[Autumn Songs] Songs of autumn. Classic tracks and popular favorites you’ll want to listen to in the fall.

Shonan SeptemberSazan Ōrusutāzu

Shonan SEPTEMBER [2024 Remaster]

Southern All Stars are often associated with summer, but they also have plenty of masterpieces perfect for autumn listening.

This track is a bittersweet, AOR-style ballad set in Shonan.

Included on the album “Sakura,” released in October 1998, its distinctly ’90s sound stirs a sense of nostalgia.

The lyrics depict memories of a bygone love—not just a beautiful recollection, but an honest portrayal of desires and humiliation, which makes it all the more poignant.

It’s the perfect number for those moments when you want to sink into a slightly sentimental mood by the seaside, with the clamor of summer fading into the distance.

Autumn SongŌe Senri

Autumn Song

A nostalgic autumn classic by singer-songwriter Senri Oe.

I’m drawn to the lyrics that capture everyday scenes, like the cicadas that signal the end of summer and the chill of the wind you feel as you pedal a bike.

This song is one of the double A-side single released in October 1998, written specifically for NHK’s “Minna no Uta.” His conversational singing voice perfectly matches the nostalgic autumn atmosphere.

Give it a listen as you look back on the past.

An afternoon offMoritaka Chisato

Chisato Moritaka 'Holiday Afternoon' [Self-Cover]

This piece is a gentle number with a theme of a casually spent holiday afternoon, one that quietly soaks into the heart.

The affection for everyday life expressed over a mellow folk-pop sound leaves you with a warm feeling as you listen.

The relaxed vocals suit the soft sunlight of autumn perfectly.

Released in October 1995 as the 26th single, it was used as the ending theme for TV Tokyo’s “Ii Tabi, Yume Kibun.” It’s an ideal song for when you want to spend some leisurely time.

Akane sky, you dance — a promenade of crimson maple leavesSakura (CV: Kakuma Ai) Kiri (CV: Numakura Manami)

Akane sky, you dance — a promenade of crimson maple leaves

The gentle, nostalgic melody woven by piano and strings resonates in the heart.

It conjures a warm scene, as if you’re walking with someone dear along a path of fluttering autumn leaves beneath a crimson sky.

This song is the ending theme of the anime “Konohana Kitan,” sung by Ai Kakuma as Sakura and Manami Numakura as Kiri.

It is included in the ending theme collection “Konohanatei no Shiki,” released in December 2017.

When you’re feeling a bit worn out by the busyness of daily life, why not listen to it while savoring the clear air of autumn?

Crescendo in the color of withered leavesMizushima Yasuhiro

Yasuhiro Mizushima: Crescendo in the Color of Dead Leaves

You can almost see a scene where the image of someone dear overlaps with the falling autumn leaves.

This song was created by lyricist Reo Rinoshita and composer TSUKASA, and sung by Yasuhiro Mizushima.

It served as the ending theme for the anime Marmalade Boy and was released as a single in November 1994.

Mizushima’s gentle, enveloping vocals further enhance the sentimental atmosphere of autumn.

The lyrics, which depict feelings for a loved one gradually growing stronger, harmonize beautifully with the sound.

In this season when we long for companionship, why not listen closely with a warm drink in hand?

PrologueManabe Kazu (CV: Fujito Chinatsu)

Prologue

On an autumn evening when the fragrance of osmanthus drifts softly and the sky is dyed crimson, this is the song by Chinatsu Fujitō that makes you want to overlay your heart onto that scene.

It’s a character image song from the TV anime K-On!, expressing the straightforward anticipation for the future hidden within Nodoka Manabe’s calm demeanor.

It’s as if you can see her viewing the present as the prologue to the story that’s about to begin and believing in the person she’ll become.

Released in October 2009 as the single “K-On! Image Song: Nodoka Manabe.” Give it a listen when you want to reflect on your own future.

AUTUMN DREAMOmori Reiko

[My Family] The culprit’s voice wasn’t mechanical?! #shorts #MyFamily #IchiryusaiTeiya

It’s an image song from the anime “Magical Stage Fancy Lala.” It’s sung by Reiko Omori, who voiced the protagonist, and is included on the album “Lala’s Music Canvas page.II ~ Autumn Dream,” released in September 1998.

The lyrics beautifully portray the sweet-and-sour feelings of love swaying amid autumn scenery.

The pop arrangement blends a light, breezy feel with a touch of sentimentality, which is wonderful as well.

Reiko Omori’s clear, translucent vocals further enhance the charm of the piece.

Give it a listen on a typically lonely autumn afternoon.