Tear-jerking summer classics: recommended popular songs
When you think of summer songs, many people might imagine upbeat, catchy tracks that everyone can sing and dance to together.
However, there are times in summer when you feel like listening to tearjerkers—like bittersweet love ballads or breakup songs.
So in this article, we’ll introduce a wide selection of moving, cry-worthy songs with a summer theme, spanning different eras and genres!
We’ve picked not only heartbreak songs, but also tracks that express a variety of emotions and situations.
Be sure to read the lyrics and listen closely!
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Tear-jerking summer classics: recommended popular songs (61–70)
Summer IllusionOmoinotake
This is a song by Omoinotake that expresses the bittersweet emotions of summer.
It was also chosen as the theme song for the drama “love⇄distance.” Centered on the gentle tone of the piano, the vocals resonate strikingly, conveying a strong sense of anguish.
The sound carries a floating quality with R&B elements, evoking an atmosphere as if you’re in an unreal dream.
The lyrics depict looking back on the summer memories shared by two people, and the resulting tightness in the chest.
Even if the memories come with pain, the resolve to carry them forward and keep going makes this a track that truly stirs the emotions.
H.A.N.A.B.I ~The Summer When You Were There~ZONE
A bittersweet summer memory song by ZONE, one of Japan’s leading girl bands.
The more carefully you read the lyrics, the more they seep into a broken heart, letting you empathize and be moved.
The melody, which evokes fireworks blooming in the summer night sky, matches beautifully with their clear, translucent vocals.
Released in July 2003, the song was a major hit, debuting at No.
3 on the Oricon chart.
Although it had no tie-ins, this track—also included on the album “N”—is loved by many fans as one of ZONE’s signature songs.
Listening to it when you’re in the mood to look back on a love that ended with the close of summer will leave you with a wrenching feeling in your chest.
cotton candyback number
This is a song by the three-piece rock band back number that feels like it paints memories of a summer festival.
Its gentle, unhurried sound invites a quiet look back at the past, and the addition of piano tones seems to emphasize the underlying poignancy.
The lyrics portray someone gauging the chance to confess their feelings to a special person they invited to the festival, and the sweet-and-sour atmosphere comes through throughout.
The detailed depictions—how feelings grow as time passes, and how that growth brings anxiety—are particularly striking.
Its clear, relatable storyline makes it easy to empathize with, resulting in a song that truly stirs the heart.
fireworkskyanai
This song was created by Kyanai, a singer-songwriter whose roots are in busking.
Fireworks bloom in a flash and disappear, then the next one is launched and blossoms again—beautiful, yet tinged with a certain wistfulness, a hallmark of summer.
The lyrics poignantly overlay the image of fireworks with the people, things, and emotions we hold dear.
Please listen while reflecting on the meetings and partings you’ve experienced amid ever-changing circumstances.
You’ll likely feel a gentle swell of many emotions rising from within.
Sentimental Sorrow Flowerkohanaramu
The bittersweet world evoking the end of summer really tugs at the heart.
Kohanaramu’s expressive vocals and the nostalgic, sentimental melody truly resonate.
Released in August 2024, this song packs its lyrics with the ache of lost love and parting, gripping listeners’ hearts.
With its emo-pop vibe, it’s a perfect fit for that poignant end-of-summer mood.
The music video is also out, so you can enjoy it both visually and aurally.
It’s recommended for when you want to soak in nostalgia or look back on your summer memories.
It will surely stay close to your heart.