[2026] Classic Western songs to celebrate the New Year: Popular tracks to kick off the year

Raise Your GlassP!nk

P!nk – Raise Your Glass (Official Video)

Pink is a singer-songwriter who combines a bold persona with undeniable musical talent and enjoys immense popularity worldwide.

In Japan, too, her songs have been used as drama theme tunes, making her a household name.

Raise Your Glass, included on her 2010 greatest hits album Greatest Hits…

So Far!!!, was created to thank her fans in celebration of the 10th anniversary of her debut.

It’s an ultra-pop party anthem with a positive message—perfect for events from New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day with close friends.

In fact, the song was also featured in the 2011 film New Year’s Eve.

It’s used in a particularly iconic way in the trailer, so be sure to check it out.

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Happy New YearABBA

ABBA – Happy New Year (Video)

ABBA is a Swedish music group that gained worldwide popularity.

They’re also well known in Japan as a group that still enjoys enduring popularity.

“Happy New Year” is one of ABBA’s classic songs, and just as the title suggests, it’s a simple New Year’s song crafted to celebrate the arrival of a new year.

What’s especially striking is its message about letting go of the year’s mistakes and hitting the reset button as we head into the next year.

Since the New Year is a time when we can reset our mindset, listening to this song might be a good way to discover a new version of yourself.

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New Year’s DayPentatonix

New Year’s Day – Pentatonix 2015 Recap Video

Since their formation in 2011, the a cappella group Pentatonix has been hugely popular not only in their home country of the United States but also here in Japan, and this song is perfect for celebrating the New Year! In their early days, they drew attention by posting cover songs on YouTube, but this track—centered on their own original music—was included on their self-titled major-label debut released in 2015.

It’s a masterpiece with an uplifting message that resonates: say goodbye to the past and move forward on a new path.

As showcased in the opening of the song, the sacred resonance born from the a cappella technique—expressing music using only the human voice—feels especially fitting for ushering in the New Year.

It’s great to listen to on your own, but if possible, we hope you’ll experience the brilliance of this piece in the company of as many people as you can gather!

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This Is the New YearA Great Big World

A Great Big World – This Is the New Year

A Great Big World is a musical duo that has gained popularity with a pop-centered sound.

Some of you in Japan may already know them.

Among their songs, the one I especially recommend for the New Year is This Is the New Year.

This track was also featured in the TV show Glee, and it conveys a message of reflecting on the past and taking a fresh step forward into the new year—in other words, it’s essentially a New Year’s resolution song.

It’s a particularly great pick for students preparing for exams.

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New Year’s DayU2

New Year’s Day (Remastered 2008)

U2 is a world-famous rock band from Ireland.

Their song New Year’s Day was released as the lead single from the 1983 album War and became a global hit.

Because the song was influenced by the Polish democratization movement, it isn’t a simple celebration of the New Year; its lyrics lament a world that never changes.

At its core it is a love song, but the contrast between a happy couple’s romance and a world that keeps waging war gives the work its depth.

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This Will Be Our YearThe Zombies

The Zombies – This Will Be Our Year (Lyric Video)

Many of you may remember the song released in April 1968 on the masterpiece Odessey and Oracle by The Zombies, the UK-born masters of baroque pop, as it was used in Japan as the theme for the wedding magazine Zexy’s TV commercial.

Written by bassist Chris White, the song gently comforts a lover who has overcome a painful past, saying, “The sadness is over; good years lie ahead,” carrying a warm message that celebrates a fresh start.

Its sound—delicate piano tones, a horn section, and Colin Blunstone’s refined vocals—makes it a perfect track to ring in the New Year.

It was also featured in a holiday commercial by the American brand FIGS and continues to be cherished across generations as a song that symbolizes hope.

Best Day Of My LifeAmerican Authors

American Authors – Best Day Of My Life

A song from American Authors that’s perfect for celebrating the New Year.

It features a positive message and a powerful melody that fills listeners with hope and courage.

Released in January 2014, it became a major hit, topping Billboard’s Adult Pop Songs year-end chart.

It was also featured in the trailer for the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, earning support from a wide audience.

It’s an appealing track that many people would recommend as a song to kick off the new year.