A classic that evokes the year’s end. Looking back on the year through music [Just a little left of this year!]
What kind of year has it been for you?
This year felt long yet short, and at last it’s time to wrap it up!
Year-end always comes with all sorts of events, and music is essential for getting into the spirit, right?
So in this article, we’ve picked out plenty of songs that are perfect for the end of the year.
From songs about the year’s end to winter tunes, we’ve gathered popular tracks across generations—so you’re sure to find the perfect song for you!
Whether you’re someone who says, “This year was great,” or someone who feels, “This year was so-so,” we’ve got a full lineup of year-end songs we hope you’ll listen to.
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Classic songs that evoke the year-end season. A look back at the year through music [Almost the end of the year!] (31–40)
Snow Magic FantasySEKAI NO OWARI
At the end of the year, everything around you sparkles—this song captures that seasonal feeling so well.
As the title suggests, it has a strong sense of fantasy, and together with the music video, it has a distinctly British vibe that makes it really interesting.
It’s the fifth single released from a major label by SEKAI NO OWARI, put out in 2014.
Ode to Joy (from Symphony No. 9)Ludwig van Beethoven
When it comes to music you hear around the end of the year, Beethoven’s Symphony No.
9 surely tops the list, doesn’t it? I think many people feel, “Ah, it’s year-end,” when the Ninth drifts out from the TV or on street corners.
It’s also performed frequently in various concert halls and domes.
The famous fourth movement, also known as the “Ode to Joy,” features lyrics based on the poet Schiller’s An die Freude.
RewriteASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
A song that drew attention after being selected as the opening theme for the anime Fullmetal Alchemist.
The title “Rewrite” carries meanings like “to rewrite” or “to repaint,” conveying a message of erasing the parts of yourself you dislike or the feelings you can’t accept, and building something new.
It’s a track that makes you feel like giving your best in the coming year, even if things didn’t go well before!
silentSEKAI NO OWARI
With sleigh bells and sound effects like falling, piling snow that evoke Christmas and the year’s end, SEKAI NO OWARI’s “silent” plays a crucial role as the theme song for the heart-fluttering romance drama “Kono Koi Atatamemasu ka,” heightening the show’s emotions.
It’s a track that expands on SEKAI NO OWARI’s signature worldview, clearly conveying the meaning of the title “silent”—a number that conjures a scene of snow blanketing the ground and silence spreading all around.
era; age; time; periodNakajima Miyuki
“Jidai” by Miyuki Nakajima, released in 1975 as her second single, is a timeless classic that has continued to be sung over the years.
Since its release, alternate versions have been produced from time to time, and many other artists have covered it.
Reflecting the public’s wish for it to be passed down to future generations, it was selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Songs.
Forty years later, it was also used as the song for the New Year’s postcard TV commercial in 2015.
True to its title, the piece sings of the passage of time, making it a work well suited for the year-end period—a time to ready the heart for the coming year.
Classic songs that evoke the year’s end. Looking back on the year through music [Almost time to say goodbye to this year!] (41–50)
City of StardustGosuperāzu
Stardust City is the 21st single released in 2002 by the vocal group The Gospellers.
Set against a clear winter night sky over a year-end cityscape, it tenderly captures the feelings of reflecting on the past and looking ahead, resonating deeply with listeners.
It’s a song that showcases the signature vocal prowess for which The Gospellers are renowned.
New Year’s DayELLEGARDEN
Included as the B-side to ELLEGARDEN’s signature song “Jitterbug” on the single is “New Year’s Day.” It’s a track imbued with the message that “life ends in the blink of an eye,” depicting memories of a certain New Year’s Eve.
With ELLEGARDEN’s trademark powerful punk sound, it’s definitely a number you can rock out to.
The band has fans across a wide range of ages, making it a perfect choice for karaoke!
