Ballads to Listen to in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Bittersweet Longing
Going to the pool or the beach, having barbecues, heading to music festivals… summer is full of fun things, isn’t it? Precisely because it’s such an open, joyful season, there are moments when you suddenly feel lonely or a touch of wistfulness.
In this article, we introduce mellow ballads that will stay close to those bittersweet summer feelings.
From songs that capture the sadness of summer’s end to tracks themed around love and heartbreak, these warm tunes will wrap you up whenever a sentimental mood unexpectedly arrives.
Give them a listen!
- Songs you want to listen to at the end of summer: Late-summer classics to look back on the season
- [Masterpieces to Enjoy During Summer Vacation] A collection of summer songs bursting with summer vibes
- [Touching the Heart] Timeless Ballad Masterpieces. A Collection of Unfading Classics and the Latest Songs [2026]
- A collection of summer-like songs: tracks that go perfectly with summer, like the sea and the sky.
- Tear-jerking summer classics: recommended popular songs
- [2026] A summer song that tightens your chest with bittersweet feelings. A classic summer tune that touches the heart.
- Summer songs with great lyrics. Tracks that make your summer memories even more wonderful.
- Love songs you want to listen to in summer. Love songs that color the summer.
- Songs of Summer from the Showa Era: A comprehensive introduction, from nostalgic Japanese hits to timeless favorites still popular today
- [Summer Love Songs] Hot and Heart-wrenching! Carefully Selected Summer Tunes of Love That Set Your Heart Ablaze
- [Oldies] Summer Songs Recommended for People in Their 50s [2026]
- Emotional songs you’ll want to listen to in summer: classic tracks by rock bands and singer-songwriters.
- [Summer Classics] When it comes to summer, it’s got to be this song! A roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks.
Ballads to Listen to in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Heartache (71–80)
Sparklers ~An August Promise~sonā poketto
A Sonar Pocket song whose wistful late-summer scenery and melodious sound seep into the heart.
Layered over the fleeting glow of sparklers, it delicately portrays memories of dates in Enoshima, holding hands beneath sunset skies, and the sweetly bittersweet recollections of a summer romance.
Released in August 2013 as their 14th single, the track was also aired on TV Asahi’s music program BREAK OUT.
Listen to this ballad on a beach at dusk while tuning in to the sound of waves, or while gazing up at the starry sky, and the beautiful memories of summers past will return, kindling a warm light in your heart.
Evening Fireworksban banzai
A song provided by singer-songwriter Yuuri for the three-member YouTuber group Banbanzai, made up of Gishi, Miyu, and Runa.
Its heartbreaking lyrics, themed around a love triangle, really strike a chord.
With cotton candy, candied apples, and fireworks, the lyrics are filled with summertime imagery that makes you want to get emotionally invested.
It’s perfect for slowly soaking in memories of someone you loved so much you can’t forget, even though you can’t be together anymore.
It’s a romantic breakup song that, while lonely, somehow feels sweet and warm, giving you the courage to look forward just a little.
Summer Longing for LoveKobasoro feat. Harucha
Natsurenbo is a song by Kobasolo, the solo project of musician Koba, who is active in providing songs for other artists.
This track is a beautifully transparent, summery ballad.
The vocals are by singer Harucha, and the song makes full use of the pleasant quality of her voice—irresistible for fans of J-pop ballads.
Listening to it might make your usual route to school or the way home look like a scene from a movie.
I hope you’ll also take in the message woven into the lyrics and enjoy it to the fullest.
Ballads to Listen to in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Bittersweet Feelings (81–90)
summer rainPan no Mimimi
Delicately expressing the ache of young love, this song is a gem of a ballad by Mimimi Panno.
Set against a backdrop of summer rain, it beautifully depicts faint memories of a romance and the ebb and flow of tender emotions.
Panno’s clear, expansive vocals capture both the sparkle and the poignancy of youth, resonating deeply with listeners.
Released in August 2023, this ambitious work marks Panno’s first attempt at writing lyrics herself.
It’s recommended for anyone who wants to feel the loneliness at summer’s end and the subtle emotional shifts of being in love.
Give it a listen, and you’re sure to be swept back to your own youth, your heart swelling with nostalgia.
Ghost in the FlowersYorushika
This song, which carries an air of nostalgia, is a summer-themed ballad sung by Yorushika.
True to their style, it’s crafted as a rock ballad featuring the piano, and the melody in the chorus—making full use of falsetto—creates a deeply emotional atmosphere.
The lyrics are sprinkled with many summer-like scenes, and it’s lovely to let your imagination wander about the story woven into them.
Be sure to listen while reading the lyrics.
Marigoldaimyon
This song captivates with a refreshing yet wistful feel that pairs perfectly with summer memories.
Released by Aimyon in August 2018, it became the first track by a Japanese artist to surpass 100 million streams the following year, making it a favorite across generations.
Its melody, which conjures vivid summer scenes, may stir a gentle sense of nostalgia.
Depicting summertime moments spent with someone special, it’s the kind of music that even elementary school children can enjoy and feel at ease with.
It’s perfect for summer outings or dusk—be sure to give it a listen!
Unchanging ThingsOku Hanako
It’s a ballad in which Hanako Oku’s piano tones and clear, translucent voice gently nestle close to the listener’s heart.
The piece centers on treasured memories from days gone by and feelings that never change, and it almost seems to convey the aching wishes of the film’s characters.
Featured as an insert song in the animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, released in July 2006, it moved many people and can be heard on the single Garnet and the album TIME NOTE.
If you listen to it when you’re feeling a touch of loneliness at summer’s end, or when reminiscing makes you long to see someone again, the worldview of the lyrics will surely resonate with you.
It’s the perfect song for those moments when you want to tuck away memories of someone dear and indulge in a slightly sentimental mood.
Please take your time and savor it!