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!
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- 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 (91–100)
I’ve listened to so many heartbreak songs, and I’m done with being someone who just keeps crying.riria.
Riria’s song “Shitsuren Song Takatanshite Naite Bakari no Watashi wa Mou,” which poignantly depicts the heartache of summer love, is a powerful work that was also chosen as the ending theme for the TV anime Summertime Rendering.
The piano at its core conveys delicate emotions, while the gradually intensifying arrangement expresses the determination to overcome the sadness of a breakup.
The lyrics are filled with regret over lost love, and Riria’s delicate vocals heighten the sense of poignancy.
It’s a perfect track for reminiscing about sorrowful summer love stories, isn’t it?
as alwaysChatto Monchī
A song in which Chatmonchy sings about a love story brimming with a sense of the seasons is Aikawarazu.
It portrays the bittersweet feelings of a woman who goes to see the person she’s interested in, using an excuse to do so.
By incorporating strings to create a grand sound, it expresses the fluttering excitement in her heart.
Another key point is that, although the lyrics don’t explicitly say so, they’re filled with imagery that evokes summer.
As you listen, you can’t help but picture a summer night without even realizing it.
Ballads to Hear in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs that Embrace Heartache (101–110)
Stars swimmakaroni enpitsu
A gem of a ballad themed around the anxiety and transience of summer.
Released by Macaroni Empitsu in April 2022, it was written as the opening theme for the TV anime Summertime Rendering.
Its poignant lyrics and refreshing sound leave a strong impression, making it a perfect song for times of heartbreak or parting with someone important.
Listening to this piece, anyone is sure to find it resonates with their own experiences.
left-right confusionYorushika
Summer is a season filled with various events, when memories pile up.
Among those memories, there may be not only happy ones but also sad ones, like heartbreak.
This song by Yorushika portrays the emotional shifts that come with such heartbreak, the way memories blur over time, and a sense of instability where even left and right feel unclear.
Its gentle, mainly acoustic sound incorporates noises reminiscent of everyday life, which makes the song’s world feel close and familiar.
Although it expresses a lovers’ parting, its refreshing atmosphere is striking, evoking an image of moving forward while carrying a quiet loneliness.
HANABIHamasaki Ayumi
Ayumi Hamasaki’s “HANABI” is a song included on the single “H,” released in 2002, and on the album “RAINBOW.” It was used as the image song for Tu-Ka Cellular Tokyo, and both the single and the album topped the Oricon charts and became million-sellers, achieving huge hits.
The lyrics, which overlay the end of fireworks with the end of a romance, are deeply poignant, making it a ballad perfectly suited to the close of summer.
Summer IllusionOmoinotake
Known as one of the signature songs by Omoinotake, the piano band from Shimane Prefecture, this track is also a ballad you’ll want to hear in summer.
The performance is marked by a beautiful piano accompaniment and a groovy rhythmic line, topped by Reo Fujii’s clear, high-toned vocals.
The lyrics portray a fleeting summer romance, leaving you on edge as you wonder whether the protagonist’s feelings will be returned or fade away like a dream.
Because it describes a situation almost everyone has experienced, it’s easy to empathize—and listening can make your chest tighten with emotion.
Dawn in Summeratarayo
Is it a ballad that portrays the bittersweet memories of love? Set against striking piano and guitar sounds, the lyrics themed around lost memories of the past really resonate.
The scene of gazing at the sea at dawn is beautiful, and listening to it evokes a nostalgic mood.
Featured on Atarayo’s album “Asatsuyu wa Komorebi ni Tokete,” released in September 2024, this track was also chosen as the theme song for the film “Kokan Uso Nikki” (Exchange Diary of Lies).
It’s a gentle, mellow song you’ll want to hear at summer’s end.
Warm and comforting, it will speak to those who have experienced heartbreak or are trying to move on from a farewell with someone dear.