Classic winter ballads. Recommended winter ballad roundup [2026]
Winter tends to make us yearn for connection and feel sentimental, and combined with the beauty of winter scenery, ballads fit the season perfectly.
In fact, many popular winter songs are ballads, and this article rounds up just such beloved winter ballads.
We’ve gathered a wide range of tracks—from timeless standards and classics to winter songs by today’s popular artists.
Whether it’s Christmas, a quiet winter night alone, a day on the slopes, or a winter drive, find the perfect song to match your mood for any winter scene.
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Winter Ballad Masterpieces: Recommended Winter Ballads Compilation [2026] (21–30)
Lovers AgainEXILE
Lovers Again begins with an intro tinged with melancholy.
Released by EXILE in 2007 as their 22nd single, many people set it as their ringtone back then.
Since then, some of you may feel nostalgic and want to listen to this song when winter comes.
The lyrics are sprinkled with words that evoke winter, cementing its image as a winter ballad.
For those who have just gone through a breakup, it especially resonates with the lingering feelings and pain of longing for a former lover.
Take your time listening when you want to immerse yourself in memories.
Winter MorningRyokushokushakai
A classic ballad that sets a heart swaying between bravado and true feelings against a winter backdrop.
This track, placed at the end of Ryokuoushoku Shakai’s 2020 album “SINGALONG,” was written by vocalist Haruko Nagaya during her university days, with moving to Tokyo in mind.
Its lyrics—where the small lies we tell to hide our loneliness intersect with the resolve to keep moving forward—are tenderly supported by delicate piano and string arrangements.
It’s a song that gently stays by the side of those who’ve started living on their own or are striving in a new environment.
A winter tune perfect for a quiet night when you want to face yourself.
Classic Winter Ballads. Recommended Winter Ballads Collection [2026] (31–40)
PresentINI
This song, included on the first winter single THE WINTER MAGIC released in November 2025, is a romantic dance-pop number that colors winter scenery and the holiday season.
Interweaving images like powdery snow and glowing lights, it gently portrays a pure desire to convey one’s feelings to someone special.
With lyrics penned by Rihito Ikezaki and Hiroto Nishi, the words, spun with an intimate sense of distance, resonate deeply.
The same single also features Because You Were There, written as the theme song for the film INI THE MOVIE “I Need I,” resulting in a work where festivity and sentiment coexist.
The exhilarating blend of shimmering synths and harmonies makes it a perfect track for those special winter moments spent with lovers or family.
EverythingMISIA
When you think of MISIA, isn’t this the song that comes to mind for many people? Since its release in 2000, it has been covered by many artists.
MISIA’s gentle yet powerful vocals are a perfect match for this song! As the lyrics say, nothing is more joyful than seeing the one you love.
This song expresses those feelings for a loved one alongside the rich tones of the violin.
Sunflowers in DecemberAqua Timez
Aqua Timez’s “Himawari in December” was created in collaboration with Gifu City, the hometown of vocalist Futoshi, as a “cheering song for young people living today.” As a motivational song, it encourages listeners with messages like “You’re never alone, no matter what” and “When times are tough, remember your precious moments and keep moving forward.” “Himawari in December” may be expressing “happy memories that never wither.”
Merry XmasBoA
One winter ballad you just can’t leave out is BoA’s “Meri Kuri,” right? Ever since its release in 2004, it’s been listened to every year as a song that brightens up the Christmas season.
Its winter-perfect sound and slow tempo give it that classic winter ballad feel.
It’s filled with all the feelings you have for the one you love, and just listening to it warms your heart.
In a season when we feel things more deeply, it’s a song that stays with you in many situations—when you want to express gratitude to your partner, or when you’re feeling lonely because you can’t see them.
Snow, fall and scatter toward you.Wagakki Band
This is Wagakki Band’s enchanting winter ballad, where shamisen and koto weave their tones together with Yuko Suzuhana’s vocals interlaced with shigin (poetic recitation).
Included on the album “Shikisai,” released in March 2017, it was also chosen as the theme song for the stage play “Laughing in Purgatory,” performed that summer.
Set against a landscape of falling, accumulating snow, it portrays a heartrending tale of feelings that cannot reach the one who matters most.
Highly recommended if you’re looking for a dark, beautiful rock ballad that seeps into the depths of your heart on a cold night.