From legendary series to OVAs, anime music is something that every fan loves, which is why today we are going to explore some anime about music.
If you are wondering, are there any good anime about music that you can watch and enjoy?
Then you are at the right page of the internet. Today we are going to explore some of the best anime about music.
Spoilers Warning : This Article May Have Some Spoilers You Have Been Warned.
Without wasting any more time lets dive in the best anime about music of all time.
Updated June 30, 2024, by Shagun Singh: There are still some incredible music-focused series in the world of anime. These anime are undeniably timeless classics that should be watched by both newcomers and veteran fans. Here’s an updated list with some additional recommendations for the best music anime series and films to check out.
Here Are Some Of The Best Anime About Music of All Time
25. Given
Tightly clutching his Gibson guitar, Mafuyu Satou steps out of his dark apartment to begin another day of his high school life.
While taking a nap in a quiet spot on the gymnasium staircase, he has a chance encounter with fellow student Ritsuka Uenoyama, who berates him for letting his guitar strings rust and break.
Noticing Uenoyama’s knowledge of the instrument, Satou pleads for him to fix it and to teach him how to play.
Uenoyama eventually agrees and invites him to sit in on a jam session with his two bandmates: bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji.
Satou’s voice is strikingly beautiful, filling Uenoyama with the determination to make Satou the lead singer of the band.
Though reticent at first, Satou takes the offer after an emotional meeting with an old friend.
With the support of his new friends, Satou must not only learn how to play guitar but also come to terms with the mysterious circumstances that led him to be its owner.
24. Carole & Tuesday
It has been 50 years since mankind began its migration to the terraformed Mars, where they live in comfort due to advancements in AI.
Carole lives in the metropolis of Alba City, working part-time by day and playing keyboard by night.
Tuesday has run away from her home in Hershell City to escape the grip of her wealthy family, and instead hopes to pursue music with her acoustic guitar.
After a fateful encounter, the two decide to perform music together.
Up against the AI singers that dominate the music world, the two of them believe that together they can convey their feelings through their songs.
Will hard work and luck be enough for the duo to create the biggest miracle that Mars has ever seen?
23. Aikatsu Friends!
This anime about music is about Aine Yuuki, who is a regular student at Star Harmony Academy’s normal division, meets Mio Minato from the idol division, who invites her to join Aikatsu to fulfill Aine’s goal to make friends.
She also befriends Maika Chōno and Ema Hinata who are also idols. Aine and Mio form a pair to become best friends to become the bright “Diamond Friends”.
Karen Kamishiro and Mirai Asuku are categorized as “Diamond Friends” and are in the Diamond Class!
22. Gravitation
This anime about music is about Shuichi who always ever dreamed about was following in the footsteps of his pop idol, Ryuichi Sakuma and the band Nittle Grasper.
Together with his best friend Hiro, Shuichi’s formed a band called Bad Luck and they’ve even managed to get signed to a major recording label!
Unfortunately, the studio deadlines are looming and Shuichi still hasn’t finished the lyrics for any of the songs.
What he needs is a little inspiration… but he’s been running a little low in that department lately.
While Hiro recommends finding a girlfriend, fate has other things in store for him…
Walking through the park late one night, Shuichi’s latest lyrics flutter away and land at the feet of a stunning stranger that takes his breath away.
Unfortunately, that mysterious stranger happens to be the famous novelist Eiri Yuki, who completely crushes the young singer by telling him he has “zero talent”.
Now, Shuichi’s so annoyed that he’s managed to finish his song just so he can find and confront Yuki once again.
But, are his actions really motivated by anger, or has he actually fallen in love?
21. Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Maji Love 1000% (Uta no Prince Sama)
This anime about music is about Haruka Nanami, who is an aspiring composer from the countryside, longs to write music for her beloved idol, Hayato Ichinose.
Determined to accomplish this goal, she enrolls into Saotome Academy, a highly regarded vocational school for the performing arts.
Upon her arrival, Haruka soon learns that everyone on staff, including the headmaster, is either an idol, a composer, or a poet.
