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 to listen to in summer: Classic tracks by rock bands and singer-songwriters (71–80)
Summer Speed feat. OkiishiNatsunose
Starting in 2021 as a Vocaloid producer, Natsunose is a composer known for evocative, nostalgic imagery.
Their 2022 release “Natsusoku” ranked 17th on Spotify’s Viral Chart and became a hot topic, especially on TikTok.
With a striking piano tone and a driving sound that is said to capture the speed of summer, the track gained momentum.
Tokiwa, a mysterious TikToker who’s been generating buzz, used “Natsusoku” in their own posts, repeatedly creating trending content.
Transparent, Far Too Transparent feat. Shoka MizutoNatsunose
Composer Natsunose, known for their wistful, nostalgic soundscapes, released “Transparent, All Too Transparent” in May 2023.
The vocals are by Shoka Mito.
It’s a summer song that beautifully blends freshness and longing, and the lyrics—singing about “you, a presence that gradually invades the protagonist’s world”—leave a strong impression.
The sound carries a hint of summer’s end that really resonates, making this a highly recommended track from Natsunose.
Be sure to give it a listen!
Heat haze of Augustmakaroni enpitsu
This is a song by the rock band Macaroni Enpitsu, formed at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Kanagawa Prefecture.
It begins with a cool, understated vibe that feels like a summer breeze, then builds powerfully toward the chorus as if pouring out emotion—an impressive sonic development.
As suggested by the title, the song evokes a desperate figure chasing something intangible and the emptiness that accompanies it.
It can also be heard as expressing the loneliness felt when the summer heat has passed.
August nightyangusukinii
Young Skinny is a four-piece rock band that made their major-label debut in 2023 after their indie-era release “Hontou wa ne,” drew attention.
“August Night,” included on their first indie mini-album “Uso Darake no Nichijou no Naka de,” kicks off with the chorus and features a driving beat that really lifts your energy.
The lyrics, which depict the bittersweet emotions of being in love, are something many listeners will likely see themselves in.
It’s a straightforward rock tune that evokes summer through the contrast between its sentimental storyline and lyrical melody.
left-right confusionYorushika
Summer is a season filled with a variety of events, when we accumulate more and more memories.
Among those memories, there may be not only happy ones but also sad ones, like heartbreak.
This song by Yorushika portrays the emotional shifts that come with such heartbreak, the way memories blur over time, and the unsteady state of mind where even left and right feel unclear.
Within a gentle, primarily acoustic sound, it incorporates noises reminiscent of everyday life, which makes the song’s world feel close and familiar.
Although it depicts the breakup of lovers, its refreshing atmosphere is striking, evoking an image of someone moving forward while carrying a quiet loneliness.
Sparklers (feat. Lila Ikuta)Sato Chiaki
The track making waves for its dream collaboration is “Sparklers (Senko Hanabi) feat.
Lila Ikuta.” It’s a song by singer-songwriter Chiai Sato in collaboration with Lila Ikuta.
Set to a light, city pop–style sound, it sings about the beginning of a romance.
By comparing it to senko hanabi sparklers, the lyrics are infused with a strong sense of season.
First, listen for the duo’s impressive vocal skills and beautiful harmonies.
The humming sections in particular have a strangely addictive quality.
A midsummer passing showerUtada Hikaru
A song released in 2016 that reveals a new side of her.
The suspension of her musical career for “human activities,” the loss of her mother, getting married, giving birth, and becoming a mother herself—it’s as if all of that is packed into this one track, and it’s deeply moving.
The lyrics, which sing of the lingering feelings for someone who has gone away, and the wounds left by losing a loved one, read almost like a passage from a personal novel.
It’s a wonderful summer song that stands apart from Utada’s early works.
A must-listen, even if you’re not a fan!