Popular Japanese songs among men in their 20s. Recommended masterpieces and classic tracks.

Effeminate; overly sentimental; being clingy/whiny (context-dependent)Gōruden Bonbā

Golden Bomber “Memeshikute” Music Video

This is another track that was wildly popular for a time.

The choreography, reminiscent of the “ota-dance,” is fun to watch and easy for anyone to learn, so you can jump in and go wild during the chorus! The other music videos also go all-in on the gags, so be sure to check them out.

Friends’ SongZūkaraderu

Zookaraderu “Tomodachi no Uta” (Official Music Video)

Zutomayo? Correction: The three-piece rock band ZOOKARADERU is currently drawing major attention in the Japanese rock scene.

While many Japanese rock bands are leaning toward K-pop-like styles, they remain committed to classic Japanese rock.

Their moving masterpiece here is Tomodachi no Uta (Song of Friends).

It features a slow tempo with lyrics and a vocal line that tug at the heart.

While the range isn’t exactly narrow, there’s no falsetto and no need to sustain long notes in the high register, making it a great recommendation for teenage males with lower voices.

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Ryo

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for YOU。haji→

Haj→ – for YOU.

This song starts with a bold, cool line.

Even a man who’s never had confidence in himself would love to nail it like this someday.

The lyrics capture feelings that every man has probably experienced at least once.

men and womentarou

Male and female/Taro

The original song’s music video is striking, but I think it’s even more famous for its MAD remixes on ZYOUTUBE and Nico Nico Douga.

One of the MADs features a dance, and when I learned the choreography and danced it at karaoke, the crowd went wild.

Shout out lovearashi

ARASHI – Shout Out Love [Official Music Video]

It’s an upbeat track by Arashi, the hugely popular Johnny’s idol group, featured in a tie-in with Recruit’s wedding magazine “Zexy.” Lately it’s often sung at friends’ weddings and after-parties, and since it has tremendous support among people in their 20s, it’s highly recommended.

Matsuken Samba IIMatsudaira Ken

PV Ken Matsudaira - Matsuken Samba II

More than ten years have passed since it was produced, and as it aired in TV commercials and on period drama channels, its popularity gradually surged with people asking, “What is that song?!” It’s the very epitome of a dazzling, showy piece.

Watching it gets you hyped up, and it makes you wonder what kind of festival it is.

LOSERYonezu Kenshi

Kenshi Yonezu – LOSER

A vivid portrayal of the feelings of young people struggling with self-loathing and how to face society, this is one of Kenshi Yonezu’s signature works.

While self-deprecatingly accepting the label “loser,” the protagonist’s determination to rise from that state is deeply moving.

Released as a double A-side single in September 2016 and later included on the 2017 album BOOTLEG, the song also drew attention for its music video, in which Yonezu himself tried dancing for the first time.

In 2018, it was featured in a Honda JADE car commercial, earning widespread support across diverse audiences.

It’s a track not only for those who want to look back on their youth, but also for anyone who feels they haven’t found their place or who harbors anxiety about the future.