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)
summer vacationwacci
Wacci’s “Natsuyasumi” is a masterpiece that paints scenes from summer festivals, a hallmark of the season.
Its childlike, nostalgic lyrics gently resonate with listeners.
Filled with the fresh emotions of summer, the song evokes the scents of the season and the lively bustle of the festivities.
Hashiguchi’s vocals beautifully convey the feelings of summer days.
It’s the perfect track for those moments when you want to forget the noise of everyday life and revisit a page of your youth.
Summer HornsInagaki Junichi
Junichi Inagaki is a singer who produced hit songs in the 1980s and 90s, beloved for his bittersweet and relatable music.
His song “Natsu no Claxon” (Summer Claxon) was released in 1983 as his fifth single, was featured in a commercial, and is also known for having been covered by numerous artists.
The lyrics portray someone reminiscing about a former girlfriend and sinking into summer memories—a heartrending track that many will surely find relatable, evoking memories of someone they parted with in a fleeting summer scene.
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.
At the end of summerT-BOLAN
T-BOLAN’s contributions are indispensable when discussing the J-POP scene of the ’90s.
While their hallmark is passionate rock ballads, they also have masterpieces that quietly seep into the heart.
This work sets the loneliness that creeps in at summer’s end and the helpless feelings toward a love that has passed onto an acoustic soundscape.
Rather than belting it out, the restrained vocals make each word stand out, all the more highlighting the protagonist’s bittersweet emotions.
This track is included on the band’s first acoustic release, the album “Natsu no Owari ni ~Acoustic Version~,” released in September 1992.
It’s a gem of a ballad—perhaps a little different from the songs you’d belt out at karaoke—that you’ll want to listen to intently while lost in thought on a summer evening.
Ballads to Listen to in Summer | Exquisite Summer Songs That Embrace Heartache (61–70)
Ghost in the FlowersYorushika
This song, which carries an air of nostalgia, is a summer-themed ballad sung by Yorushika.
True to their style, it’s crafted as a rock ballad featuring the piano, and the melody in the chorus—making full use of falsetto—creates a deeply emotional atmosphere.
The lyrics are sprinkled with many summer-like scenes, and it’s lovely to let your imagination wander about the story woven into them.
Be sure to listen while reading the lyrics.
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.
remainingYoshizawa Kayoko
Singer-songwriter Kayoko Yoshizawa’s 2017 release “Nokotteru” (“What Remains”).
This song captures the transition from summer to autumn; its wistful melody evokes the early-morning air, and Yoshizawa’s slightly languid yet gentle voice matches it perfectly, seeping warmly into your heart as you listen.
The lyrics also convey the feelings of a woman who “doesn’t want to forget the love she found in summer,” making it a track I especially recommend to anyone in love or with someone special in mind.
