Summer songs sung by idols: a roundup of classic hits about the sea and love

graduallyKing&Prince

Dandan

A song with a pleasantly nostalgic sound that depicts scenes of a bygone summer and the shifting nature of memory.

Performed by King & Prince, it was included on the album “STARRING,” released in December 2025.

Written and composed by Ryoto Kohara of Tempalay, its lyrics delicately trace changing seasons and emotions, resonating deeply.

It’s a gentle, mid-tempo number you’ll want to savor alone at dusk.

The Sea and Lemon Tea＝LOVE

=LOVE (Equal Love) / 17th Single c/w “Umi to Lemon Tea” [MV full]

From =LOVE, produced by Rino Sashihara, here’s a song where summer scenery intersects with the ache of unrequited love.

Included as a coupling track on the single “Zettai Idol Yamenai de,” released in July 2024, this piece drew attention among fans for featuring Hana Oba as center for a full-group song for the first time.

The memories of a summer gone by and a faint love you can’t forget press upon the heart atop a somewhat wistful melody.

In the music video, the protagonist returns to their hometown and reunites with the senior they once had feelings for, portraying a fleeting summer that rekindles their heart; subtle touches also shine through, such as a poster for the “24th Fireworks Festival,” a nod to Oba’s birthday, decorating the set.

It’s the perfect number for a seaside drive or those moments when you suddenly find yourself feeling nostalgic.

Caste Summer SessionYui Sakurai (FRUITS ZIPPER)

Caste Summer Session

It’s the ultimate cute summer tune, packed with the sparkle of summer sunshine and the flutter in your chest when you’re in front of someone you like! This track is a solo work by Yui Sakurai, active in the idol group FRUITS ZIPPER, and it was included on the single “Zurui, Kawayui,” released in October 2024.

Fans will also love the story that it was premiered ahead of the release at her milestone solo concert at Zepp DiverCity that same month.

The lyrics depict a shy protagonist who struggles to take a step toward their crush, mustering the courage to move forward in love.

Why not give it a listen when you want a push for a summer romance or to lift your mood before seeing someone special?

You will fall in love this summer.≠ME

≠ME (Not Equal Me) / 1st Single 'You Will Fall in Love This Summer' [MV full]

The idol group ≠ME produced by Rino Sashihara released their major debut single in July 2021.

This work refreshingly portrays the feelings of summer love, and a notable feature of the music video is its delicate depiction of romance between girls.

The lyrics express a protagonist who, prompted by a fortune-telling, resolves to take a step toward love.

It’s a piece where the exhilaration and bittersweetness of youth coexist.

When you realize you have feelings for someone of the same sex, this is a song that gently gives you a push forward.

That is a fairy.Boku ga mitakatta aozora

The Blue Sky I Wanted to See / “That’s a Fairy” Music Video [4K]

Debuting in 2023 and winning the Best New Artist Award at the Japan Record Awards in just one year, Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora are set to release their 7th single in December 2025.

The title track is a classic winter first-love song with lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto and music by Daisuke Shirai.

It tells a poignant story of a boy who is captivated by a girl he glimpses by chance on a train platform, and, seeing her as delicate like a fairy, keeps searching for her every morning.

Vivid scenes—winter uniforms, scarves, and crowded trains—tug at the heart, and it’s impossible not to empathize with the protagonist, who senses the love may never be fulfilled yet still engraves the feeling of “I truly fell in love.” The music video, featuring Ami Kanazawa in the center playing a transfer student, has drawn attention for its direction that shifts between reality and imagination.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to revisit a softly bittersweet page of youth.

Secret talk＝LOVE

=LOVE (Equal Love) / “Secret Talk” [MV full] Vertical video

Set against the backdrop of a summer festival, this song poppily captures the heart-fluttering moment when a secret relationship with a longtime crush begins.

It was released digitally in August 2025.

The lyrics, penned by producer Rino Sashihara, are infused with a sweet-and-sour exhilaration—the feeling of wanting to boast about getting closer to someone you like, even though you can’t tell anyone.

Emi Ohtani, who takes center position, delivers a gentle vocal that beautifully conveys the protagonist’s wavering feelings of love.

Let this pop love song elevate your summer mood!

Blue Hawaii Lemon≒JOY

≒JOY (Nearly Equal Joy) / 3rd Single Title Track “Blue Hawaii Lemon” [MV full]

It’s a refreshing love song that captures a sweet-and-tangy, slightly mysterious crush—sparkling like a shaved ice in the summer sun! This is the 3rd single released in June 2025 by ≒JOY, the idol group produced by Rino Sashihara.

Following their 2nd single “First Love Cinderella,” which made them the first female artist in about three and a half years to score two consecutive No.

1 hits, this track showcases a new side of their appeal.

The story of a “one-summer elopement”—putting down your phone and heading to a secret place with someone you like—is portrayed over a melody that’s both wistful and exhilarating.

It’s a perfect companion for a drive that marks the start of summer.