Popular Summer Songs / Summer Music Ranking [2026]

together; along with; bothWANIMA71rank/position

WANIMA – Together (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

It’s a cheering song that lifts your spirits! Just listening to it gives you energy—the powerful sound so characteristic of WANIMA, along with lyrics that combine strength and warmth, are truly captivating.

Chosen in 2017 as the theme song for the project “Tomoni Susumu Kumamoto,” which focused on recovery from the Kumamoto earthquake, this piece carries the band members’ deep love for their hometown and a message of support.

It was included on their major first full-length album, “Everybody!!,” released in January 2018.

It’s a track that guides you to hold your ground together with your friends.

MiracleGReeeeN72rank/position

GReeeeN – Kiseki

Released in May 2008, this song drew attention as the theme for the TV drama “ROOKIES.” Centered on the themes of the “miracle” of meeting a loved one and the “path” they have walked together, it conveys hope for the future and gratitude in straightforward words.

It was also chosen as the entrance march for the 81st National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament in 2009, gaining popularity as a cheer song that colors passionate moments of youth.

Its warm yet powerful melody will gently give you a push as you strive toward your goals.

Music HourPorunogurafiti73rank/position

PORNOGRAFFITTI 'Music Hour (Short Ver.)'

It’s a feel-good summer song that sounds like it’s coming straight from the radio! This track by Porno Graffitti was released in July 2000 as their third single.

It was featured in a commercial for Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Pocari Sweat.

The playful lyrics, like a radio host calling out to listeners, deliver that bubbly summer feeling.

The charm lies in how you can forget the complicated stuff and simply let yourself be carried by the joy of the music.

Listen to it on a summer drive or at a beach party with friends, and your memories are sure to shine even brighter.

High-Pressure GirlYamashita Tatsuro74rank/position

High-Pressure Girl (Cover)

Speaking of summer, many people in their 50s probably recall Tatsuro Yamashita’s songs wrapped in those refreshing jackets illustrated by Eizin Suzuki.

One of his tracks became the campaign song for All Nippon Airways in 1983, and among them, this particular song must have left a strong impression.

The arrangement—quintessential Yamashita—opens with a cappella chorus and percussion, and its breezy tone evokes a hot yet dry, crisp kind of summer, perfectly elevating that resort feeling.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Ms. Hanako on a high pedestalback number75rank/position

back number – Takane no Hanako-san (full)

This is a signature summer tune by back number, a band unrivaled when it comes to singing about the frustration of unrequited love.

You want to see them but you can’t, you know they don’t think of you that way, and yet your daydreams and hopes keep swelling.

The protagonist’s feelings come across so vividly it’s almost painful, and it tightens your chest.

Released in June 2013, this track was also included on the classic album “Love Story.” In 2019, it drew attention again when it was used in a Kirin Brewery commercial, featuring a solo acoustic performance by vocalist Iyori Shimizu himself.

It’s a timeless song, perfect for summer drives or when you want to bask in bittersweet memories of youth.

Unchanging ThingsOku Hanako76rank/position

Unchanging Things

A piano ballad that lets you sink into a wistful mood, as if longing for the summer that has passed.

The singer is Hanako Oku, a singer-songwriter often praised as someone whose “voice alone can move you to tears.” This work centers on the irreplaceable nature of everyday life and feelings that never fade, even as time goes by.

Its message—yearning to reach someone you may never meet again, transcending time and distance—truly strikes the heart.

Included on the single “Garnet,” released in July 2006, it served as an insert song in the feature-length animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, heightening the emotion of its climactic scenes.

It’s a number you’ll want to listen to on a slightly chilly evening at dusk, as you look back on your summer memories.

Naughty SunORANGE RANGE77rank/position

ORANGE RANGE – Naughty Sun (Reiwa ver. Music Video)

This is a track by ORANGE RANGE, a rock band from Okinawa, which served as the opening theme for the drama “Hana-Kimi: Ikemen Paradise.” Released in July 2007, it’s also included on the album “PANIC FANCY.” The song centers on the impulse of a dangerous love that can’t be stopped even when you know you shouldn’t—like a blazing sun.

It portrays “two people drawn to each other, forgetting reason,” through the passionate vocals of the group’s three singers and a retro-pop sound.

It’s guaranteed to boost your mood when you listen during summer drives or events! Even after its release, it’s continued to be loved as a cross-generational summer classic, with related videos on TikTok reaching the tens of millions.