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’s end. Looking back on the year through music [Almost time to say goodbye to this year!] (41–50)
A HAPPY NEW YEAR -Happy New Year-Matsutōya Yumi
With its somewhat wistful, lonely sound, Yumi Matsutoya’s “A HAPPY NEW YEAR” is perfect for the year’s end.
It’s a track from her 1981 album “Let’s Meet Last Night,” featuring a memorable, continuous piano arpeggio phrase.
The song was also used in the film “Take Me Out to the Snowland.” It’s a love song filled with the hope of “May you have a good year” and the desire to spend the coming year with you.
After a run of high-energy songs at karaoke, how about dialing it back with the gently melancholy “A HAPPY NEW YEAR”?
My Dear FeetSazan Ōrusutāzu
This song was included on Southern All Stars’ debut album, Atsui Munasawagi, released in 1978.
The single cut from the album, Katteni Sindbad, became a major hit.
The title Itoshi no Feat is a nod to Little Feat, the American band that Keisuke Kuwata publicly said he liked.
The song expresses the loneliness of spending the year-end and New Year holidays alone.
Win TimeCHAI
There’s something exciting about New Year’s, isn’t there? For those who want to be wrapped in fun music as they say goodbye to a fast-paced year and welcome a new one, I recommend CHAI’s “Win Time.” CHAI’s cute vocals and melodies that slip right into your ears make it a pleasure to listen to and fill you with bliss.
You can almost picture a New Year’s Eve spent with only the things you love and the people you like.
It’s a happy winter song, perfect for wrapping up the year on a joyful note!
SnowdomeKimura Kaera
The song that warms up a cold year-end with a gentle melody is Kaela Kimura’s “Snowdome.” Released in 2007, it was used as the CM song for JR East’s “JR SKISKI,” in which Kaela herself also appeared.
The lyrics express the wish to never forget the beautiful snowy scenery seen together with someone special, and the hope to see it again someday.
While the words carry a touch of wistfulness, the warm melody and Kaela’s tender voice soften that sadness and fill your heart with a cozy glow.
Ode to JoyToukyou Sukapara Daisu Ookesutora
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra always delights us with their vibrant ska melodies.
Their track “Ode to Joy,” included on the 2014 album SKA ME FOREVER, is a year-end staple in Japan that many people love to sing and perform.
This piece, sung in the fourth movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No.
9, became a year-end tradition after the ensemble that is now the NHK Symphony Orchestra performed it at the end of 1947, in the postwar period.
The lyrics exuberantly praise joy and urge us to stride like heroes toward the paths we should follow.
They inspire us to greet the new year with our heads held high and a bright, hopeful spirit.
OH MY LITTLE GIRLOzaki Yutaka
“OH MY LITTLE GIRL” is a single released in 1994 and became Yutaka Ozaki’s biggest hit.
You can almost see a young couple walking close together through a bustling crowd in the north wind.
It has also been covered by numerous musicians.
DecemberFukuyama Masaharu
Masaharu Fukuyama’s straightforwardly titled song “December.” This track appears on Fukuyama’s acoustic cover album Tamashii Riku, and the original is a number sung by SION.
December brings Christmas to mind, and once that’s over, the city—and its people—suddenly grow busy preparing for the New Year.
This song feels like watching all of that from a step back, as if it doesn’t really have much to do with oneself.
If you’re one of those who has to rush through the season, take a moment to unwind with a tune like this.
