Songs to Listen to in September: Popular J-POP Tracks That Capture the End of Summer and Early Autumn
The heat has eased, and it’s becoming a more comfortable season.
September is a somewhat contemplative time, where the lingering traces of summer intersect with the beginning of autumn.
I’d like to introduce some songs that are perfect for September.
From memories of summer and bittersweet love songs to tracks that capture the changing seasons, each one resonates deeply with the heart.
For an end-of-summer drive or a leisurely walk, you’re sure to find the perfect song for you.
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[Songs to Listen to in September] Popular J-POP Tracks That Evoke the End of Summer and Early Autumn (41–50)
SeptemberCRAZY KEN BAND
Set to a soothing bossa nova, “September” is a song about the bittersweet end of a romance.
Released by Crazy Ken Band in 2001, it portrays the close of a summer fling from a woman’s perspective.
The down-to-earth lyrics resonate with anyone who’s been through a breakup.
The combination of bossa nova tones—like something you’d hear in a stylish café—and Ken Yokoyama’s irresistibly cool, deep vocals is particularly delightful.
It’s a hidden gem you’ll want to play when you’re worn out from the high-energy pace of summer.
It’s the late-summer heat.Higuchi Ai
Ai Higuchi is an artist—known as a singer-songwriter who accompanies herself on piano—whose powerful worldview has captivated countless listeners.
This song is a perfect example, brimming with clever ideas.
Though the lyrics carry a sense of everyday life, the arrangement eschews any sloppiness and instead delivers a stylish performance.
Let yourself get hooked on the music she creates.
Love Sky and the Sound of RainAAA
When it comes to love songs for autumn, those slightly melancholic, bittersweet tunes are the classics, aren’t they? This piece is a gem of a love song packed with the frustrating push-and-pull of romance and those hard-to-express feelings.
You want to say “I love you,” but the fear of what might come keeps the words in your throat.
That delicate feeling of first love overlaps with the gentle scene of autumn rain, and it really tugs at the heart.
This track is a single released by AAA in September 2013 and was also featured in an H.I.S.
commercial, so many of you may find it familiar.
The album it’s included on, Eighth Wonder, became the group’s first to top the weekly charts and won an Excellence Award at the 55th Japan Record Awards.
It’s a song that quietly stays by your side in autumn, when the fun of summer has passed and you start to long for someone.
Liar MoonYorushika
This ballad by Yorushika is perfect for autumn, when the hustle and bustle of summer settles down and a certain loneliness sets in.
Delicate piano melodies intertwine with vocalist suis’s clear, translucent voice, seeping deeply into the listener’s heart.
It portrays the loneliness of a protagonist who continues to wait, even as memories of a loved one fade away.
That feeling overlaps with the bittersweetness of summer coming to an end, making it all the more moving.
This beautiful song was produced as the ending theme for the anime film A Whisker Away, released in June 2020, further deepening the story’s emotional afterglow.
On those long autumn nights when you want to reflect on seasons past, it’s a piece to savor alone, slowly and fully.
The parade is here.sutopuri
Strawberry Prince (StPri) is an entertainment group formed by six singers.
“The Parade Is Right Here” is a song they released in 2018 that depicts precious moments spent with someone you love.
As the title includes the word “parade,” it’s a bright and glamorous track that lifts your spirits just by listening.
September means autumn—a season when the chill in the air can make you feel a little lonely.
At times like that, give this song a listen and cheer up.
It might bring back fun summer memories and brighten your mood!
Nagisasupittsu
When the summer heat subsides and a hint of autumn rides on the breeze, it makes you feel a bit sentimental, doesn’t it? Gentle and resonant against that late-summer melancholy is a number by Spitz.
Contrary to its sparkling, refreshing sound, it depicts a profoundly layered world where reality and fantasy intertwine.
The ache of clutching warped memories and yearning for someone you can only meet in a mirage overlaps with the loneliness of the passing season, sinking deep into your heart.
Released in September 1996, this song is also included on the album “Indigo Chiheisen.” It became well-loved as the CM song for Ezaki Glico’s “Pocky Love Story.” It’s a track you’ll want to savor alone, lost in your summer memories.
I wonder if I’d still say it’s too late.Saucy Dog
A song that portrays a man’s aching heart, longing to express overflowing feelings.
Faint first love and the pain of heartbreak are woven into Saucy Dog’s soothing melodies.
Featured on the album “Take Me,” released in September 2020, this track showcases the band’s musical breadth while fully displaying their hallmark gift for delicate emotional expression.
It’s a song for those who went through a breakup at summer’s end or still can’t forget someone.
It might help you sort through the feelings that linger in your heart.