[The Last Fireworks] An Emotive Song to Listen to at Summer’s End [2026]

fireworks (launched into the sky)DAOKO × Yonezu Kenshi

DAOKO × Kenshi Yonezu 'Uchiage Hanabi' MUSIC VIDEO

In addition to being chosen as the theme song for the film Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom?, this track drew attention as a collaboration between DAOKO and Kenshi Yonezu.

While centering on the motif of fireworks, it portrays the bond between two people whose hearts connect, along with the bittersweet realization that things don’t last forever and will one day come to an end—a song you’ll want to listen to quietly as summer draws to a close.

It also ties in with the film’s story, and its subtly wistful mood is a perfect fit for the sentimental feeling at the end of summer.

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Hane Keisuke

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secret base ~What You Gave Me~ZONE

secret base ~What You Gave Me~ ZONE (Full)

When it comes to summer songs, this track is almost guaranteed to be mentioned: ZONE’s signature song “secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~.” Released in 2001 as ZONE’s third single, it’s a timeless summer classic that’s still often heard today and has been covered by numerous artists.

It enjoyed a revival hit as the ending theme of the TV anime “Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai,” making it well-known even among generations unfamiliar with ZONE.

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utatane

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Gray and Blue (feat. Masaki Suda)Yonezu Kenshi

NGT48 10th Single 'A Momentary Firework' Music Video

This song, a collaboration between Kenshi Yonezu and Masaki Suda—two talents who symbolize the present era—is also a classic you’ll want to hear at summer’s end.

While it doesn’t explicitly take summer as its theme, it opens by recalling scenes from days gone by at the close of summer, and that nostalgic air perfectly accompanies the melancholic mood of looking back on times past.

It feels like a song about drifting apart from a friend who once shared the same dream, and the combination of their emotional vocals makes it a track that evokes an irresistible sense of wistfulness and longing.

Put it on as background music for a sentimental late-summer night, and you’re guaranteed to be in the best mood.

sparklerInoue Sonoko

Sonoko Inoue / Sparklers -Music Video- (Full Ver.)

Senko Hanabi is a song released while Sonoko Inoue—who has become especially popular among young listeners as a singer-songwriter—was still in high school.

Produced by Ryota Yanagisawa of SUPER BEAVER, the track’s exhilarating pop-rock sound captures the fresh sparkle of youth.

At the same time, Inoue’s crystal-clear vocals layer on a bittersweet mood, evoking the loneliness that can suddenly follow happy moments and a tender affection for things that fade away.

It’s the kind of song that, when you listen to it in the slightly cooler night breeze at summer’s end, brings a rush of sweet-and-sour memories to your chest.

A number that gently stays close to a heart lingering over a season gone by.

cotton candyback number

back number – Watagashi (full)

Set on the final day of a summer festival, this song paints a bittersweet portrait of young love.

From the scene of enjoying cotton candy together with a girl in a yukata, it traces the fluttering, heart-pounding feelings.

The frustration of not being able to convey your feelings well, the warmth of hands touching—these details vividly capture the sweet-and-sour essence of youth.

Released in July 2012, the track was also chosen as the opening theme for TBS’s COUNT DOWN TV.

It’s a perfect song for those who tend to get sentimental at summer’s end.

Why not listen while looking back on the precious memories you shared?

Summertime CinderellaRyokushokushakai

Ryokuoushoku Shakai 'Summer Time Cinderella' Official Video / Ryokuoushoku Shakai – Summer Time Cinderella

A dazzling yet somehow bittersweet masterpiece written by Ryokuoushoku Shakai as the theme song for a Monday 9 p.m.

drama.

The sound alone—just from the intro—unfurls a seaside landscape before your eyes, and the concept of likening a summer romance to a “time-limited magic” is nothing short of moving.

Even the title, which seems to say that those radiant summer moments aren’t eternal, perfectly captures a fragility that will resonate with listeners’ sentimental moods.

Knowing that the members visited Enoshima during production makes the song’s aching charm stand out even more.

On a night when you’re longing for summer as it slips away, there’s no doubt you’ll feel amazing letting this song be the BGM while you sink into your memories.

You and ParadisoSebunsu Bega

Seventh Vega “You and Paradiso” Music Video

Seventh Vega, a rising act in Tokyo’s city pop/rock scene, delivers their first full-fledged summer anthem.

Vocalist Kanna Shibuya beautifully distills the ocean-and-romance spirit of the ’80s and ’90s she so admires into a contemporary sound.

The melody riding atop the breezy band ensemble is refreshing yet tinged with a certain melancholy, as if depicting both the sparkle of summer and its end at the same time.

The sentimental sonic landscape conjures a protagonist reflecting on seasons past, making it perfect BGM for savoring that end-of-summer feeling.