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 (21–30)
The Summer Without YouDEEN
As summer draws to a close, do you ever find yourself overcome by a quiet melancholy? This classic ballad by DEEN gently stays by your side in those moments.
It brings back memories of those sweet summer days that can never return, and even as you carry an ache you can’t shake, you offer a small prayer in a corner of your heart… You can almost see the protagonist before your eyes.
Released in August 1997 as their 12th single, this song served as the ending theme for the anime Detective Conan.
When you want to quietly reflect on a love that has passed or sort out your feelings, listening to it will surely soften that sense of loneliness, if only a little.
Crying Summermihimaru GT with SOFFet
This is a bittersweet love song for the end of summer, brought to you by mihimaru GT with SOFFet.
As you gaze alone at the seaside scenery, memories of happier days overlap… Many of us have probably felt the ache of an unforgettable love like that.
Released as a single in July 2008, it reached No.
7 on the Oricon charts, marking SOFFet’s first entry into the Top 10.
It’s also included on albums such as “mihimalogy.” If there’s a summer romance you just can’t help remembering, give this song a listen.
Tear-jerking summer classics: Recommended popular songs (31–40)
tear(s)Marushii
A heartbreaking breakup ballad by Marcy, beloved for their relatable, down-to-earth music.
The structure tells all the radiant memories of a seaside park in the past tense, conveying the bittersweet ache of heartbreak—the way you can’t help but remember, even knowing you can’t go back.
You might recognize that feeling, as if your body still carries the warmth of the other person.
It’s a song that gently stays by the side of anyone who can’t forget a summer romance that has come to an end.
Cold fireworksKami ga nokoshita yume o kuu.
This song is a heartbreaking breakup ballad that overlays the dazzling burst of fireworks with a love coming to an end.
Though they stand side by side, their hearts no longer connect.
That frustrating relationship is portrayed against the backdrop of a late summer night.
The emotional vocals convey the painfully raw feeling of wanting to cling to memories while knowing there’s no going back.
It resonates deeply with anyone carrying an unforgettable love.
Shadows of SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE
Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, known for popular songs like “Lilac” and “Dancehall,” released a perfect end-of-summer track in August 2025.
It’s their first summer-themed song in about seven years since “Ao to Natsu.” The lyrics capture an indescribable, sentimental feeling that comes with the changing seasons.
There’s a bittersweetness in the way the protagonist blames their pounding heart and hesitation on the summer heat and the lengthening shadows.
Give it a listen as you savor the passing days of summer.
silver vineSato Chiaki
Chiaki Sato—known as the former vocalist of Kinoko Teikoku and a multitalented solo artist—released Matatabi in July 2024, the theme song for the film Bake Neko Anzu-chan.
Set to warm, country- and folk-tinged guitar tones, the song gently sings of summer days gone by.
Images like festival sounds and lukewarm ramune soda are sure to stir listeners’ unforgettable memories of summer.
It’s a gem of a track to revisit cherished memories with, especially as the days begin to grow shorter.
Fireworks in Augustmurasaki ima
It’s an emotionally rich ballad that gently stays by your side through that indescribable loneliness at summer’s end.
Composed by Shikon, it was released in August 2025.
The fleeting fireworks that bloom and fade in the night sky are layered with memories of a summer that will never return.
Her signature husky vocals intertwine with the mellow melody, tightening something deep in the listener’s chest.
On a night after the bustle has faded, try listening in quiet solitude, lost in thought.