[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)
SummertimeFIVE NEW OLD
A gem of a summer tune that beautifully depicts summer memories and budding romance.
Its bittersweet yet exhilarating melody and lyrics that vividly capture summer days leave a lasting impression.
Included on the album “MUSIC WARDROBE,” released in April 2021, the music video—expressing both a sense of confinement and liberation—also drew attention.
It’s an emotional track that accompanies a special page of summer spent with someone dear, whether it’s a seaside date or a summer festival.
[Summer Classics] When it’s summer, it’s this song! A roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks (51–60)
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.
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.
ReunionVaundy
This is a number by singer-songwriter Vaundy.
It serves as the opening theme for the TV anime “The Summer Hikaru Died” and is set for release in July 2025.
Vaundy himself delved into the original work and created the song based on a sense of “unease about not knowing what will happen next.” The rock sound, tinged with a foreboding atmosphere, is distinctly Vaundy.
The lyrics reflect the joy of a long-awaited reunion while projecting an unshakable doubt and loneliness—the fear that the other person may no longer be the same.
It meshes seamlessly with the original’s raw, prickling mood and its delicate, complex emotional nuances.
Coastline CiderKetsumeishi
A melody reminiscent of the sound of waves brings back memories of summers gone by.
It’s a track from Ketsumeishi’s digital single released in June 2025, chosen as the theme song for ABC-MART’s “SUPER SUMMER SALE” commercial.
Set to a comfortable rap, it vividly portrays the bittersweet memories of youth.
Within it lies the mindset of a protagonist who, while immersed in reminiscence, strives to look ahead.
Listening to it while driving along the coastline at dusk might just put you in a nostalgic mood.
FlowerKinKi Kids
This million-selling song by KinKi Kids was used as the theme for ANA’s Okinawa campaign commercial.
Its straightforward message is compelling: life isn’t only about hardship; if we join forces, beautiful flowers are sure to bloom.
Released in May 1999, the shamisen heard during the interlude evokes the open, breezy atmosphere of Okinawa, the campaign’s setting.
It’s a warm, encouraging track that gently supports those who are taking on a challenge but feeling a bit worn out, giving them a nudge to try again.
It’s also perfect for a drive with friends!