To top it all off, she is surrounded by incredibly talented future idols and composers, and the competition among the students is fierce; with the possibility of recruitment by the Shining Agency upon graduation, the stakes are incredibly high.
As she strives to reach her dream at the academy, one fateful night, a series of events lead Haruka to a mysterious man standing in the moonlight, and he seems a bit familiar…
20. Cello Hiki no Gauche (Gauche the Cellist)
The story of this anime about music concerns Gauche, a professional cellist. During rehearsals for a performance, he is scolded by the conductor because his playing is not good enough.
His timing is off and he seems to have no “feel” for the music.
Gauche returns to his lonely cottage and starts practicing. Then a cat enters who tricks him into understanding the inner meaning of the music.
The importance of practice is shown by a cuckoo, rhythm by a badger and tenderness by a mouse. In four days he learns the true meaning and feeling of music and develops into a great musician.
Laced with popular classical music this special combines fun and inspiration for all ages and audiences.
19. Kachou Ouji (Legend of Black Heaven)
This anime about music is about Oji Tanaka who has a wife, a child and a mundane job as a salary man in Tokyo’s modern society.
But life wasn’t dull for him to begin with; 15 years ago, he was known as “Gabriel”, leader of a short-lived heavy metal band called Black Heaven.
Oji’s life gets a sudden change in direction when he is invited by a mysterious blonde woman named Layla to pick up his Gibson Flying V and once again display his “legendary” guitar skills, not knowing that his music generates power for a massive weapon in an intergalactic war.
18. Tari Tari
This anime about music starts at Shirahamazaka High School, a special recital is held every year in which music students are able to showcase their talents in front of professionals and other prestigious guests.
A third year, Konatsu Miyamoto desperately wants to sing in her last high school recital, but because she screwed up the year before, the vice principal has barred her from participating.
That’s when Konatsu comes up with a new plan to get involved; instead of joining the official choir, she’ll form her own singing club with her friends! Unfortunately this proves to be harder than she imagined.
Her friend Wakana Sakai, has given up on singing, for one, and Konatsu needs more than just two members.
With only a month left until the recital, will Konatsu be able to find enough members for her club and actually be ready to sing at one of the most important events of the school year and graduate without regrets?
17. Aki no Kanade (Wakate Animator Ikusei Project)
Pretty decent for a short anime about music movie. Was expecting this movie to be longer but I guess there’s no need.
The cover for this movie speaks for itself, there’s a lot of challenges and doubts faced for Miyagawa; while there’s also the same girl who’s ambitious and is proud of her work.
This story encompasses a lot of cultural art into it, kind of hard to find a movie who literally focuses “on a girl who wants to be a professional drummer.”
16. The iDOLM@STER
765 Production Studio manages the unique talents of 13 professional idols as they slowly make their way to the top and become country-wide celebrities.
But the girls’ journey is far from just fun and games: hard work, sweat, and tears are some of the prerequisites needed to flourish in this industry—and for 765 Pro in particular, a watchful eye out for their rival, the infamous 961 Production.
As the girls’ fame grows, however, their time together as a family diminishes, and now the very popularity they sought is threatening to tear them apart.
A difficult balance of work and bonding must be achieved, or they risk everyone going their separate ways.
The personal and professional ordeals of these idols can’t be conquered alone, but with each other’s loving support, any obstacle or hardship can be overcome!
15. White Album 2
The entire story of this anime about music revolves around the three main characters namely Kitahara, Touma, and Ogisa.
These three are so relatable that I’m pretty sure some of us could even picture themselves living and experiencing the different social dillemmas each character is facing – they’re as real as it gets.
At first they might look common, typical or plain but later on as the characters reveal more and more of their personalities and problems, they’ll also grow on you.
With the intent of being good friends, a simple admiration turned into something more but the intrusion of another led to a love triangle conflict without even realizing it.
The story grows beyond from here but as much as I would like to tell more, I would rather have you watch it as it would only spoil all the fun.
