On those nights when you just can’t fall asleep—when you want to doze off but your mind is wide awake—we’ve all been there.
You might try sipping a calming drink or reading a book, yet drowsiness never seems to arrive.
At times like that, soothing sleep BGM may gently guide you into deep slumber.
In this article, we’ll introduce the perfect tracks for your pre-bedtime relaxation, spanning a wide range of genres including classical, Western music, and J-pop.
May you find the one song that stays by your side.
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Drift into deep sleep with sleep BGM. This is the music that truly makes you sleepy (1–10).
Malibu NightsLANY
A serene piano ballad that keeps you company on sleepless nights.
It’s the closing track of LANY’s second album, Malibu Nights, released in 2018, and it’s deeply informed by frontman Paul Klein’s own heartbreak.
With synths and beats kept to a minimum, the sound—built only from broken piano chords and reverb-drenched vocals—creates a lonely atmosphere, like being lost in thought alone at midnight.
Paul’s fragile, breathy voice glides smoothly between falsetto and chest voice, gently wrapping the pain of loss.
As the finale to an album written in about 50 days, this song holds an important place as an emotional catharsis.
It’s not flashy, but that’s exactly why it sinks deep into the heart.
On nights when you want to sleep but your thoughts won’t stop, let it play softly.
Happier Than EverBillie Eilish

Let me introduce a song that gently keeps you company on nights when you want to ease the day’s fatigue.
Billie Eilish, the American singer-songwriter known for her unique worldbuilding and whisper-like vocals, released the title track of her 2021 album “Happier Than Ever,” a serene ballad that begins with the calm resonance of classical guitar.
Its minimal arrangement in the first half and her characteristically soft voice melt pleasantly into the ears.
The lyrics, which reflect on a past relationship while reclaiming one’s sense of self, are also striking.
The song peaked at No.
11 on the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100 and won Song of the Year at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards.
Since the latter half builds into an intense section, those who prefer a gentle drift into sleep might want to check out an acoustic cover as well.
FINAL DISTANCEUtada Hikaru

It’s a song that gently embraces you like a quiet requiem.
Released as a single by Hikaru Utada in July 2001, it boldly reconstructs a track from the album “Distance” into a piano- and strings-centered ballad.
It was used in an NTT DoCoMo “M-stage music” commercial.
Over a subdued, gentle tempo, layered choral work and resonant strings overlap to softly envelop the listener’s heart.
The theme—of a distance that can never be completely bridged even when two people are very close, and of continuing to cherish someone nonetheless—is woven through a vocal delivery that feels like a prayer.
The song was later included on the acclaimed album “DEEP RIVER” and has remained one of Utada’s signature ballads.
It’s a piece that stays by your side like a quiet light on sleepless nights or when your heart is tired.
HeatherConan Gray

“There’s someone who just won’t look my way…” This is a song that stays with you on sleepless nights when you’re carrying that kind of bittersweet memory.
It’s a folk-tinged number by Conan Gray, included on his 2020 album Kid Krow.
Centered on acoustic guitar, its minimal sound gently unravels the heart.
It carefully portrays the complex feelings of watching your crush be drawn to someone else while comparing yourself to an idealized version of who you think you should be.
After spreading on TikTok, it gained widespread attention and peaked at No.
46 on the Billboard Hot 100.
It resonated with listeners around the world, earning platinum certifications in the U.S.
and Canada.
With its delicate vocals and simple sonic palette that lull you toward sleep, it’s perfect for a night when you want to quietly transmute the pain of unrequited love.
LonelyJustin Bieber & benny blanco

Here’s the perfect track for those seeking a quiet, introspective ballad to keep you company on sleepless nights.
This piece by Justin Bieber and benny blanco is a pop ballad released in October 2020, which drew attention as a lead single for the album Justice.
Its strikingly minimal sound—pared down to a muffled electric piano and delicate synth pads—leaves a strong impression.
The lyrics candidly portray the loneliness and sense of alienation behind fame, gently seeping into the listener’s heart.
In the music video, actor Jacob Tremblay plays a young Justin, which also became a talking point.
The unhurried tempo and whisper-like vocals will help ease taut nerves.
Someone You LovedLewis Capaldi

Let me introduce a song whose simple piano melody and deeply resonant vocals will sink into your heart.
Released in 2018 by Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi, this ballad delicately portrays the sense of loss and emotional emptiness after losing a loved one.
It spent seven consecutive weeks at No.
1 on the UK Singles Chart and became the best-selling single in the UK in 2019.
Remarkably, it also reached No.
1 on the US charts—the first time a Scottish solo artist had done so since 1981.
The music video, created in collaboration with an organ donation charity, has moved many viewers.
With its gentle tempo and unadorned arrangement that calmly soothes the mind, it’s perfect for sleepless nights—a masterpiece that quietly keeps you company just before you drift off to sleep.
Too Good At GoodbyesSam Smith

A song whose delicate piano tones and whispering opening vocals gently envelop the heart.
Released in September 2017 by British singer-songwriter Sam Smith, this track drew worldwide attention as the lead single from the album “The Thrill of It All.” It topped the UK Singles Chart for three consecutive weeks and became Smith’s first number one in Australia.
The lyrics portray a heart growing numb after repeated breakups, delicately expressing the self-protection against getting hurt and the frustration of being unable to let go.
As the song progresses, gospel-style chorus elements are added, creating a compelling structure that evokes deep emotional swells within its quietness.
On sleepless nights or when your thoughts won’t stop, surrender yourself to this gentle ballad.




