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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- 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 Hear in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs that Embrace Heartache (21–30)
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.
Magic of a Summer Nightindigo la End
A summer ballad by indigo la End, fronted by Enon Kawatani, who is also the vocalist of Gesu no Kiwami Otome.
It starts with a distinctive, memorable scat intro, and features glossy guitar riffs and piano accompaniment—stylish, polished, and exuding a mature vibe.
The lyrics portray lingering feelings for a former lover, which I think many listeners can relate to.
It’s a song that beautifully captures the particular poignancy of summer.
Ballads to Listen to in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Heartache (31–40)
Harmony at Summer’s EndInoue Yosui & Anzen Chitai
A song co-written by Anzen Chitai—who once served as Yosui Inoue’s backing band—and Yosui Inoue.
You can sense their bond in the fact that Inoue also wrote the lyrics for Anzen Chitai’s signature song “Wine Red no Kokoro.” Likewise, for this track, the lyrics are by Yosui Inoue and the music is by Koji Tamaki.
They’re different people, but those differences create harmony… such beautifully crafted, wonderful lyrics! If you only listen to the beginning, it sounds like a song for couples; if you listen all the way to the end, you can interpret it as a heartbreak song.
OCEANB’z
OCEAN was written as the theme song for the drama Umizaru.
While B’z are known for many exhilarating tracks that make you want to start running, this one is a ballad that makes you want to close your eyes and listen quietly.
Being written specifically for Umizaru, it evokes the vast ocean and a grand, sweeping love.
It’s the kind of song you’ll want to listen to with someone you love by the seaside in summer.
It helps you reconnect with your feelings for that special person, and it’s also a dependable summer tune that can firm up your resolve when you listen to it as you make an important decision.
planetariumOtsuka Ai
Planeterium is one of singer-songwriter Ai Otsuka’s classic love ballads.
Looking back on memories with a loved one who is no longer here, it’s a poignant yet moving love song that traces feelings that still haven’t faded.
The accompaniment, which carries a subtly traditional Japanese resonance, is striking, and Ai Otsuka’s supple, straight-reaching vocals laid over it are beautiful and deeply touching.
How about listening to it on a summer night while recalling an unforgettable romance?
BoyhoodInoue Yosui
Released in 1990, this is one of Yosui Inoue’s signature songs and a quintessential summer ballad.
The piano and string accompaniment, along with Inoue’s gentle, airy high notes, are especially striking, and some listeners may feel a nostalgic sense of having returned to their hometown when they hear it.
The lyrics depict scenes from the late summer, carrying that uniquely bittersweet summer mood.
It’s a perfect song for the end of the season, when you want to look back on what’s happened or sink into quiet reflection.
beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)aiko
It’s no exaggeration to say that “Kabutomushi” is one of Aiko’s signature songs.
With its fragile, beautiful melody and heartrending lyrics, it captures the distinctive feelings that come at the end of summer.
Pay attention to the lovely Japanese lyrics that compare the narrator in love to a rhinoceros beetle.
Wrapped in Aiko’s rich, warming vocals, you’ll find yourself immersed in summer memories.
It’s also a karaoke staple, so be sure to sing it and savor the lingering mood of summer’s end!