14. Senki Zesshou Symphogear (Symphogear)
This anime about music is about Tsubasa Kazanari and Kanade Amou—the idol duo known as Zwei Wing—use their songs to power ancient weapons known as “symphogears” to combat a deadly alien race called the “Noise.” While the general public is aware of the Noise’s existence, knowledge of the symphogears are kept a secret.
When the Noise attack one of Zwei Wing’s concerts, Kanade sacrifices herself to protect a young girl named Hibiki Tachibana, leaving Tsubasa devastated and a fragment of her symphogear embedded within Hibiki.
Two years pass and Hibiki is once again dragged into a Noise attack. While rescuing a young girl who has been left behind during the evacuation, she awakens the power of Kanade’s symphogear lying within her.
Although Tsubasa still grieves over the loss of Kanade, both girls must now learn to work together using their powers to defend humanity against the Noise.
13. Show By Rock!!
The story of this anime about music is kinda weird in the beginning but then everything else is something you probably cannot predict it is fun, super nutty and a really easy watch that is worth it.
Girl tries to join a band but with her shy personality she pushes it off and randomly gets sucked into a world where music is the soul of the city new friendships begin confidence builds and monsters must be defeated through the shear power of music and stuff.
Music is the main theme of the entire show so the music is great a really catchy opening as well as an ending.
The music theme is rock so with the japanese rock music the ost is great everything is on point especially since its a rock music anime everything just fits and works.
12. Detroit Metal City
The story of this anime about music follows Souichi Negishi, a boy who, having recently graduated music college with the intent on forming a fashionable pop band, somehow finds himself as Johannes Krauser II, the demonic lead guitarist and vocalist for death metal group Detroit Metal City.
The show is episodic in nature, so much so that they will often fit two short stories about the titular band into a single 15 minute episode.
Don’t expect too much in the way of an over – arching plot; it’s almost a slice of life show in that respect.
Despite being a comedy, the creators actually bring some interesting themes to light, such as conflicting split personalities, although they don’t really develop them.
11. Full Moon wo Sagashite (Searching for the Full Moon)
While Full Moon wo Sagashite may not see like much on the surface — little girl has a life-threatening disease, wants to sing, and becomes sixteen years old with the help of two friendly shinigami — it becomes so much more deeper as the series move on.
This anime about music doesn’t shrink away from the uncomfortable subjects of death and suicide, and that is wonderfully refreshing.
While initially cutesy on the surface, Full Moon wo Sagashite has a deep, moving storyline that touches upon every human emotion.
I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much while watching an anime, and I doubt any other can truly touch me as much as Full Moon wo Sagashite did.
10. Love Live! School Idol Project
The plot for this anime about music Is very straight forward, easy to follow, and enjoyable.
The story goes as anyone would expect after watching the first episode: the main character and her friends work to save their school from closing by trying to attract new students by gaining popularity through the formation of a school idol group which becomes known as “Muse”.
This formula is followed for most of the story, however there are several complications that are not expected and some twists. I’m not going to spoil it, even though this is a review.
While being not very complex, the plot forms a solid foundation for the anime, is consistently present, and keeps the story progressing.
There is not much else to say without spoiling the twists and turns. The plot fits well and proves fairly interesting.
9. Piano no Mori (Forest of Piano)
The story of this anime about music is told where we are introduced to the performer’s background story/their motivations to compete in the grand stage of piano, before they play their piece.
We aren’t just listening to the music, but we get to hear the thoughts as they play.
This brings an emotional element to the performance where we are able to learn in more depth about what it’s like to be that person performing.
8. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (Your Lie in April)
Even though the story of this anime about music isn’t anything new, the way it was written and directed make it feel like one. It is a story that revolves around music and how it connects people and how it affects them.
It does not only affect them in a good way, but in a bad way too. And with that premise, a beautiful story about teenagers started.
Although there were some characters that didn’t get a proper development to know and understand their own problems, motivations, and dreams, they didn’t feel empty and meaningless.
They all had a purpose and most of them where helpful to our main characters.
