Ballad songs perfect for autumn. Timeless mellow hits for the fall season.
When autumn comes, many of us find ourselves wanting to listen to ballads, don’t we?
Maybe it’s because the sparkling summer has ended and we feel a touch of loneliness, or because we’re moved by the season’s charm and slip into a calm, reflective mood.
In this article, we’ll introduce some ballads that are perfect for autumn.
These rich, mellow ballads are ideal for those long autumn nights.
We’ve gathered songs you’ll want to listen to as the seasons change.
Enjoy a quiet, gentle moment with music by your side.
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Ballad songs you’ll want to listen to in autumn: Timeless mellow autumn classics (21–30)
tobacco / cigarette(s)Koresawa
Known as one of Koresawa’s signature songs, this track portrays the bittersweet feelings of a woman who has broken up with the man she loves.
It opens with the scene of him no longer coming home to the room they used to share, and the lyrics are filled with her regret and lingering attachment right up to the end.
If you’ve ever been dumped, it’s the kind of song you can’t listen to without tears.
There’s also an answer song called “Koibito Shikkaku” that conveys his side of the story.
Listening to both brings out even more of that aching sadness of two people who still love each other but can’t seem to connect—so be sure to play them together.
Hello again ~ a place that’s been around since long ago ~My Little Lover
When it comes to ballads you want to listen to at the turn of the seasons, this song by My Little Lover is the one.
Released as a single in August 1995, it was chosen as the opening theme for the TV drama “Endless Summer.” The lyrics, imbued with nostalgia for a place that’s existed since long ago and a poignant sense of time gone by, resonate deeply.
Set to acoustic tones and a warm melody, it portrays the complex feelings of a protagonist who has left their hometown.
The song was a major hit, reaching No.
1 on the Oricon charts and No.
6 on the year-end ranking.
It’s a track you’ll want to play on long autumn nights as you look back on memories with someone special.
Ballad songs to listen to in autumn: 10 timeless mellow fall classics (31–40)
Swallowtail Butterfly ~Love Song~YEN TOWN BAND
Released in 1996.
It’s a popular song that’s still used in commercials and the like.
From the intro, you’re drawn into the world of the song, and CHARA’s vocals completely capture your heart.
Its lonely, monochrome atmosphere is perfect for the fleeting autumn season.
One more time,One more chanceYamazaki Masayoshi
A single by Masayoshi Yamazaki released in 1997.
It opens with a heartrending acoustic guitar intro, and Yamazaki’s gentle, enveloping voice instantly draws you into the song’s world.
The song is said to portray the feelings of someone who has gone through a breakup or a protagonist who has lost their dearest loved one.
The lyrics evoke a sense of loss, moving and poignant, filled with love and the ache of longing for someone precious.
It’s a song that will quietly stay by your side when you want to sink into a wistful mood or reaffirm your love for someone dear.
Somewhere on this planetLUV and SOUL
The four-piece vocal group LUVandSOUL, who delighted fans by resuming activities with their original members in 2016.
Opening their mini-album “SOULandLUV,” “Kono Hoshi no Dokoka de” stands out with a delicate intro featuring piano and strings.
The melody, woven with gentle vocals and beautiful harmonies, makes the love-filled lyrics even more dramatic.
It’s an emotional autumn song you’ll want to listen to while picturing the autumn night sky.
When the cosmos flowers bloomsugimoto masato
Sung by Masato Sugimoto, this song is a lyrical piece that warmly portrays memories with a father around the time when cosmos flowers bloom.
The vivid imagery—such as casual conversations on the veranda and the father’s reflection in a teacup—is superb, and carried by a wistful melody that quietly resonates in the heart.
This work is one of the tracks included on the best-of album “Masato Sugimoto Best & Best,” released in November 2011.
It is a gem of a ballad to listen to on long autumn nights, reflecting on dear family and renewing one’s appreciation for the precious bond between parent and child.
Oh, Girl (The Sad Screen of My Heart)Sazan Ōrusutāzu
A gem of a ballad crafted by Southern All Stars.
It portrays, from a third-person perspective, a woman who single-mindedly continues to long for someone she can no longer meet.
The metaphor in the lyrics—that her sweet yet painful emotions are projected onto a screen—is truly superb.
This piece is included on the classic album “Southern All Stars,” released in January 1990, and was later featured on the best-of collection “Ballad 3: the album of LOVE.” Keisuke Kuwata’s wistful vocals and melody link exquisitely with the lonely, autumnal atmosphere, making it a masterpiece.