*This column is aboutau Smartphone Music articleis being reprinted.
Hikaru Utada made a spectacular debut in 1998 at the young age of 15, and has since been active as one of Japan’s top artists. In 2024, which marks the 25th anniversary of his debut, he released his first all-time best album “SCIENCE FICTION” on Wednesday, April 10th. Along with 10 songs in new mix versions including “Automatic (2024 Mix)” which was distributed in advance, three songs “Addicted To You”, “traveling” and “Hikari” are included in newly recorded versions, and new songs. It includes a total of 26 songs, including “Nanoiro na Hana” and “Electricity,” which connect the past, present, and future that color her 25-year career as an artist.
This time, au Smartphone Music conducted a survey among 700 users who listen to Hikaru Utada’s songs on this service. In addition to looking back on her brilliant career, we present the top 10 most popular songs selected by 700 fans. We’ll also introduce some famous songs that unfortunately didn’t make it into the rankings, but that captured the hearts of her fans, so those who have loved her since her debut, as well as those who have recently fallen in love with her due to the theme songs of dramas and movies, are welcome to check them out. Please enjoy together.
25th anniversary since my debut at the age of 15!Release of her first best album
Hikaru Utada made her debut on December 9, 1998 with her first single “Automatic/time will tell.” He recorded double million sales and instantly became a top artist at the age of 15. Their first album, “First Love,” released a few months later, set a Japanese record for CD sales. Since then, every album has topped the charts. He took a hiatus in 2010, but returned in 2016. Their 6th album “Fantôme”, released in the same year, received high praise both domestically and internationally. From his debut to the present, he has worked on a wide range of tie-ups in games, dramas, and movies, including the game software “KINGDOM HEARTS” series, the Fuji TV drama “Last Friends,” and the movie “Evangelion: New Theatrical Version” series. We continue to have a strong presence in this field.
Among Hikaru Utada’s famous songs, which song is particularly popular among fans? From here, we will present the top 10 most popular songs of Utada Hikaru based on the results of a survey conducted among 700 fans. We will also be introducing colorful anecdotes from users of a wide range of ages, from teenagers to people in their 70s, so please enjoy them.
Top 10 ranking of “Hikaru Utada’s favorite songs” selected by 700 au Smartphone Music users
10 COLORS (91 votes)
The 12th single released on January 29, 2003. TOYOTA “WiSH” CM song. In a survey, many people expressed sympathy for the color-themed lyrics, and their sense of style was highly praised.
・A long time ago, I wanted to sing at karaoke, so I practiced a lot. When I listened to it as an adult, the lyrics that compared it to colors made a lot of sense, and I fell in love with it even more. (40-44 years old/female)
・I love melodies and sing them often. A song that makes you wonder if it’s okay to live your life the way you are. (45-49 years old/female)
・The song was used in a car commercial and I was in that car, so the song and my memories are linked (50-54 years old/female)
◾️9-bit light (94 votes)
The 10th single released on March 20, 2002. Ending theme for Square Enix’s PS2 game “KINGDOM HEARTS”. The unique MV in which Hikaru Utada washes dishes has become a hot topic, and the survey also showed that many people cited their impressions of the MV.
・I loved the Kingdom Hearts game. I get goosebumps when it plays in-game. (50-54 years old/male)
-The music video where she sings while washing dishes is very impressive, and now that I’m a housewife, this song always goes through my head when I wash dishes. (30-34 years old/female)
・I love how happy she looks washing the dishes in the MV. I get energy from the song. (60-64 years old/female)
◾️8th place: Crazy about you (99 votes)
The song was released on November 26, 2021, and became a big hit when it was used as the theme song for the TBS drama “Saiai.” The survey also showed that the influence of the drama was strong, with the beautiful piano intro and lyrics that matched the drama receiving high support from fans.
