Japan is well-known for its brilliant dramas, anime, and films, which are loved by worldwide. However, music is an integral part of life in Japan, and there are many musicians who create spectacular music, some of which are popular outside of Japan. Here are ten Japanese songs that are well-known worldwide.
1. Ue O Muite Arukou- Kyu Sakamoto
Ue O Muite Arukou is one of the bestselling singles of all time. The song was written by Rokusuke Ei after a failed student protest against continued American military presence in Japan. Hachidai Nakamura composed the song with piano and singer Kyu Sakamoto provided the vocals. It was named Sukiyaki as the original name would be too difficult to be pronounced in the west. It became the first track by an Asian artist to top the Billboard Top 100 after being released in America in 1963.
2. Gimme Chocolate – Babymetal
Gimme Chocolate is Babymetal’s biggest hit. It’s a song about wanting to eat chocolate without the fear of putting on weight. This song is sugary pop intermixed with thrash metal. This song peaked at number five in the US world digital songs chart and was also played on the late show with Stephen Colbert.
3. Gurenge - LiSA
LiSA is a famous singer amongst anime fans and gained a considerable fan following with her widely popular opening of the hit anime Demon Slayer: Kimetesu No Yaiba. The song Gurenge became her first track to surpass a million downloads on Oricon’s Digital Single Ranking Chart.
4. Hohoemi No Bakudan –Mawatari Matsuko
Hohoemi No Bakudan by the singer-songwriter Mawatari Matsuko was released in 1992 and was used as the opening theme for the anime series Yuyu Hakusho or Ghost Fighter. The song has the feel of 1990’s upbeat tunes and is a popular choice for karaoke.
5. Automatic/Time Will Tell – Utada Hikaru
Automatic/Time Will Tell by Utada Hikaru is loved by many people worldwide. She sings both in Japanese and English and Automatic/Time Will Tell is an R&B single tha was released in 1998 and was deemed as one of the best Japanese singles ever released.
6. Kiss In The Dark - Pink Lady
Kiss in the Dark by Pink Lady had made its debut on Leif Garrett’s show in 1979. It hadn’t gotten much success in its homeland but had peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Top 100.
7. Subete No Hito No Kokoro Ni Hana Wo - Shoukichi Kina & Champloo
Subete No Hito No KokoroNi Hana Wo by Shoukichi Kina became an international hit following its release in 1980. This song was featured on Shoukichi Kina & Champloose’s second album Blood Line originally. It’s a beautifully crafted piece with lyrics that were inspired by the closing ceremony of the 1964 Olympic Games.
8. Battle Without Honor Or Humanity - Tomoyasu Hotei
This song was initially written for the yakuza film New battles Without Honor and Humanity in 2000. Three years later, Tomoyasu Hotei’s signature instrumental track became much more famous.
9. Mayonaka No Door –Miki Matsubara
Mayonaka No Door/Stay with Me by Miki Matsubara was her debut digital single released in 1979. This song peaked at number 28 on the music charts at the time of release. However, after 40 years of its release, this song again got popular and this popularity owes a big part to the recent global popularity of an Indonesian YouTuber named Rainych. Rainych had uploaded a cover of Stay with Me, which gradually gained popularity worldwide.
10. Racing Into Night - YOASOBI
Racing into Night or also known as Yori Ni Kakeru by YOASOBI a famous Japanese brand, is a song that tells a story about death. It was released in mid-November 2020 and started gaining popularity by the start of June. Unlike its upbeat tunes, it tells a story about lovers killing themselves and some supernatural elements.
