began to be covered by various artists and started to become a hit, and today it’s a song known across a wide range of generations.
