Songs for summer: Popular Artist Rankings [2026]

love hotelkuriipuhaipe64rank/position

CreepHyp – Love Hotel

Creephype’s “Love Hotel” is themed around common stories between men and women.

Released in 2013 as the lead track from the album “Buki Koboreru Hodo no I, Ai, Ai,” the album reached No.

6 on the Oricon charts.

A fleeting, surface-level summer romance feels heartbreaking when you step into the protagonist’s shoes.

Even if you later think, “What was I doing back then?”, in the moment you’re serious and throw yourself into it completely.

It’s a pop tune that’s become a staple at the band’s live shows and festivals, so definitely give it a listen!

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Hamada Takuya

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I can’t stop this sadnessAnri65rank/position

I can't stop this sadness

Following the earlier hit “CAT’S EYE” in the first half of the same year, this song by Anri became a hit in the latter half of 1983.

After “Listening to Olivia” she hadn’t enjoyed any major hits, but with these two successes, didn’t Anri firmly cement her popularity? Lyrically, it has the feel of a modern take on “Tennessee Waltz,” but musically it’s driven by a disco beat with a catchy groove.

That contrast may well be one of the reasons the song became a hit.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Hello, my friendMatsutōya Yumi66rank/position

Yumi Matsutoya – Hello, my friend

When asked to name a classic song that captures the bittersweetness of a passing summer, many people would likely think of this one first.

Released in July 1994 as Yumi Matsutoya’s 25th single—an artist who has long led Japan’s music scene—it became a massive hit as the theme song for Fuji TV’s Monday 9 p.m.

drama “A Summer with You.” While it’s often seen as a heartbreak song, a closer look at the lyrics reveals it’s not simply about parting.

The protagonist’s dignified yet aching wish to keep caring for the other person as a friend, even after the romance ends, is deeply moving.

It’s the kind of song you’ll want to listen to at summer’s end, when you’re in the mood for a touch of sentimentality.

Summer HornsInagaki Junichi67rank/position

Junichi Inagaki “Summer Claxon”

A bittersweet classic that vividly brings back summer memories.

Released in July 1983 as the fifth single, it was also used in a Fujifilm commercial.

Junichi Inagaki’s rich vocals resonate deeply.

Many listeners likely remember the catchy chorus.

With lyrics that nostalgically reflect on lost summer memories and the end of a romance, it explores universal themes anyone can relate to.

Recommended for those who want to bask in memories of their younger days.

BoyhoodInoue Yosui68rank/position

Boyhood - Yosui Inoue

That melody that gently stays by your side in those fleeting, bittersweet moments at summer’s end really resonates in the heart, doesn’t it? Inoue Yosui’s work has an irresistible charm, with a richly poetic worldview that awakens distant memories and the landscapes from the days when we were boys and girls, hidden in everyone’s heart.

Along with the beautiful tone of the piano, those faint feelings from back then seem to come back to life.

Released in September 1990 as his 29th single, the song became widely beloved after being used in a Sony commercial in 1991, and it even went on to sell over a million copies.

It’s also well known as the theme song for Toho’s film “Shonen Jidai” (Childhood Days) and is included on albums such as “Handsome Boy.” If you listen to it when you’re feeling a little sentimental, or while savoring the summer night breeze and reminiscing about the past, it will surely soak gently into your heart.

King of SummerKinKi Kids69rank/position

KinKi Kids "King of Summer" Music Video

From the opening chant, this cheerful KinKi Kids number whisks you straight into summer mode.

It bursts with energetic charm that blows your worries away as brightly as the sun.

Grounded in Latin pop, the horn section and steel pans carry a tropical breeze and create an irresistible groove.

Released in June 2000, it captured many hearts as the theme song for the drama “Summer Snow,” starring Tsuyoshi Domoto.

It drew fresh attention again in 2023 as a McDonald’s commercial song.

It’s truly a track that cranks up that “I want to revel in summer!” feeling to the max.

SquallFukuyama Masaharu70rank/position

Masaharu Fukuyama – Squall (WE’RE BROS. TOUR 2014 in ASIA)

A song by Masaharu Fukuyama that conveys the poignant feelings of a summer romance, it is a self-cover of a track he originally wrote for Eiko Matsumoto.

The gentle piano tone, which seems to express serenity and happiness, and the airy guitar timbre, which captures the movements of the heart, are especially striking, letting a range of emotions be felt through the sound.

The lyrics depict cherishing and looking back on the summer memories the two shared, as well as the love within that can no longer be contained, and they also convey a sense of resolve and strength in the decision to confess those feelings.

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kappamaki

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