[Summer Classics] When it comes to summer, it’s got to be this song! A roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks.
When you hear “summer songs,” what tracks come to mind? Is it a hit from your youth, a classic you hear somewhere every year once summer arrives, or the latest chart-topper? In this article, we’ll introduce timeless summer-song masterpieces that instantly bring the season to mind.
From tracks that amp up your energy to songs that take you back to a page of your youth, it’s a lineup that captures many shades of “summer.” With your favorite summer tunes, let’s power through the hot season!
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[Summer Classics] When it comes to summer, it’s this song! A comprehensive roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks (71–80)
End of SummerShimizu Shota
As the end of summer draws near, you get that distinctive, aching tightness in your chest, don’t you? In those moments, Shota Shimizu’s timeless ballads gently stay by your side.
They make you feel the memories of a summer romance spreading through your heart like the gradations of a sunset.
The unspoken loneliness the protagonist must be feeling, and the tenderness for days that won’t return, come through vividly in his emotive vocals.
This song is lovingly included on his March 2014 album ENCORE, and is cherished among fans as a hidden gem.
It’s perfect for the threshold of autumn, when the lively season bids farewell and a touch of sentimentality sets in, or for a quiet night spent alone, lost in memories.
If you savor each lyric as you listen, you’ll be drawn even deeper into its world—no question about it.
Please enjoy it that way!
rainbowFukuyama Masaharu
This is a refreshing pop-rock number by Masaharu Fukuyama that brightens the listener’s mood.
For the first time, he handled the arrangement himself and was meticulous about the performance, channeling the passions of youth and grand dreams for the future into the music.
Feelings he wanted to express but couldn’t put into words, and a strong will to overcome hardships and grasp hope, come through clearly in his soaring vocals and the lively sound.
The song was included on a single released in August 2003 and was loved by many as the theme song for the drama “WATER BOYS.” It’s truly one of the signature masterpieces that symbolize that summer.
Lamp starharuka nakamura + suis from Yorushika
You’re drawn into its delicate, lyrical sound.
It’s a collaboration between composer haruka nakamura and suis, the vocalist of Yorushika.
The song was written as the theme for the film “Kono Natsu no Hoshi o Miru,” set to be released in July 2025.
suis’s crystalline voice gently accompanies the quiet, beautiful piano melodies woven by haruka nakamura, creating an immersive feeling as if you were inside a planetarium.
The story—tinged with the ache of an irretrievable past and the discovery of a small light of hope in the darkness—perfectly matches the film’s worldview.
Listen, and you’ll find yourself forgetting the daily bustle and quietly looking up at the night sky.
Midsummer FruitSazan Ōrusutāzu
Since its release in 1990, this love ballad by Southern All Stars has been covered by many musicians and cherished ever since.
Also serving as the theme song for Keisuke Kuwata’s film “Inamura Jane,” the track is filled with the beauty and bittersweetness of summer love, giving you that tight, aching feeling in your chest when you listen.
The intensity of a passionate romance—and the pain when it ends—feels enveloped and purified by the beautiful melody and sound, making it an evergreen summer song that never fades with time.
COCONUTNiziU
Perfect for the season when the summer sun is dazzling, this is a summery track from NiziU’s album “COCONUT.” Just listening to it lifts your spirits, evoking a refreshing scene of blue skies and the sea.
Its vibrant sound makes summer memories with friends shine, and the nine members’ vocals convey the openness and positive energy of summer.
The album “COCONUT,” which includes this song, was released in July 2023 and debuted at No.
1 on the Oricon Albums Chart with 142,000 copies sold in its first week.
The album also features the movie theme song “Paradise” and the drama theme song “LOOK AT ME.” It’s a perfect pick to elevate karaoke, road trips, and all your summer outings—highly recommended for anyone looking to enjoy the season.
Ms. Hanako on a high pedestalback number
This signature number from back number is guaranteed to get everyone hyped during summer drives and karaoke—surely a staple summer song that resonates with many.
The track stands out for expressing the bittersweet feelings of an unrequited crush—yearning for someone who won’t look your way—set to a refreshing, fast-paced sound.
While the lyrics portray the woman he admires as someone out of reach, the charm lies in the protagonist’s comical side, drifting into fanciful daydreams and then snapping back to reality.
It captures the perfect interplay between the liberating feel of summer and the frustration of a distance that just won’t close.
Released as a single in June 2013, it was later included on the album “Love Story.” In 2019, it drew fresh attention when vocalist Iyori Shimizu performed a stripped-down version for Kirin Brewery’s Tanrei Green Label TV commercial.
If you want to relive the sweet-and-sour pangs of a one-sided crush, or you’re on your way to a summer event, this song will instantly lift your spirits.
And if you sing it with friends at karaoke, you’re guaranteed to get the whole room going in shared excitement!
Mahoro in SummerHarukamirai
This is a heart-thumping track by Harukamirai that vividly captures the blazing summer sun and the days of youth gone by.
The song leaves a strong impression with its protagonist looking back, amid the encroaching heat, on the self who once acted tough and the past when they couldn’t be a little more honest.
Alongside motifs like sunflowers and white baseballs, the nostalgia for those burning days and the resolve to step into the future ride on an energetic rock sound that’s sure to move listeners.
The track is included on the album “THE BAND STAR,” released in July 2020, and was also selected as a J-pop recommendation on MUSIC ON! TV that same month.
It’s perfect for summer drives or outings with friends, and if you want to rekindle that fiery feeling from back then, be sure to give it a listen!