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 (51–60)
As long as summer lastsadieu
A song marked by its gentle vocals and lyrics that resonate deeply.
It poignantly captures the loneliness at summer’s end.
Included on adieu’s 3rd mini-album, “adieu 3,” it was released early for streaming on August 17, 2022.
With delicate detail, it portrays emotions that shift as the summer days come to a close, centering on memories of summer and their fleeting nature.
By contrasting youth with a more mature sensibility, it tenderly sings of small moments in everyday life and subtle changes in relationships.
It’s the perfect song for when you want to look back on summer memories, or when you’re ready to take a step into a new season.
Shadows of SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE
Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, known for popular songs like “Lilac” and “Dancehall,” released a perfect end-of-summer track in August 2025.
It’s their first summer-themed song in about seven years since “Ao to Natsu.” The lyrics capture an indescribable, sentimental feeling that comes with the changing seasons.
There’s a bittersweetness in the way the protagonist blames their pounding heart and hesitation on the summer heat and the lengthening shadows.
Give it a listen as you savor the passing days of summer.
cotton candyback number
Back number is a three-piece band that has produced many hit songs, including Hanataba released in 2011 and Takane no Hanako-san released in 2013.
Their 2012 release Watagashi is a supreme summer song that perfectly suits the setting of a summer festival.
With its minor-key chord progression, the track has a slightly kayōkyoku-like vibe that makes it especially interesting.
The more you listen, the richer it becomes—surely a hidden gem among their songs.
Crazy SummerKIRINJI
It’s a late-summer classic by KIRINJI.
The track appears on the EP “Sweet Soul ep,” released in March 2003, and is distinguished by Yasuyuki Horigome’s soft, translucent vocals—he also wrote the lyrics and composed the music.
If you listen to it on a sentimental night when you’re thinking of someone you can’t forget, it just might bring back the air of that day, still warm with heat.
It’s a song I especially recommend to anyone who has experienced an unforgettable, passionate love.
Ballads to Listen to in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Heartache (61–70)
Song of PointillismInoue Sonoko
This song was used as an insert track in the film “Aonatsu: 30 Days with You.” In contrast to the bubbly, youthful, and summery feel of the theme song “Ao to Natsu” by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, this is a ballad.
There’s also a featuring version with Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, but this is Sonoko Inoue’s solo version.
A pure love ballad that weaves together the bittersweet ache of love—the anxieties of romance and the candid feelings toward the other person.
I remember youYUI
As summer draws to a close, it’s only natural to want to listen to one of YUI’s classic songs.
Released in September 2006, this piece is deeply connected to the film “Midnight Sun” (Taiyo no Uta), in which YUI herself starred.
It was produced during the film’s preview tour and is said to have been written with the image of a character reminiscing about a beloved person.
The unforgettable feelings for someone precious who can no longer be seen are sung with a heartrending melody that truly tightens the chest.
The song is also included on the album “CAN’T BUY MY LOVE,” among others.
How about it for a long autumn night spent basking in memories of summers past, or as a companion for a slightly sentimental drive?
bubble; foam; ephemeral (as in something short-lived)wanuka
As the clamor of summer fades and a hint of loneliness settles in, Wanuka’s songs resonate deeply.
Like bubbles that rise to the water’s surface and vanish at once, they seem to sing of fleeting summer romances and memories.
Beneath the wish to be beautiful lies an inescapable emptiness and bittersweet ache, carried on delicate, subtly Japanese-tinged melodies that press upon the heart.
This work was released in February 2022 and is also included on the first album Aonizai, released the same year.
It’s the perfect track for a late-summer dusk, when the night breeze turns a little chilly and you want to be alone with your thoughts.
It will gently stay by your side as you reflect on the season that has passed.