Ballads to Listen to in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Bittersweet Longing

All of the Youthsuis from Yorushika

suis from Yorushika “All the Young People” Music Video

This is a song that evokes the fleeting tenderness of the last fireworks of summer fading into the night sky.

The vocalist is suis, known as the singer of Yorushika.

It’s a cover of Fuji Fabric’s classic 2007 track, produced by music producer Seiji Kameda.

Released in June 2024, it also drew attention as the theme song for the Netflix film “I Have One Year Left to Live, and I Met a Girl With Six Months Left.” The nostalgia for passing seasons and days that won’t return is delicately rendered through suis’s voice, which blends clarity with a boyish quality, and it truly hits home.

It’s a piece you’ll want to listen to intently on nights when you’re immersed in summer memories, or as the seasons change and you find yourself lost in thought.

Chasing summer againaratayo

Atarayo – Chasing Summer Again (Music Video)

Atrayor’s summer ballad that stays close to the feeling of longing for the passing summer.

The nostalgic piano melody and Hitomi’s delicate, emotional vocals leave a strong impression.

The entire song exudes a sweet yet bittersweet atmosphere, portraying joyful summer memories with an unforgettable person and the loneliness of their end.

Rather than wishing “let’s meet again next year,” some may relate to the aching desire to chase after the summer that’s already gone.

Released as a single in August 2022, this work follows the album “In the Polar Night, the Moon Remains Silent.” It’s a song that gently wraps you in your sentimental mood—perfect for an end-of-summer drive or a quiet night alone lost in thought.

Liar MoonYorushika

Liar

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.

bubble; foam; ephemeral (as in something short-lived)wanuka

Utakata / Wa Nuka [Music Video]

As the clamor of summer fades and a hint of loneliness settles in, Wanuka’s songs resonate deeply.

Like bubbles that rise to the water’s surface and vanish at once, they seem to sing of fleeting summer romances and memories.

Beneath the wish to be beautiful lies an inescapable emptiness and bittersweet ache, carried on delicate, subtly Japanese-tinged melodies that press upon the heart.

This work was released in February 2022 and is also included on the first album Aonizai, released the same year.

It’s the perfect track for a late-summer dusk, when the night breeze turns a little chilly and you want to be alone with your thoughts.

It will gently stay by your side as you reflect on the season that has passed.

Late Summer (A Season for One)Arai Yumi

Late Summer 2021 Yumi Arai

This is a song by Yumi Arai that overlays the changing seasonal scenery with the end of a romance and the beginning of time alone.

The sight of leaves blazing with color and delicate flowers swaying in the wind seems to reflect the protagonist’s loneliness.

The song was included on the album “The 14th Moon,” released under the name Yumi Arai in November 1976, and it also served as the theme song for the NHK dramas “Natsu no Furusato” and “Maboroshi no Budōen.” Its poignant melody—mingling a lingering affection for the summer that has passed with a quiet resolve for the seasons to come—resonates deeply with listeners.

Whether you play it on a drive while reminiscing about summer or during a slightly chilly evening stroll, it will gently keep you company.

summer vacationwacci

wacci 'Summer Vacation MV (Short Version) + TV Spot'

Wacci’s “Natsuyasumi” is a masterpiece that paints scenes from summer festivals, a hallmark of the season.

Its childlike, nostalgic lyrics gently resonate with listeners.

Filled with the fresh emotions of summer, the song evokes the scents of the season and the lively bustle of the festivities.

Hashiguchi’s vocals beautifully convey the feelings of summer days.

It’s the perfect track for those moments when you want to forget the noise of everyday life and revisit a page of your youth.

Song of PointillismInoue Sonoko

Inoue Sonoko “Tenbyō no Uta” (Solo ver.) Music Video

This song was used as an insert track in the film “Aonatsu: 30 Days with You.” In contrast to the bubbly, youthful, and summery feel of the theme song “Ao to Natsu” by Mrs.

GREEN APPLE, this is a ballad.

There’s also a featuring version with Mrs.

GREEN APPLE, but this is Sonoko Inoue’s solo version.

A pure love ballad that weaves together the bittersweet ache of love—the anxieties of romance and the candid feelings toward the other person.

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