Winter Songs: Classic tracks you want to listen to in winter. Songs you long for during the winter.
When you think of “songs you want to listen to in winter,” what comes to mind?
In the J-POP scene, countless winter songs are released every year, and there are so many popular hits as well as hidden gems!
Of course there are tracks that depict snow and Christmas, but even songs without explicit seasonal words—those whose sound evokes the atmosphere of winter—are captivating.
I’m sure you also have a special winter song of your own.
In this article, we introduce timeless tunes that will stir up fond memories or make you want to listen as they match the winter scenery.
From love songs to pieces that sing of beautiful winter landscapes, we hope you’ll find a track that resonates with your heart.
- Winter songs with lyrics that really hit home. Winter tunes you’ll want to listen to closely.
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[Winter Songs] Timeless tracks to enjoy in winter: songs you’ll crave when it’s cold (91–100)
snow globeKANA-BOON
When it comes to KANA-BOON’s quintessential winter song, it has to be “Snow Globe.” Included on their 2015 album “TIME,” it’s a staple at their winter live shows and a fan favorite.
With lyrics that tell the story of a figurine inside a snow globe falling in love with a girl, it’s an upbeat rock tune that’s quintessentially KANA-BOON.
The music video, which captures the song’s world, is also available on YouTube.
Do you want to build a snowman?Kanda Sayaka
One of the insert songs from Disney’s 2013 blockbuster Frozen is “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” Because Anna, the protagonist, grows up over the course of the song, the Japanese dubbed version features three singers: Sayaka Kanda, Natsuki Inaba, and Sumire Morohoshi.
The scene where young Anna innocently invites her sister Elsa—who has shut herself in her room and won’t come out—to build a snowman is heartwarming.
However, the scene where the grown-up Anna, hurt by the trials she faces, speaks to Elsa as if seeking support is heartbreaking.
Can’t Wait ‘Til ChristmasUtada Hikaru
A melody marked by a mid-tempo groove and a delicate piano tone leaves a strong impression.
On top of that, her heartrending vocals blend beautifully, tightening your chest.
It’s a love song with poignant lyrics about heartbreak—a popular ballad for quietly enjoying music in the winter season.
The track is included on the best-of album “Utada Hikaru SINGLE COLLECTION VOL.2” and was released in 2004.
Reason(s) to hold handsNishino Kana
Kana Nishino’s “Te o Tsunagu Riyū” (The Reason We Hold Hands), which was also selected as the October 2017 theme song for the information program Sukkiri, is a track filled with straightforward feelings for someone she loves.
Even if she were erased from the other person’s memory, the earnest wish that “at least our feelings for each other would remain” conveys how deeply she doesn’t want to lose them.
IlluminationSEKAI NO OWARI
A song that’s become a talking point for how it encourages people in tough times.
The band has said of the track, “We’d be happy if this song could overlap with different moments and scenes in many people’s lives.” Many listeners associate its imagery with winter, which helped it gain popularity.
The song itself was written specifically for the drama Legal V: Ex-Lawyer Shoko Takanashi, starring Ryoko Yonekura, and was also used as its theme song.
Sound of SnowGReeeeN
There are times when you just want to listen to songs that amplify the chill and the wintry vibe, right? As its title suggests, GReeeeN’s song “Yuki no Oto” (Sound of Snow) is a love song packed with a rich winter mood that makes you feel the snow falling quietly and steadily.
The intro and the arrangement throughout the track include sounds that evoke winter, making it a tune that instantly lifts your wintry spirits.
Released in 2012 as GReeeeN’s 18th single, it was also used as the CM song for the 2012–2013 “JR SKI SKI” campaign.
Snow WhiteEVE
Shirayuki is a bittersweet song about the wish to “hold on to the time spent with someone precious, even if only in a dream.” Released in 2022 by Eve, who is active as both a Vocaloid producer and singer, it was chosen as the theme song for the film Black Night Parade.
Set against a snowy landscape where the world is dyed pure white, it portrays treasuring the brief moments from night until morning.
It’s a winter song where transparent, pure feelings in the lyrics interweave with the beautiful sound of strings.
Be sure to listen for his warm vocals that seem to nestle close to the cold and to loneliness.