They didn’t feel cliché neither, even when we got some of them like the childhood friend and the dandy best friend.
And the best part, at least to me, is that there was no fan-service.
7. So Ra No Wo To (Sound of the Sky)
Okay so the story and the characters of this anime about music, even if they’re pretty cliche, are actually quite good in their own right.
The pacing is pretty good, characters are well developed and believable enough to not be Mary Sues. The voices also fit each and every character very well.
Art and Sound is amazing in their own right. The art-style of the characters are very similar to K-ON’s, but the backgrounds and backdrops are radically different.
It’s jaw-dropping. (Okay, not for me, but it’s still very different.) It even gives 5 Centimeters per Second a rival.
6. Sakamichi no Apollon
In the beginning, there is the common theme. Kaoru falls for the friendly girl, Sentaro falls for the graceful girl, and Ritsuko is already in love with the childhood bad boy.
Then comes even more characters that makes the already complicated geometric love shape even more complicated later on.
Kids on the Slope moves at a relative pace that can be considered neither slow or fast. Ironically, it starts off slow even though it’s kids on the SLOPE.
Anything that flows down a slope relatively moves fast but in this case retains a relatively average pace.
So I’ll say this again, this series is not for the fans who carves the fast paced action and psychological twists.
If you want that, try Jormungand or something.
5. K-On!
The story of this anime about music itself is memorable, but unoriginal and consisting mostly of filler to build character.
However, I myself don’t consider this to be a bad thing at all. With animes like this one, filler is what pretty much drives it, and I love every single minute of it.
Each episode being just as silly, and if not even sillier than the other.
Although it doesn’t beat Lucky Star, but if you’ve seen that, you know that’s a difficult thing to do.
4. Hibike! Euphonium (Sound! Euphonium)
Hibike! Euphonium encompasses the story of this anime about music is about struggle, and of goals to set and achieved through willpower and belief in oneself, but it also happens to contain the drama that I find much more native to the high school atmosphere that is introduced within this and so many other school stories.
The fact of the matter is that high school girls are, in reality, emotional, catty, dramatic, and hold grudges over petty things.
The fact of the matter is that school clubs do not always get along like family, the fact is that some members are more prominent than others and rarely rely on tropes to set them apart from the crowd.
3. Beck
Story of this anime about music is like… it’s a little kooky. I don’t know how other people viewed it, but being from the U.S., well, I had to remind myself a few times to take it with a grain of salt.
I really enjoyed the slow development of Koyuki and the band and the relationships between everyone… I thought that part of the story was really well done.
It’s just that (especially in the second half), you have to be prepared to suspend your disbelief a little and accept the oddness of the whole Lucille subplot.
2. Nana
The story of this anime about music is also one of Nana’s strong points.
Ai Yazawa worked really hard on it, and did her best to create a realistic world so that the reader can almost become part of it and experience it emotionally.
Even though the plot is a typical shoujo tearjerker (with a bit of music) it has that magical something that makes you cheer unconsciously for some characters and experience emotionally some events almost as strongly as the characters themselves.
Another good thing about the story is that it exposes the hard, cruel reality, which has no happy endings and pure loves. Yazawa-sensei gives her characters a big imagination (especially Hachi) But the world they live in is just like ours.
1. Nodame Cantabile
The story of this anime about music is handled in such a mature, hard-hitting, ever-so-relatable way.
A romantic, musically-focused plot about ardour in and outside of a relationship, Nodame Cantabile is not just for instrumentalists, romantics and music fans, but for doubters, dramatics and anyone who has ever had a passion.
It’s a relatable series with realistic characters, thoughtful dialogue and worldly themes of uncertainty, struggle and infatuation; as enjoyable and funny as it is heartbreaking and frank.
It’s well structured, wonderfully written and superbly developed.
The plot of this anime about music has a real sense of purpose, there’s genuine progress in the characters and just as many light-hearted, warm, fuzzy, humorous and loveable moments to be had as there is dramatic twists, heart-wrenching drama and eye-popping musical set pieces.