[2026] Popular Songs Among Today’s Youth [J-Pop]

Secret talk＝LOVE

=LOVE (Equal Love) / “Secret Talk” [MV full] Vertical video

Set against the backdrop of a summer festival, this song poppily captures the heart-fluttering moment when a secret relationship with a longtime crush begins.

It was released digitally in August 2025.

The lyrics, penned by producer Rino Sashihara, are infused with a sweet-and-sour exhilaration—the feeling of wanting to boast about getting closer to someone you like, even though you can’t tell anyone.

Emi Ohtani, who takes center position, delivers a gentle vocal that beautifully conveys the protagonist’s wavering feelings of love.

Let this pop love song elevate your summer mood!

the reason for the beginningKaida Haru

The Reason for the Beginning / Haru Kaida [Original Song]

This song by Haru Kaida from Nijisanji, announced in April 2025, is included on an album released in June of the same year.

It delivers a dramatic message about never forgetting your beginnings and the resolve to keep moving forward.

Kaida’s clear, soaring vocals and the driving band sound convey a sense of anticipation for the future.

It reminds you of the importance of facing forward and continuing to walk ahead.

Kiss Kiss KissAKASAKI

【AKASAKI】Kiss Kiss Kiss (Lyric Video)

Just a loved one’s hair fluttering in the wind makes the whole world seem to shine! This song, created by singer-songwriter AKASAKI, is set for release in August 2025.

It’s featured as the web commercial song for Hoyu’s Self-Color Project.

The piece is told from two perspectives: a girl who boldly changes her look with self-coloring, and the man who is captivated by her transformation.

The lyrics overflow with the thrill of romance and a sweet, bittersweet feeling that’s irresistible.

It’s a rhythmic, positive track that boosts your romantic mood.

Shadows of SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE “Summer Shadow” Official Music Video

This is a pop tune that carries the faint signs of summer’s end, leaving a bittersweet yet comforting afterglow.

Created by Mrs.

GREEN APPLE, the song was written as the theme for Kirin’s “Gogo no Kocha” commercial featuring Ren Meguro of Snow Man and Ayami Nakajo.

Released as the fifth installment of their five-month release run in 2025, it drew attention for being their first title to bear “summer” in about seven years, since the classic Aoto Natsu (“Blue and Summer”).

Through vivid summer imagery, the lyrics gently touch the tender parts of the heart, capturing inexpressible excitement and a wavering resolve.

It’s an emotional rock ballad perfect for when you want to sink into a sentimental mood.

Unidentified areaNumber_i

Number_i – Unidentified Area (U.M.A.) [Official Music Video]

A work by Number_i that radiates a strong resolve to explore their own inner cosmos and step into uncharted territory.

While rooted in J-pop, its avant-garde sound—woven with elements of hip-hop and R&B—leaves a striking impression.

The challenging lyrics, which push toward surpassing their own limits, mesh perfectly with the track’s tone.

Released in August of the same year as the lead single from the album “No.II,” out in September 2025.

A powerful song that urges you to break conventions and transform into a new self.

ShuraYorushika

Shura

Inspired by Kenji Miyazawa’s poetry collection “Spring and Asura,” this work exudes a sense of literary depth.

The song portrays someone who carries loneliness and inner conflict, yet by giving voice to those feelings and singing them out, a spring breeze stirs in the heart and they begin to move toward renewal.

Suis’s crystalline vocals beautifully capture the delicate fluctuations of that inner world.

Released in August 2025, the track was chosen as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “We Still Don’t Know the Rules of That Star.” It might lighten your heart when you want to face yourself.

Sea Breeze and SelfishnessHinatazaka46

Hinatazaka46 “Sea Breeze and Selfishness” MUSIC VIDEO

A track by Hinatazaka46 that captivates with sounds that conjure up a summertime seaside scene.

It’s a number included on their album “Love yourself!” released in May 2025.

Set to a sprightly rhythm, the lyrics portray a love that’s drawn to someone’s reckless charm, even while being toyed with by their freewheeling ways.

The song deftly expresses one-sided feelings hidden within happy moments and the frustration of words left unsaid.

Why not give it a listen on a summer drive, or at dusk when you’re in a slightly sentimental mood?