・When the intro was played in a drama, I was drawn in. I really liked her voice, so I downloaded it and listened to it all the time. My favorite song even now. (60-64 years old/female)
・The moment I heard it, it touched my heart. The lyrics also depict how she is truly “infatuated with you” and it makes her feel numb. (50-54 years old/female)
・My favorite song among the drama songs. I think it’s a song that fits well with the “painful” feel of it. (55-59 years old/female)
◾️7 Flavor Of Life (116 votes)
The 18th single released on February 28, 2007. This song was written as the image song for the TBS drama “Hana Yori Dango 2 (Returns)”. It was a big hit as a sad love song, and many people said that it left an impression on them along with the drama scene.
・A song that brought tears to my eyes when I heard it when I was suffering from a series of heartbreaks. Even now, when I listen to it, I remember how she felt at that time. (35-39 years old/female)
・I listened to it every week because it was an insert song in “Hana Yori Dango 2,” which I was watching with my daughter. It’s still Utada’s voice! A sad sadness pierced her chest. (60-64 years old/female)
-The trembling husky voice during the chorus draws you in. (60-64 years old/female)
◾️6-digit traveling (118 votes)
The 9th single released on November 28, 2001, was the commercial song for NTT Docomo’s “FOMA”. The MV was produced under the concept of “a work that gives energy to the world,” and its unique MV using CG and animation has become a hot topic. In the survey, many people said that it “gave me energy,” as the concept suggested.
・It was a song that cheered me up at times like this when I became a member of society and had a hard time every day. (45-49 years old/female)
・A very uplifting song. I feel excited from the intro. The MV was also very impressive, and the scene of them playing table tennis was linked to the rhythm and looked really cool. (35-39 years old/female)
・This song was always played when dropping off and picking up my children from kindergarten. I have fond memories of singing in chorus. I’ll never forget it. (55-59 years old/female)
・Prisoner Of Love（65票）
Hikaru Utada’s 21st single released on May 21, 2008. The theme song for Fuji TV’s Thursday Theater “Last Friends,” which depicts the problems faced by modern youth. In a survey, many people said that the drama left an impression on them, and the straightforward lyrics were popular.
・It was the theme song for a drama depicting homosexuality, and it was a great song that really complemented the drama. The song was so cool that I was shocked. (40-44 years old/female)
・The lyrics, “When cruel reality tears us apart, we become even more attracted to each other” are particularly heart-wrenching. It can be interpreted as a love song between a man and a woman, but I really like this song because it sounds like a connection between people that transcends gender. (35-39 years old/female)
・You (51 votes)
This song was released on December 8, 2017, and is the theme song for the movie “DESTINY Kamakura Monogatari”, which was released the day after its release. Many people commented that they were impressed by the movie.
・I went to see the movie with the theme song as a family. I heard that the song was about children, and since I have children myself, she immersed herself in the lyrics. (35-39 years old/female)
・I can relate to various parts of the lyrics. When I got married, it didn’t really hit home for me, but when I had a child and realized that this child is what I want to protect even if I had to risk my life, the lyrics, which I thought were radical, suddenly became my own. I came inside. (30-34 years old/female)
・Flowers of no color (22 votes)
This song was released on February 12, 2024, and is the theme song for Fuji TV’s monthly drama “Kimi ga Kokoro Kureta Kara”. This song has an impressive intro that starts with the sound of a piano. In the survey, many people said that they were moved when they heard the song in a drama, and there were many episodes that showed how popular the song was even though it was recently released.
・Theme song for a TV drama with a Nagasaki theme. It beautifully expressed the sadness and warmth of the drama. (65-69 years old/male)
・The piano sound in the intro is gentle. My voice hasn’t changed at all from before. (35-39 years old/female)
・The drama is too sad to watch, but I like the beginning of this song. The rhythm, the lyrics, the way the voice flows. (55-59 years old/female)
◾️5th place A bouquet of flowers for you (131 votes)
This song was released on April 15, 2016, and is the theme song for the NHK TV drama series “Toto Nee-chan.” This song was written by Hikaru Utada in memory of her late mother, and in the survey, some people said, “It gives me a warm feeling” and “It makes me cry when I listen to it.” This is a masterpiece that has won various awards, including the Japan Record Award for Best Work.
