A love song that feels like youth. Love songs you want to listen to—and remember—during your adolescent years.

GarnetOku Hanako

Garnet

This is the theme song of the animated film “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” a track where Hanako Oku’s vocals resonate deeply with the heart.

It captures the sparkle of days gone by and an unchanging feeling for someone precious—listening to it might just make your heart ache a little.

Released as a single in July 2006, it further heightened the film’s emotional impact.

Try listening to it on a summer evening when you want to sink into a slightly sentimental mood or when you’re remembering old friends.

It’s a song that will surely stay gently by your side.

loveback number

back number – Koi (full)

This is an unrequited love song by back number that captures a man’s bittersweet feeling of “I want to confess—I have to…” to someone he won’t be able to see much longer.

back number has many popular unrequited love songs like HAPPY BIRTHDAY and Takane no Hanako-san.

But since we’re recommending songs for high school students this time, here’s one that easily brings school to mind! They go to the same school, yet he can’t confess his feelings—he just watches from afar as his feelings grow stronger.

Many high schoolers will probably think, “That’s just like me.”

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beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)aiko

aiko - 'Kabutomushi' music video

This renowned song, which portrays the joy and poignancy of love through the changing seasons, was released as a single by aiko in November 1999.

In this work, each season symbolizes a different stage of romance, and from the distinctive perspective of a beetle, it delicately conveys the protagonist’s emotions.

Chosen as a program tie-in, it served as the ending theme for TBS’s “CDTV” in December 1999 and for Fuji TV’s “Jobireba!?” and has since been covered by various artists, including Keisuke Kuwata.

Embracing those moments when the beauty and fragility of love are most keenly felt, this piece was likely a youth anthem for many who came of age in the ’90s.

one’s true feelingsFish and Lips

Fish and Lips – True Feelings [Music Video]

A song whose down-to-earth feelings resonate with the heart.

It’s a track by Fish and Lips, released in March 2025.

You can empathize with the protagonist’s desire to stay true to their own emotions.

It feels as if it faithfully captures their overflowing feelings just as they are.

The sentimental guitar sound is another element that deepens the song’s world.

Recommended for those who want to tap into the shifting emotions of youth or face their own feelings.

ObsessedAyumu Imazu

Ayumu Imazu – Obsessed [Music Video]

This song captures the sweet-and-sour feeling of first love with a pop sound.

The protagonist, who easily falls at first sight, expresses delicate emotions carried by a pleasant groove and a catchy chorus melody.

A chill, casual track and bilingual lyrics perfectly portray Gen Z’s down-to-earth approach to romance.

Released in January 2024, it sparked a wave of dance challenges on social media and topped the Billboard JAPAN chart in Korea, resonating across Asia.

It’s the kind of track you’ll want to listen to while strolling through the city under a fresh spring sky—perfect for anyone who wants to be honest about how it feels to be in love.

I should be able to fly (in the sky).supittsu

Spitz / I Should Be Able to Fly in the Sky

This song vividly portrays the wavering emotions of youth.

With poetic expressions of infatuation, anxiety, and a longing for freedom, it’s a beloved Spitz classic that resonates with listeners.

Skillfully capturing the exhilaration of pure love along with the accompanying unease and pain, the piece feels like one’s own story.

Released as a single in 1994 and included on the album How to Fly in the Sky, it gained broad support after being chosen as the theme song for the 1996 Fuji TV drama Hakusen Nagashi, and it reached No.

1 on the Oricon weekly chart.

The lyrics reflect not only sweet romance but also moments of life itself, evoking empathy across generations and enduring affection.

It’s a perfect song for making memories with someone special or for lifting your spirits.

KissHugaiko

aiko- 『KissHug』music video

A perfect song for women who’ve fallen for a close male friend.

It’s by aiko, a singer-songwriter often called a spokesperson for women’s love, and it was also used as an insert song in the film Hana Yori Dango F starring Mao Inoue.

This love song portrays two people who shared feelings but ultimately didn’t end up together.

The lyrics capture a woman’s single-hearted love for a man, squeezing your chest with their poignancy.

It’s a song for every woman in love who’s afraid to move forward for fear of breaking the relationship.

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