Emotional songs you’ll want to listen to in summer: classic tracks by rock bands and singer-songwriters.

You’re not here.Saucy Dog

Saucy Dog “Kimi ga Inai” Music Video <5th Mini Album “Lazy Sunday” Released on 2021.8.25>

A number by Saucy Dog that resonates with the heart in the summer twilight.

This song sets the protagonist’s aching feelings—holding on to unforgettable memories of love and a longing that can’t reach its destination—to a driving, exhilarating melody.

The emotions wavering between scenes of joyful days and the reality that can never be reclaimed tighten the listener’s chest.

The sentiment, akin to resignation, of “I can’t believe in forever” deeply resonates.

Released in July 2021, the track is also included on the mini-album Lazy Sunday.

It served as the ending theme for Iwate Menkoi TV’s music program BEATNIKS in September 2021.

Give it a listen on a summer night when you want to feel a little sentimental, or when you’d like to quietly reflect on a past love.

It will surely stay close to your heart.

sparklermoon drop

moon drop [Sparkler] Music Video

There are those moments when the thrill that heralds the start of summer mingles with a faint, bittersweet ache, aren’t there? moon drop has a heart-pounding love song that feels exactly like being under summer’s spell.

The track paints a sweet-and-sour story of two people drawn to each other who can’t quite take that final step, until the season gives them a gentle push into love.

The sparkle of youth and the fierce wish not to let that fleeting moment slip away ride on a fast, exhilarating melody that hits you straight in the heart.

Released as a single in June 2024, it set the venue alight with excitement when it was unveiled as a surprise at the tour finale the previous May.

It was later included on the album “Sweetest,” becoming a beloved favorite among many fans.

It’s the perfect song to give you courage—whether you’re feeling the wind on a summer drive or hoping to close the distance with someone special beneath a sky lit by fireworks.

Stand by me, Stand by you.Hirai Dai

Hirai Dai / Stand by me, Stand by you. (Lyric Video)

This is a digital single by Dai Hirai that sings of the love between two people brought together by fate, set to the warm, heartening tones of an acoustic guitar.

You can picture lovers who, against miraculous odds among billions, find each other, feel happiness in everyday moments, and support one another.

As summer draws to a close and a touch of wistfulness sets in, listening to this song may help you reaffirm the bond with the person by your side.

Released in September 2020, the track is also included on the album “Life Goes On.” It has colored many couples’ happiest moments as the CM song for Mynavi Wedding.

It’s a song we hope will be heard by two people who, along with their shining summer memories, wish to stay together forever.

Ambiguous SongShonan no Kaze

Shonan no Kaze “Aiuta” MUSIC VIDEO

A medium-tempo ballad by Shonan no Kaze that sings of the delicate emotional shifts of romance.

It deftly portrays the inexpressible frustration and bittersweetness that lurk within the happiness of mutual love.

Each member’s distinctive voice vividly conveys the protagonist’s complex feelings as they try to move forward while holding fast to unwavering affection for their partner.

This track was included on the single “Ougon Tamashii,” released in February 2008.

Listen to it at the close of a joyful summer, shoulder to shoulder with someone special, and the loneliness of the passing season may transform into a warm, gentle feeling.

A Phantom on the Shoreindigo la End

indigo la End “Illusion at the Shore” (Official Music Video)

This is a jewel-like ballad by indigo la End that evokes a fleeting feeling, as if watching phantoms of days gone by at the water’s edge.

Delicate guitar arpeggios and Enon Kawatani’s wistful vocals seep into the listener’s heart, rekindling memories of a faint seaside romance and a bittersweet yearning for time that will never return.

The song is included on their EP “Nagisa nite,” which condenses their early musical sensibilities, and gained wider recognition in September 2012 as Space Shower TV’s POWER PUSH.

It’s a song that will stay close to your heart when you want to quietly immerse yourself in memories while gazing at the sea at dusk.

Summer WindowYuga

summer window

Green swaying in the wind, the sound of melting ice.

It’s a work whose acoustic melodies beautifully evoke such summery scenes in the mind.

Yuga’s translucent voice delicately depicts both thoughts of days gone by and a faint hope for the future.

Released in March 2022, the song received high acclaim from many music fans and critics.

As her first single since the mini-album “Meguru,” it was created together with the longtime comrades of the Mahō Band.

It gently stays by your side, offering quiet comfort for those sudden pangs of sadness that visit when you step away from the rush of everyday life.

Just a Kiss feat. AimyonSuda Masaki

Masaki Suda “Just a Kiss feat. Aimyon”

A duet by Masaki Suda and Aimyon that gently stays close to that bittersweet feeling that suddenly washes over you on a summer evening.

It’s a mid-tempo ballad that portrays the unspoken, wavering emotions of a man and a woman and their somewhat unreliable, ambiguous relationship.

The delicate yet beautiful melody seeps into your heart, as if you were touching the air at summer’s end.

Featured on Masaki Suda’s July 2019 album “LOVE,” the song reportedly grew out of an impromptu session as the two talked in a park—an origin that seems to deepen its sense of poignancy.

When the loneliness after joyful summer memories have passed, or the frustration of a restless love keeps you up at night, listening to this song will surely make your heart feel a little lighter.