Emotional songs you’ll want to listen to in summer: classic tracks by rock bands and singer-songwriters.
When you think of summer, what kind of image comes to mind?
It’s a season that’s hot and liberating, with lots of fun events, right?
But alongside that glamorous image, don’t you sometimes feel a vague sense of wistfulness—something a bit emo?
In this article, we’ll introduce a bunch of emo songs you’ll want to listen to in summer, the kind that resonate with those feelings.
From band tracks to singer-songwriter pieces, we’ve gathered many songs across eras and genres, so be sure to take your time listening while reading the lyrics.
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Emotional songs you’ll want to listen to in summer: Classic tracks by rock bands and singer-songwriters (61–70)
STAY TUNESuchmos
Suchmos is a rock band formed in 2013.
Their 2016 release “STAY TUNE” is a stylish and passionate track you’ll definitely want to play when driving on summer nights.
A forerunner of the recent boom in urban sounds, this piece is a pleasant number that lets you feel nuances of jazz, funk, and fusion, different from classic rock.
It’s also recommended for anyone looking for chill-out summer songs—a laid-back yet uplifting gem.
Embracing SummerTUBE
It’s no exaggeration to call TUBE the very symbol of summer.
Their song “Natsu wo Dakishimete” (Embrace the Summer) was released in 1994 as the first single marking the band’s 10th year since debut—a ballad packed with feelings for a beloved person.
True to TUBE’s style, it’s a love song brimming with summery scenes, portraying summer lovers, and it became a huge hit.
For those who listened back then, it will feel nostalgic and bring back memories.
It’s a summer song you’ll want to hear while thinking of someone special.
At the mercy of the seaYOASOBI
YOASOBI has become an act whose every new release sparks buzz.
Their song ‘Umi no Manimani’ was created based on Mizuki Tsujimura’s novel ‘Yūrei.’ As the title suggests, it paints seascape imagery, making it a perfect track for August.
Beyond the sea, it also evokes skies, fireworks, and fleeting scenes of summer nights—imbued with a touch of longing.
It carries a gentle nostalgia, like “a summer from long ago,” so it’s likely a summer song that will resonate with a wide range of listeners.
Chasing summer againatarayo
From the intro, where a wistful guitar riff rings out, this track feels perfect for the end of summer.
The lyrical lines that mourn an unforgettable summer and the end of a romance blend with Hitomi’s emotional, delicate vocals, sinking deep into your heart.
For anyone who’s experienced those irreplaceable, sparkling moments or a faint, fleeting summer love, these lyrics are deeply relatable—just what you’d expect from Atarayo, the band whose tagline is “a group that grows by eating sadness.” Let yourself soak in its urbane, tranquil atmosphere and listen slowly.
summer hazeatarayo
Atarayo is a three-piece band gaining popularity with the tagline “a band that grows by feeding on sorrow.” They drew sudden attention after performing “October, I Forget Your Quietness” and “Natsugasumi” on the popular YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE.
Among these, “Natsugasumi,” released in 2021, is an emotional number that conveys the bittersweet feeling of summer.
It’s especially recommended for moments when you want to sink into a bit of sentimentality, such as at the end of summer.
Like tonight’s moonElefanto Kashimashi
Elephant Kashimashi is a four-piece rock band that has released numerous classic songs with powerful, message-driven lyrics and a one-of-a-kind vocal style that no one can imitate.
Their 15th single, “Koyō no Tsuki no Yō ni” (Like Tonight’s Moon), written as the theme song for the TV drama “Because It’s a Night When the Moon Shines,” is widely known across generations as one of Elephant Kashimashi’s signature tracks.
Its lyrics depicting the summer night sky and its lyrical, emotive melody conjure vivid scenes in your mind just by listening.
It’s a quintessential 1990s masterpiece whose dramatic worldview resonates deeply with the heart.
Nagisasupittsu
A song by Spitz that evokes a floating sensation as if dazed by the summer heat, with a mysterious worldview.
It’s said that Masamune Kusano created it while experimenting with programming, and the mechanically repeating tones—through which that backstory can be felt—produce a unique sense of weightlessness.
The gradual entrance and assertion of instruments is another highlight, conveying a rising anticipation for summer.
The lyrics focus on words that depict scenery, giving the impression of gentle landscapes that evoke the freshness of summer, along with the accompanying shifts in emotion.
