Perfect for driving BGM and karaoke! Recommended summer songs for people in their 40s [2026]
For those in their 40s today, what Japanese summer songs come to mind?
Many of you probably think right away of hit songs from the 1990s, the era when CDs sold the most in Japan.
In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of summer tracks recommended for people in their 40s.
Listening to these songs will likely bring back memories and feelings from back then, and the songs we’re about to introduce might just give you a warm sense of nostalgia.
Use them as a reference for your driving playlist or karaoke selections!
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Perfect for driving BGM and karaoke! Summer songs recommended for people in their 40s [2026] (51–60)
Wake Me Up!SPEED
Released in 1997, SPEED’s “Wake Me Up!” evokes a refreshing nostalgia for listeners in their 40s.
It’s also known as the theme song for Rohto Pharmaceutical’s Zi: Rese commercial and reached No.
2 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
The music video, filmed on Bohol Island in the Philippines, shows the members enjoying a carefree summer.
With catchy, easy-to-sing lyrics, it’s perfect for a driving soundtrack or karaoke.
Give it a listen when you want to relive your twenties and make the most of summer!
Ultra SoulB’z
With his overwhelming vocal prowess, Koshi Inaba has won widespread popularity, while guitarist Takahiro Matsumoto is highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad.
The rock duo they form, B’z, has become so famous that they hardly need an introduction.
Among their songs, “ultra soul,” released in 2001, was a massive hit, topping the Oricon charts for two consecutive weeks.
Inaba’s exhilarating vocals and Matsumoto’s energetic guitar make it a perfect fit for summer.
Here’s hoping this song helps you enjoy the season to the fullest!
Get Myself BackAmuro Namie
This is Namie Amuro’s 36th single, released in 2010.
The promotional video was filmed in her hometown of Okinawa, evoking images of a tropical summer paradise.
It’s a song that makes you feel like you’re spending summer together with Namie Amuro’s quintessential summertime sound.
Sweet EmotionAikawa Nanase
Known as one of Nanase Aikawa’s signature songs, this track is characterized by her powerful vocals and melodious sound.
Released in May 1999 and adopted as a radio campaign song, it passionately sings of a scorching love that embraces the night.
Aikawa’s characteristically fervent voice vividly captures the sultry heat of summer nights.
It’s perfect as driving BGM, too—listening with the windows down and the wind in your face might bring back pleasant summer memories.
It’s also a surefire crowd-pleaser at karaoke.
Perfect for driving BGM and karaoke!! Recommended summer songs for people in their 40s [2026] (61–70)
The Door of MidsummerGLAY
With a propulsive sound that captures youthful impatience and hope for the future, it really makes you feel the arrival of summer.
This track is GLAY’s second single, released in June 1994, and many will remember it as the opening theme for the anime Yamato Takeru.
Later included on the classic album SPEED POP, it’s a song packed with their early raw energy.
The dry guitar tones and TERU’s soaring vocals deliver a refreshing sensation, like racing under an endless blue sky.
Put it on as summer driving music, and those bittersweet memories from back then are sure to come rushing back.
SunGO!GO!7188
Formed by members from Kagoshima, GO!GO!7188 gained popularity for their unique sound that fuses surf rock with Showa-era pop.
Their major-label debut, released in June 2000, is a refreshing rock tune that’s perfect for summer drives! The sound—combining edgy guitar riffs with vocals that are cute yet powerful—is an undeniable killer track that will raise your spirits whether you like it or not.
The song’s worldview, which sings of a passionate love that insists on getting what you want through your own strength, is also truly captivating.
This classic is included on their first album, “Dasoku Hokō.”
Natsu no HikariGRAPEVINE
GRAPEVINE is known for their humid, atmospheric guitar sound and literary lyrics, and their summer songs are exceptional as well.
Set to a wistful UK rock–inspired melody, they paint scenes of the blazing summer sun and the faint sadness lurking behind it.
The world they evoke—one that stirs bittersweet memories of youth and the steps we couldn’t quite take—is irresistibly emotional.
This release is their 12th single, put out in June 2002, and many may recognize it as the theme song from the TV program “Ousama no Brunch.” Play it on a late-summer drive, and it’s sure to wash you in nostalgia.