[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] Speaking of summer, it’s this song! A roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks (41–50)
cotton candyback number
Back number, who have released numerous classic ballads, wrote Watagashi with the theme of a summer festival.
It’s a highly dramatic song: in the first half, it captures the excitement of a man visiting a summer festival with someone he has feelings for; in the second half, it sings of the frustration of being unable to confess.
Try listening while imagining how the story between the two will end.
Combined with vocalist Iyori Shimizu’s passionate singing, it’s truly heart-wrenching.
Another highlight is the strong sense of seasonality, with many summery words like fireworks woven throughout.
The summer you gave meieiri reo
This is a celebrated song by Leo Ieiri that became a massive hit as the theme for the Monday 9 p.m.
drama Koinaka.
Overlapping with the drama’s heartrending story starring Sota Fukushi and Tsubasa Honda, it’s a song that surely tightens many listeners’ chests.
Released in August 2015 as her 10th single, the track delicately depicts the sweet yet bittersweet emotions—from the pure beginning of a romance, to the frustrating drift of hearts without noticing, and the regret upon realizing there’s no going back.
Leo Ieiri’s clear, powerful vocals highlight the fleeting nature of summer and love.
It’s a beautiful, wistful summer song that makes you suddenly remember someone you loved, someone you may never see again.
A Long, Short FestivalShiina Ringo
It’s a cool dance tune suffused with the sultry heat of a summer night and a fleeting, ephemeral vibe.
The track is a duet featuring Ukigumo, the guitarist from the band Tokyo Jihen, on vocals.
The rhythm incorporates elements of Brazilian music, and the interplay of the two Auto-Tuned voices is irresistibly captivating.
The lyrics portray a man and woman’s cat-and-mouse game set during a festival night, along with a sense of urgency toward a season that slips away in an instant—evoking Shiina Ringo’s distinctly mature worldview to the fullest.
Released in August 2015 as part of a double A-side single, it was used in Coca-Cola’s summer campaign commercial, making it a familiar tune in many households.
It’s a number you’ll want to listen to on a slightly muggy summer night, soaking in a sentimental mood.
Magic hourRyokushokushakai
This song, which was also selected as an insert track for the drama “Midsummer Cinderella,” is a summer love song by Ryokuoushoku Shakai that overlays fireworks with the feeling of being in love.
It has an atmosphere that evokes the bittersweetness of summer’s end, doesn’t it? In the lyrics, they write with straightforward sincerity: “I’ll accept you in any form, like the water’s surface reflecting fireworks.” There are many other evocative expressions that intertwine love and fireworks, so please take your time listening while reading the lyrics.
Fanfaresumika
A refreshing song that carries a powerful message about breaking through the darkness of night to welcome a new morning.
It’s striking how the protagonist, once shut inside their shell, musters the courage to take a step into the outside world.
Many listeners will likely feel encouraged by the resolve to overcome hardship and trials and meet a new self.
Released in August 2018, the track was used as the opening theme for the anime film “I Want to Eat Your Pancreas.” It’s also included on the album “AMUSIC” and is known as one of sumika’s signature works.
A perfect song to listen to before heading out for warm-weather activities, and recommended for those moments when you need courage to try something new.
Summer NudeMagokoro Burazāzu
This is a single by The Magokoro Brothers released in 1995, and in 2013, a cover by Tomohisa Yamashita—who starred in the TV drama “SUMMER NUDE” inspired by the song—also became a hit.
The exhilarating sound blends piano, strings, and horns, and its pop melody is beautiful, evoking a summery sparkle.
It begins with a sweet-and-sour wistfulness that gradually builds into a chorus radiating a peaceful vibe.
It’s a nostalgic, warm summer song that everyone can sing along to.
You and the summer music festivalSHISHAMO
An unexpected mishap on a summer festival date becomes the catalyst that brings two people closer.
It’s a refreshing summer song by SHISHAMO, packed with the exhilaration of youth.
Released on July 2, 2014 as SHISHAMO’s first single, it was selected as the ending theme for TV Tokyo’s JAPAN COUNTDOWN in August and became a major hit, topping FM802’s OSAKAN HOT 100 for five consecutive weeks.
The music video, which uses real footage from festival scenes, is a captivating production that lets you feel the authentic heat unique to summer festivals.
It’s perfect for making summer memories with someone special.