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 Bittersweet Feelings (81–90)
Summer EndKoresawa
The end of summer somehow feels a little lonely and makes you long for someone, doesn’t it? That’s when Koresawa’s track gently stays by your side.
You can almost see the scenes where the fleeting summer is overlapped with the “you” who’s no longer here.
It’s a mellow ballad that tenderly captures that helpless, aching feeling of a summer, a love, and a dream that never came true, carried by her smooth, wistful vocals.
This song is included on the mini-album “Summer Love,” released in August 2022, closing out an album packed with summer memories.
Listen to it on a late-summer drive or on your solitary walk home lost in thought, and you’ll feel a surge of affection for the season that has slipped away.
Layering summersImai Miki
Released in 1988.
This is the first track on the album “Bewith,” which was created around a summer theme.
The percussion rhythm in the intro evokes a resort-like atmosphere, capturing the feel of summer beautifully.
It portrays a laid-back holiday of an adult romance.
Miki Imai’s cool, breezy voice glides pleasantly and makes you forget the heat.
A perfect song for summer.
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!
Feel feat. IO, Tsubaki & Yo-SeaDJ CHARI & DJ TATSUKI
A mellow track crafted by DJ CHARI and DJ TATSUKI, perfect for summer evenings.
IO’s smooth flow, Tsubaki’s deep voice, and Yo-Sea’s beautiful hook blend exquisitely, gently resonating with listeners.
The track feels both nostalgic and fresh, delivering an undeniably emotional experience.
Released in April 2018, it was also included on that year’s acclaimed album “THE FIRST.” It’s ideal as BGM for a summer drive date or for relaxing by the seaside, setting the perfect mood.
This summer, let yourself be carried by its soothing melodies and enjoy a wonderful time.
Sparklers feat. Lila IkutaSato Chiaki
One of the most talked-about tracks from this star-studded collaboration is “Sparklers (feat.
Lila Ikuta).” This piece is a collaboration between Chiaki Sato, known as the vocalist of Kinoko Teikoku, and Lila Ikuta, known as the vocalist of YOASOBI.
It’s a mid-tempo ballad with a striking, strings-forward sound.
The lyrics portray a bittersweet summer night romance through the metaphor of sparklers.
Give it a listen while paying attention to its richly emotive imagery.
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!
Ballads to Listen to in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Heartache (91–100)
sea glassSaucy Dog
This work captivates with its emotional atmosphere that conjures vivid scenes of summer.
Listen by the seaside, and you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into a beautiful moment from a film.
The lyrics, delicately weaving tales of bittersweet love and the fleeting sparkle of youth, resonate deeply with listeners.
Released in July 2020, the song was also included on Saucy Dog’s mini-album “Take Me.” A music video produced in collaboration with a Honda project was also released, vividly portraying the radiance of youth.
It’s a highly recommended track to use as background music when you want to relax by the ocean or get lost in thought at dusk.