BGM for summer drives: A roundup of songs that feel like summer [2026]

survival dAnce ～no no cry more～TRF

TRF / survival dAnce ～no no cry more～

If you’re looking for a track to heat up your summer drives, I highly recommend one of TRF’s signature songs.

Released in May 1994 as their sixth single, it became their first to top the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.

As the title suggests, it brims with positive energy and a strong resolve to push forward and overcome any obstacle.

YU-KI’s powerful vocals and the irresistibly danceable sound that gets your body moving make it a true killer tune that boosts the exhilaration of summer.

It’s also widely known as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “17-sai -at seventeen-.” Whether you’re speeding along the coastline under a blue sky or enjoying a fun ride with friends, listening to it will help create the best summer memories.

Drifting with the wavesAKASAKI

[AKASAKI] Namimakase / Drifting (Lyric Video)

Born in 2006, AKASAKI’s track—one that carries a pleasantly breezy feel perfect for summer drives—is his second single, released in July 2024.

Its irresistibly charming city-pop-inspired sound instantly conjures up scenes of racing along the coast in a retro car, an exhilarating vibe through and through.

In the song’s lyrical world, tender feelings for someone who shines even brighter under the sun are depicted with a sweet-and-sour touch.

Like drifting with the waves, the romance unfolds naturally, and it’s sure to make your heart skip a beat.

The fact that the lyrics were featured in an Asahi Shimbun web column speaks to AKASAKI’s flair for word choice.

Whether you’re cruising the seaside with a lover or savoring a sentimental moment alone, this song makes for the perfect soundtrack.

Blue and SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE – Blue and Summer

Mrs.

GREEN APPLE is a three-piece rock band whose name comes from the concept of “always staying unripe, with the feelings of a green apple.” Their 7th single, “Ao to Natsu,” which was chosen as the theme song for the film “Aonatsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-nichi,” became their first track to surpass 100 million total streams.

Its exhilarating guitar sound and high-velocity rock ensemble build anticipation for the summer to come.

The emotional lyrics also amplify the thrill of a drive, making it a refreshing rock tune brimming with clarity.

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Hoshino Takashi

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summer hazeatarayo

Atarayo – Summer Haze (Music Video)

Atarayo, known as a band that “feeds on sorrow,” delivers music that sinks deep into the heart.

The track they released in August 2021 is a number that tightens your chest with longing, as if a summer drive suddenly brings back memories of an old love.

With twin male-female vocals by Hitomi and Maashi trading lines, they sing of days of summer now gone and the helpless yearning for someone they can never return to, gently opening the door to the listener’s memories.

The blue of the sky and a faint lingering scent revive the searing memories of a love once vivid, layering regret and lingering attachment over the fleeting imagery of “summer haze.” The song is featured on the EP “Yoake Mae” and the album “In the Polar Night, the Moon Remains Silent,” and is cherished by many fans as one of their signature summer tunes.

It’s the perfect track for driving at the end of summer when you’re in a slightly sentimental mood.

HOT LIMITT.M.Revolution

T.M.Revolution – HOT LIMIT | Official Music Video

Perhaps the reason an image comes to mind of singing in the blazing wind right in the middle of the midsummer sea is the strong impression left by the music video.

It’s one of the signature songs of Takanori Nishikawa’s solo unit, T.M.Revolution.

Riding on a cyber-tinged track, the biting tone of the guitar adds in, creating a powerful sense of speed like a raging sea breeze.

The lyrics express passionate emotions related to a summer romance, conveying both a giddy mood and a swell of feeling.

It’s a song whose powerful propulsion seems to heighten the passionate emotions leading into summer.

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kappamaki

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Blue HabitatKitanitatsuya

Where Our Blue Is / Tatsuya Kitani

A song by Tatsuya Kitani that drew attention as the opening theme for season 2 of the anime Jujutsu Kaisen.

Centered on themes of partings and change in youth, it strikes a perfect balance between freshness and bittersweetness.

Released in July 2023, it ranked highly across multiple Billboard Japan charts.

It’s the perfect track for those who’ve experienced summer memories or a farewell with someone important.

Listen to it while driving, and the scenery outside your window will amplify the emotion that sinks into your heart.

Experience this moving song that colors a page of youth and resonates deep within.

You are 1000%.1986 omega toraibu

You are 1000%.

As BGM to color a summer drive, ‘80s city pop is an unmissable choice.

The debut single released in May 1986 by 1986 Omega Tribe is a quintessential masterpiece, its urbane, sophisticated soundscape blending exquisitely with the sweet, wistful vocals of Japanese-Brazilian singer Carlos Toshiki to set listeners’ hearts aflutter.

As the title suggests, it conveys a passionate, unwavering devotion that can’t be captured by percentages, resonating in your chest alongside shimmering synthesizers.

The track is also included on their debut album of the same year, Navigator, and was beloved as the theme song for the NTV drama “Shin: Netchū Jidai Sengen.” It’s a perfect match for cruising along the coast with the sea breeze on your face, or for a romantic twilight drive.