・I cry when I listen to this. A song you want to send to someone special. I honestly wish I could have sent these words to my parents… (55-59 years old/female)
・Very gentle, soft and enveloping singing voice. The song is about Utada after her mother passed away, and it makes you think about how she felt. (60-64 years old/female)
・I feel a warm feeling remembering the drama series. (45-49 years old/female)
◾️3位 Can You Keep A Secret?（161票）
It is Hikaru Utada’s 7th single, released on February 16, 2001. It was the theme song for the first season of the Fuji TV drama “HERO,” and many people said that it left an impression on them after watching the drama. Thanks in part to the influence of the drama, it became a huge hit and won the 16th Japan Gold Disc Award for “Song of the Year.”
・I started hearing it as the theme song for the drama “HERO” that I watched every week. The futuristic worldview of the MV was so wonderful that I was drawn to it. (35-39 years old/female)
・It was the theme song of a drama that was popular when I was a student, and it was the first CD I bought. (35-39 years old/male)
・A song that helped me face the frustrating feeling of wanting to meet someone but not being able to. (35-39 years old/female)
◾️3rd place SAKURA Drops (161 votes)
This is the 11th single released on May 9, 2002, and is the theme song for the TBS TV drama “First Love.” It is loved by many fans as a heartbreak song, and in a survey, some said it “made me feel positive.” Coupled with the fantastic worldview of the MV, this is a song that you will want to listen to during the cherry blossom season.
・It left an impression on me because it was the theme song for a drama starring Fukakyon and Atsuro Watanabe that I watched when I was a student. She likes lyrics that evoke images of heartbreak in love songs. (35-39 years old/male)
・A song that encouraged me to move forward in the spring when I started a new life. (40-44 years old/male)
・The lyrics and melody at the beginning of the song remain in my memory. Although there are many up-tempo songs, “SAKURA Drops” has a calm feel that made me listen to it. (55-59 years old/female)
◾️2-digit Automatic (190 votes)
Hikaru Utada’s debut single released on December 9, 1998. In addition to her unique singing voice and melody, she also became a hot topic because she was only 15 years old at the time. The single was a big hit, winning the gold medal at the JASRAC Awards in 2000, and making his talent widely known. In the survey, many people expressed that they were shocked, which shows that it has captured the hearts of many fans.
・His debut was shocking and I was surprised at how young he was. She was impressed that she could write good lyrics even though she was young. (40-44 years old/female)
・I was overwhelmed by the worldview of the song. At the age of 15, she was shocked by her heartbreaking singing style and sense of music. (50-54 years old/female)
・The melody was very innovative and memorable. This song still makes me want to sing it at karaoke. (35-39 years old/female)
◾️1 First Love (316 votes)
The title song of the first album “First Love”, which was released on March 10, 1999 and set a Japanese CD sales record. The song was used as the theme song for the TBS TV drama “Witch’s Condition” starring Nanako Matsushima and Hideaki Takizawa. Despite being a teenager, the song’s mature lyrics attracted attention and became a big hit. This is one of the representative songs that made Hikaru Utada’s name known to the world.
・It was shocking because the lyrics were so adult-like that I couldn’t believe that they were written by a teenager. I think it’s a wonderful song that leaves a sad aftertaste. (35-39 years old/female)
– Nice falsetto. Even though it has a slow melody, the way it builds up with passion is indescribable and leaves a lasting impression on your ears. (60-64 years old/female)
・I was shocked by the rhythm and melody lines that were not present in J-POP at the time. (45-49 years old/male)
・A song that you will definitely sing at karaoke. I didn’t pay much attention to it when it was released, but when I listened to it again as an adult, I realized that the sensibility of the person who wrote those lyrics at the age of 16 was a genius. (35-39 years old/female)
summary
Hikaru Utada released her debut single “Automatic/time will tell” at the young age of 15 and shocked the Japanese music world. Today, he continues to deliver his works not only in Japan but all over the world. His first all-time best album “SCIENCE FICTION”, released on April 10th, includes many other famous songs in addition to the songs introduced here. Please take this opportunity to experience Hikaru Utada’s charm once again.