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 (1–10)
Song of PointillismMrs. GREEN APPLE
This song, with its piano timbre and beautiful vocal work, is “Tenbyō no Uta,” created by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE.
It was originally a collaboration featuring singer-songwriter Sonoko Inoue, and later a solo version by Inoue was also released.
Set at the end of summer, the lyrics portray a couple who think sincerely of each other, and many listeners are surely moved by the purity of their feelings.
At the same time, parts of the lyrics can be read as suggesting that their feelings might not be returned, or that the two may someday part ways, adding a touch of poignancy.
It’s a beautiful ballad perfect for late summer—be sure to listen while reading the lyrics.
First NightYorushika
The song “Daiichi-ya” paints summer scenes with emotional depth, and its lyrics are sure to grip your heart.
Many listeners will likely relate to the way it recalls someone who’s no longer by your side, bringing that person to mind in various moments.
Those memories of someone you loved surface at unexpected points in everyday life.
With vocalist sui’s voice and the melody working together, the sense of longing swells even more—making this a ballad you’ll want to listen to on a summer night.
Every time summer comesatarayo
The song crafted by Atarayo centers on the bittersweet memories and lingering attachment that resurface with the arrival of summer.
Each time summer comes, past memories return, and the lyrics portray the narrator involuntarily thinking about a former love, making the unbroken sense of yearning almost painfully palpable.
The track is included on the album “Kioku no Hako,” released in August 2023.
It’s a perfect song for those who feel the loneliness of summer’s end or want to look back on times gone by.
Tear-jerking summer classics: Recommended popular songs (11–20)
GarnetOku Hanako
When it comes to bittersweet films themed around summer and youth, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is the one that comes to mind.
Its theme song, widely known and likewise depicting summer and youth, is Garnet by Hanako Oku.
The lyrics inevitably make you think of the movie’s story.
There are two versions of Garnet: the regular version and an acoustic piano-and-vocal version.
Incidentally, the one used as the movie’s theme is the acoustic version.
Both are wonderful, but if you’re in a wistful mood, I recommend the acoustic take, with its gentle piano solo that really resonates.
If you’re curious, be sure to compare the two.
Goldfish FireworksOtsuka Ai
Kinboko Fireworks (Kingyo Hanabi) is the fifth single released by singer-songwriter Ai Otsuka—beloved across generations for her cute voice and looks—on August 18, 2004.
It was used as the theme song for NTV’s “Super TV Information Frontline.” The track captivates with beautiful lyrics that liken unrequited love to the fleeting nature of fireworks.
Paired with her wistful vocals, it’s a tear-jerking summer classic.
Highly recommended if you’re in the mood for a bittersweet summer song—give it a listen!
fireworksAAA
This is a song by the performance group AAA that expresses summer landscapes and the various emotions tied to them.
Its rhythm carries an R&B sensibility, while the harmonized tones of piano and traditional Japanese instruments create an evocative sound that accentuates a sense of poignancy.
A notable feature is the inclusion of words in the lyrics that evoke the Japanese summer, which makes the story of the song come across more vividly.
The content conveys the sadness of a fleeting summer passing by, while also suggesting a wish for happy times to last.
With a calm atmosphere that encourages facing one’s own feelings, it’s a track that truly stirs the heart.
Summer loverSHISHAMO
This song by the three-piece rock band SHISHAMO portrays a summer farewell.
Centered on a gentle acoustic guitar sound, the addition of strings seems to further emphasize the feeling of wistfulness.
The lyrics depict saying goodbye to someone dear with whom the summer was spent, along with the various conflicts leading up to that moment.
The portrayal of letting go of present happiness to move toward the future and the wavering emotions resonates deeply.
There’s a moment near the end when the drums and bass drop out entirely, and the vocal delivery there—like releasing pent-up pain—brings tears to your eyes.