[2026] A summer song that tightens your chest with bittersweet feelings. A classic summer tune that touches the heart.
When you think of summer, many people imagine a season of fun at the beach and festivals! That said, have you ever felt the unique wistfulness or loneliness that only summer brings? Precisely because it’s such a hot, blazing time of year, the quiet of the night can squeeze your heart with a pang of sorrow, and the end of summer can leave you feeling lonely…
In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of songs filled with that bittersweet, sentimental feeling that’s unique to summer.
Experience another side of summer—one that’s not just about fun.
- Songs you want to listen to at the end of summer: Late-summer classics to look back on the season
- Heartbreak songs to listen to at the end of summer. Classic and popular summer tracks.
- Tear-jerking summer classics: recommended popular songs
- Ballads to Listen to in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Bittersweet Longing
- [Heart-throbbing] Cute summer classics. The charm of adorable summer songs [2026]
- Summer songs with great lyrics. Tracks that make your summer memories even more wonderful.
- [Summer Love Songs] Hot and Heart-wrenching! Carefully Selected Summer Tunes of Love That Set Your Heart Ablaze
- Unrequited love songs you’ll want to listen to in summer. Classic summer hits and recommended popular tracks.
- Classic nostalgic summer hits from the ’80s. A roundup of summer songs.
- [Unrequited Love] Heart-wrenching Love Songs | A Roundup of Tear-Inducing Crush and Breakup Tracks
- 1990s J-Pop to listen to in summer: classic and hit summer songs
- [Summer Classics] When it comes to summer, it’s got to be this song! A roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks.
- [Classics] Timeless Summer Hits Recommended for All Ages [Summer Songs]
[2026] Summer songs that squeeze your heart with bittersweet feelings: classic, soul-stirring summer masterpieces (71–80)
Rainy WednesdayOhtaki Eiichi
One of Eiichi Ohtaki’s signature songs, where the gentle, soaking rain conveys the feel of summer.
You can picture yourself quietly gazing at the sea with someone dear, beside a battered old Volkswagen.
Before you know it, as you listen, you’re filled with a sentimental longing for the passing seasons.
The track was included on the classic 1981 album “A LONG VACATION,” and was later released as a single in May 1982.
With its clear, transparent vocals and wistful melody that sinks into the heart, it’s a perfect number for late summer.
You from that summerSugiyama Kiyotaka
This is a summer song for adults, created to mark Kiyotaka Sugiyama’s 30th anniversary since his debut.
Included on the album “OCEAN,” released in July 2016, the piece recounts unforgettable summer memories spent with a loved one in days gone by.
The imagery—so vivid you can almost feel the sea breeze and hear the surf—blends with Sugiyama’s refined vocals, gently resonating in the listener’s heart.
Many listeners say that when they hear this song, their hearts time-travel back in time.
The Last Song of MidsummerAratani Shota
As the dazzling sunlight softens and the season begins to feel like summer’s end, this is the perfect song to accompany the moment.
Released by Shota Araya in June 2025, the track features arrangements by ESME MORI and poignantly portrays the scenes of farewells that come with late summer.
The chorus, which calls out “Let’s dance,” even in the midst of parting, really strikes a chord.
It carries both sadness and gratitude for having met, leaving you with a bittersweet feeling just by listening.
A lyrical number perfectly suited for summer’s final days.
tear(s)Marushii
Released in August 2025, this song marks Marcy’s first summer ballad.
It opens with scenes that evoke dazzling memories of love, and the story that unfolds in the past tense grips your heart.
Like a letter with no addressee, the feelings have nowhere to go, and the earnest pain of heartbreak is rendered lyrically.
It’s a sentimental track that embraces those who want to linger in the afterglow of a past romance at summer’s end.
I saw you.≠ME
This is a summer song released in August 2025 by ≠ME, an idol group produced by Rino Sashihara.
The track portrays the bittersweet emotions of seeing the person you like together with someone else.
It reflects Sashihara’s unique sentiment of “not wanting ≠ME to have their love fulfilled,” intertwining the frustration of unrequited love with the atmosphere of late summer to create a heart-wrenching feel.
It’s a must-listen for anyone in the throes of a one-sided crush or those who want to reminisce about the delicate memories of their youth.
Because of the summerRADWIMPS
RADWIMPS is a rock band that has been active since 2001.
Their 2020 release “Natsu no Sei” features a floating, beautiful melody that stands apart from their early, rough-edged sound.
Centered on piano with subtly blended band elements, it has a rich, nuanced flavor.
If you’re looking for a song with a mysterious charm that’s different from a typical pop summer tune, this one is highly recommended.
Its calm mood also makes it a perfect BGM choice for those hot summer nights when it’s hard to sleep.
Tears of Tropical FishFlower
This is “Netsujou no Namida” (Tears of a Tropical Fish), a song released in 2014 by Flower, a female dance and vocal group that sadly disbanded in 2019.
It depicts a woman’s feelings as summer brings back memories of a past lover.
It seems to have been a painful romance; although she tells herself she won’t go back to those days, the way she likens herself to a fish in a tank shows she’s still trapped in the past.
Since it was her first love, it’s only natural she can’t forget.
A classic by Flower that you’ll want to listen to when summer comes.
