[2026] Must-listen! This Year's Best Japanese Hit Songs

Slay! Mi AmoreJuice=Juice

Juice=Juice “More! Mi Amore” Promotion Edit

Here’s the latest number from Juice=Juice, part of Hello! Project, set for release in October 2025.

It’s a dance tune that distills Latin passion into pop, with percussive rhythms that make your body move.

In the lyrics, the word “moru” (to “enhance” or “hype up”) is treated as a positive skill for presenting yourself better, expressing a heartfelt “Look at me more!” to the other person.

However, toward the end of the song, the narrator goes through heartbreak, and it closes on an upbeat note, declaring they’ll even hype up that heartbreak and turn it into a funny story.

With its catchy melody and striking choreography, this track is recommended for anyone who wants to cherish their individuality or charge up with positive energy.

BRAVE GROOVENEW!iLiFE!

[MV] BRAVE GROOVE / iLiFE! [Digimon]

This song is memorable for its beat that makes your body move naturally and its exhilarating, uplifting chorus.

Released as a single in March 2026, it was chosen as the ending theme for the anime “DIGIMON BEATBREAK.” It drew attention as the group’s first anime tie-in.

The perspective of embracing even flaws like noise and bugs as individuality, and affirming one’s true self, is wonderful.

It’s an energetic pop tune that’s perfect for boosting your mood.

Crashing WinnersNEW!VOLTACTION×3SKM

【MV】Crashing Winners – VOLTACTION×3SKM

A powerful track born from the tag-team of VOLTACTION and 3SKM, both belonging to the VTuber group NIJISANJI.

Released as a digital single in January 2026, the song generated major buzz by tying in with the two units’ first collaborative concert, “VOLTACTION×3SKM FUSION LIVE ‘IMPACT.’” Lyrics and composition are by Ryo Aoyagi of Arte Refact, featuring a thrilling sound reminiscent of a “pre-revolution eve” and standout vocal work where distinct personalities collide.

It’s the perfect song to play before a crucial showdown—sure to ignite your fighting spirit.

monologueOmoinotake

Omoinotake “Soliloquy” Anime MV | TV Anime “The Apothecary Diaries” Season 2, Cour 2 Ending Theme

This is a song released in April 2025 by Omoinotake, a three-piece band from Shimane Prefecture.

It was written as the ending theme for the second cour of season 2 of the anime The Apothecary Diaries.

An evocative mid-tempo ballad with an oriental flair, it poignantly conveys the regret of failing to notice a loved one’s true feelings and the ache of words that never reach them.

Reo Fujii’s emotional vocals powerfully express that loneliness and the longing for reunion.

Following their 2024 smash hit Infinite Light Years, this highly anticipated track is set for a CD release in May.

It’s a perfect pick for anyone seeking timeless, universal sentiments—or for a night when you want a wistful ballad to cleanse the heart.

replicaVaundy

replica / Vaundy：MUSIC VIDEO

Vaundy, a multitalented artist who handles everything from songwriting and composition to artwork, enjoys overwhelming support especially among younger generations.

Released in November 2023, this title track from his second album “replica” is a crucial song that closes Disc 1 of the expansive two-disc, 35-track release.

The lyrics confront the struggle with quotation and déjà vu in the creative process head-on, yet still convey a determination to keep creating.

It’s a track we especially recommend to those involved in making things or anyone reflecting on their own sense of self.

Nobody Knowsmilet

milet “Nobody Knows” Music Video (Minami Maezono) | Insert Song from the Film “Unknown Girlfriend”

Included on the double A-side single “I still / Nobody Knows,” released in February 2025, it was written specifically as an insert song for the film “Unknown Girlfriend,” in which she made her debut as an actress.

She penned the lyrics herself, infusing them with a resolve to step toward a version of herself that no one knows yet.

The music video was directed by filmmaker Takahiro Miki and was also used in the movie.

It’s a song we especially recommend to those embarking on new challenges or searching for their true selves.

Stay with meTele

Tele | I Am There – Music Video

Released digitally in November 2025, this work by singer-songwriter Tele is built around a live-instrument band ensemble and a gentle vocal line.

The lyrics portray the idea that the small moments spent on a street corner after the last train, and the accumulation of silly conversations, are what shape the two people’s world—highlighting the sense of happiness found in everyday fragments.

It’s a track that quietly stays by your side when you want to savor those modest moments with someone special.