[2026] Recommended Japanese Songs for Driving: Popular J-POP for People in Their 20s
Whether you’re driving with friends, on a romantic trip for two, with family, or even solo, going for a drive is always a lot of fun, isn’t it?
Some of you in your twenties may have just gotten your long-awaited driver’s license and are now picking out BGM for your first drive—whether you’re a student or already working.
In this article, we introduce popular Japanese songs—J-POP—that are especially recommended for drives, with a focus on listeners in their twenties.
Centered on recent and current hits across various genres, this lineup will hype up your drive and add a stylish touch.
Feel free to use it as a reference!
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[2026] Recommended Japanese Songs for Driving: Popular J-Pop for People in Their 20s (111–120)
Black Nightmarenaniwa danshi
A cool dance track chosen as the theme song for Joichiro Fujiwara’s starring drama “Laundering”! It’s a mysterious and mature-sounding song that you’d never expect from Naniwa Danshi’s usually friendly, cozy vibe.
The thrilling, slightly poisonous lyrics—like the members probing each other’s true identities—make a huge impact.
The edgy sound also lures listeners into a nightmare-like world.
This track is included on the single “Asymmetry / Black Nightmare,” releasing in September 2025.
Ready to get your heart racing with their new appeal?
Yellow ToyAooo
Fronted by Riko Ishino, formerly of Akai Koen, and formed by top-tier musicians from various scenes, Aooo is a band attracting major attention among music lovers in 2025.
Their self-titled debut album, released in 2024, also earned high praise, and the group is clearly riding a wave of momentum.
Aooo’s track “Yellow Toy” perfectly fits the theme of this piece, offering a cool 16-beat groove throughout.
The band’s ensemble, backed by advanced musicianship, is danceable and groovy, and with the four-on-the-floor beat in the chorus, it’s an undeniable killer tune that’ll have you moving whether you planned to or not.
Crimson Lotus FlowerLiSA
You can’t go on a drive with close friends without songs that boost the mood! LiSA’s 2019 release “Gurenge” is a rock number that heats up the atmosphere in the car.
It was featured as the opening theme for the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and became a hot topic.
The track delivers a powerful, energetic band sound, and her vocals—full of strength and warmth—leave a strong impression.
With its exhilarating sense of speed, this song is a must for drives with friends who love anime music!
I KnowKing&Prince
It’s a cool number produced as an insert song for the drama DOPE: Narcotics Control Division Special Task Force starring Kaito Takahashi.
When it was unveiled as a surprise in episode 1, which aired in July 2025, its mysterious, danceable sound created a huge buzz.
The track expresses the unwavering resolve hidden within someone who has grasped a truth unknown to anyone else.
Its electro sound, tinged with hip-hop, meshes perfectly with the thrilling world of the story.
It’s included on the single What We Got ~Kiseki wa Kimi to~ / I Know, released in August 2025.
Put it on during a nighttime drive and you’ll be completely immersed in its atmosphere.
Summer Ride (feat. ¥ellow Bucks)LANA
A groovy track by LANA that evokes the West Coast breeze.
Released in July 2025, this piece is a feel-good driving tune, highlighted by a smooth back-and-forth with featured artist ¥ellow Bucks.
The lyrics paint scenes like seaside drives with friends and lounging by the pool—moments that feel like an “endless weekend,” leaving you with a warm, happy feeling as you listen.
Put it on during a summer trip, on your way to the beach, and it might help create the perfect memories.
Night riderTaiga Kyomoto(SixTONES)
An urban track that pairs a cool, night-city rush of sound with Taiga Kyomoto’s delicate vocals.
His breath-infused singing seems to convey both the anxiety of nearly losing sight of your goal and the strong will to keep moving forward.
You can picture the protagonist pressing through the darkness in search of light, even while carrying loneliness.
The song is included on SixTONES’ single “Stargaze,” to be released in September 2025.
It’s perfect for a late-night drive with a glittering cityscape.
Love Like ThisFuji Kaze
This is a song by Fujii Kaze that was premiered during his European tour and generated a huge response among fans.
It serves as the lead track from his album Prema, released in September 2025 after roughly three years, and it’s a universal love song sung entirely in English.
Kaze says he “pretended to know” the answer to the question, “What is the purest form of love?” True to those words, the piece invites each listener to reflect on their own shape of love, offering a profound and beautiful world that’s deeply compelling.
Its sound, reminiscent of ’80s pop, gently accompanies the feelings you have for someone important.