[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’s summer, it’s this song! A comprehensive roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit songs (91–100)
Summer MadnessSandaime Jē Sōru Burazāzu fromu Eguzairu Toraibu
It’s a song that perfectly suits the sun, as if announcing the arrival of summer.
The EDM sound crafted by world-renowned DJ Afrojack delivers an exhilarating rush that makes your body move the moment you hear it.
STY’s catchy, lyrical melody seems to sing of summer’s sense of freedom and the thrill in your chest—before you know it, you’ll be humming along.
Released in July 2015 as the 18th single, it was also featured in ANA’s “2015 Summer Tabiwari” commercial.
Included on the acclaimed album THE JSB LEGACY, it became a hit, selling 195,000 copies in its first week on the Oricon Weekly Chart.
Put it on when you want to get the crowd going at karaoke or as the perfect BGM for a summer drive!
Summer is comingDaikoku Maki
With the crisp, catchy rhythm of timbales that seems to herald the arrival of summer, this is a standout track by Maki Ohguro.
Released in April 1994, the song is also included on the album “Eien no Yume ni Mukatte.” Its charm lies in the straightforward lyrics that capture the slightly stubborn feelings of a protagonist who can’t quite be honest despite the expectations around marriage.
It also reached living rooms nationwide as the opening theme for COUNT DOWN TV and as a Sapporo Beer commercial song.
It’s a perfect pick to amp up a summer drive and to give courage to anyone who wants to move forward at their own pace.
Nagisasupittsu
A masterpiece distinguished by a fresh, translucent, and beautiful melody that resonates along a summer shoreline, paired with guitar sounds that shimmer like waves.
It deftly captures emotions swaying on the boundary between reality and fantasy, and its characteristically Spitz poetic lyrics leave a lingering afterglow that continues to resonate with many listeners.
Released in September 1996, it was also used as the commercial song for Ezaki Glico’s “Pocky Love Story.” Why not try singing it at karaoke when you want to bask in seaside moments and memories, or when your feelings for someone special are growing stronger?
NatsuneGLAY
It’s a heart-stirring ballad where summer scenery intertwines with a past love.
The lyrics convey the narrator’s helpless feelings as every touch of the beautiful summer landscape brings back memories of an unforgettable lover.
This beautiful melody was released as a single in September 2006 and became widely beloved as the theme song for TBS’s “Koisuru Hanikami!” It debuted at No.
1 on the Oricon chart, marking the remarkable achievement of GLAY’s tenth consecutive year with a No.
1 single.
It’s the perfect song for those moments when you want to reminisce about a summer love that has slipped away.
HOTEL PACIFICSazan Ōrusutāzu
This number perfectly fuses passionate Latin rhythms with the familiar melodies of Japanese pop, conjuring images of a blazing sun and an endless blue sea.
It was written for a large-scale outdoor concert held in the summer of 2000 in Chigasaki, the hometown of Southern All Stars.
Released in July 2000 as their 45th single, it also brightened living rooms across Japan as the theme song for WOWOW’s “Summer Campaign” commercials.
It’s the perfect track to lift your spirits even higher when you’re heading out for a seaside drive or a barbecue with friends.
I want to become the wind.THE BOOM
“Summer’s here! It’s samba time!” That’s the kind of phrase that might just burst out when you hear this exhilarating number by THE BOOM.
Driven by Kazufumi Miyazawa’s desire to “create a Japanese samba,” the song’s rich tapestry of percussion instantly sweeps listeners into the joyful whirl of a carnival.
Its lyrics carry a straightforward, heartfelt message: no matter the hardships, happiness can be found as long as you’re with the one you love—and even amid harsh realities, life itself is something to celebrate.
Released in March 1995 as a single from the album Far Eastern Samba, the track was also featured in commercials for DC Card and J-PHONE, adding color to many people’s summers.
Put it on for a drive, outdoor fun, or any summer event, and it’s guaranteed to lift your spirits!
Stars swimmakaroni enpitsu
Powerfully voicing summer’s restlessness and a defiance of fate, this track is a true masterpiece of high-velocity summer rock.
Released by Macaroni Empitsu in April 2022, it was written as the opening theme for the TV anime “Summer Time Rendering.” The lyrics depict feelings for a loved one who was lost, the emptiness that follows, and the struggle to stand up against destiny, embedding a profound message centered on a fate that flickers and vanishes like fireworks.
With its muscular rock sound, it conveys both the beginning of a story and a rising sense of elation—an uplifting song that’s guaranteed to get you pumped.