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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Ballads to Hear in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs that Embrace Heartache (21–30)
The summer you gave meieiri reo
Many of you might recognize this song, which was the theme for the drama “Koinaka.” It’s a track by singer-songwriter Leo Ieiri, whose clear, resonant voice adds vivid color to the music.
The drama itself portrays a complex love story that kept many viewers’ hearts racing with its bittersweet emotions, and this song captures that same aching, helpless feeling of love that echoes the show’s narrative.
If you want to experience a poignant summer romance, be sure to give this song a listen.
A summer night in the citykinoko teikoku
This is a Kinoko Teikoku song that seeps into the heart with nostalgia for times gone by and a bittersweet tightness in the chest, carried on a dreamlike soundscape.
Chiaki Sato’s clear, translucent voice gently illuminates the listener’s heart like stars drifting across a summer night sky.
The track was included on their major-label first album, “Neko to Allergy,” released in November 2015.
Give it a listen when you’re feeling a little sentimental at the end of summer or when you want to sink into cherished memories at night.
The Summer That Vanished Beyond the GlassŌsawa Yoshiyuki
This is a ballad perfect for those moments at summer’s end, at dusk, when a fleeting memory of a past love suddenly tightens your chest.
Its melody, which stirs up beautiful memories like sepia-toned photographs you can no longer touch, is bittersweet yet warmly comforting.
Released in February 1986 as Masayuki Suzuki’s solo debut, it was also widely loved as the song used in Nissin Foods’ Cup Noodles commercials.
It’s said to depict a world that continues the story from Yoshiyuki Ohsawa’s signature song, “Soshite Boku wa Tohō ni Kureru,” which he composed, revealing greater depth the more you listen.
On a sentimental night, this gentle tune may quietly nestle close to your heart.
Goldfish FireworksOtsuka Ai
While Ai Otsuka is strongly associated with her signature song Sakuranbo, this track, Kingyo Hanabi, is a complete change of pace—a ballad that conveys the presence of a mature woman.
It’s a love song so fragile it almost aches, depicting unrequited feelings for someone you love; just listening to it makes your chest tighten.
Summer is full of events like festivals and fireworks displays—some romances draw you suddenly closer, while others fizzle out in an instant like sparklers.
I especially want people carrying unfulfilled feelings to listen to this song.
SquallFukuyama Masaharu
This song was originally written for Eiko Matsumoto, so some people may associate it more strongly with her.
Masaharu Fukuyama’s first song he provided to another artist and his first self-cover, “Squall.” It’s a love ballad highly regarded among fans as a masterpiece, even having topped live request polls.
The lyrics are from a woman’s perspective, depicting a summer romance and the moment she realizes her feelings for the one she loves.
From the instant she becomes aware of her emotions come the ache, the pain, and the joy.
It’s such a gentle song that it can bring you to tears just by listening.
The Story You Don’t Knowsupercell
Let me introduce a slightly brighter-feeling rock ballad as well! It was used as the ending theme for the anime Bakemonogatari.
The chorus melody in this song is outstanding—catchy, familiar, and so pleasant to listen to! On the other hand, when you take the time to really read the lyrics…
you’ll find a very bittersweet, frustrating tale of unrequited love.
The ending of this story ties into the song’s title, “The Story You Don’t Know,” and reading the lyrics is sure to make your heart tighten.
The imagery that overlays the stars with the couple’s romance is beautiful, so please take your time and savor it.
Summer Days of 1993class
Summer Days of 1993, which was also class’s debut single, was a smash hit at the time, selling over 1.7 million copies.
If you’re a guy, you’ve probably experienced that heart-stopping moment in summer at the beach when you see a female friend or acquaintance in a swimsuit, right? In this song too, a woman the man already knows turns into someone special, and it depicts how he becomes completely captivated by her.
It’s what you might call the charm of contrast—gap moe, so to speak (lol).
The melody is incredibly refreshing, and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a classic summer ballad.