[Summer Love Songs] Hot and Heart-wrenching! Carefully Selected Summer Tunes of Love That Set Your Heart Ablaze

Summer LoveInoue Sonoko

Sonoko Inoue – Summer Love

Singer-songwriter Sonoko Inoue’s 2016 track “Natsukoi.” The moment she starts singing, the drama surges, making it an irresistibly refreshing song.

The rhythm feels great, and it conjures up the glittering excitement of summer.

At the same time, there’s a dreamy, airy quality that seems to capture summer’s instability.

To fully enjoy the unbeatable combo of summer and romance, why not add this song to your summer playlist?

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Murakami Shinpei

Report a problem

SUNNY GIRLAwesome City Club

SUNNY GIRL

A track by Awesome City Club featuring a dazzling, sun-like sound that leaves a strong impression.

While it portrays the straightforward beginning of a romance, it also shows slightly clouded moments that make you think, “Huh?”—adding a sense of depth.

Released in June 2018 and featured in a Prince Hotels commercial, this song is also included on the album Catch The One.

It’s a song for those who want to feel not just brightness, but also the bittersweet ache that lingers behind young love.

At the mercy of the seaYOASOBI

YOASOBI “At the Mercy of the Sea” Official Music Video

A YOASOBI song that portrays a runaway girl’s encounter with the sea on a summer night, capturing a dreamlike experience and delicate emotions.

Created using their unique approach of “turning novels into music,” it is based on a story by Naoki Prize–winning author Mizuki Tsujimura.

Released in November 2022, the track appears on the EP “Hajimete no – EP” and the acclaimed album “THE BOOK 3.” It gently accompanies those moments when you want to be alone with your thoughts on a summer night or step away from the noise of everyday life.

If you’re feeling a sense of emptiness and searching for a new version of yourself, this song may quietly give you a push forward.

secret base ~What You Gave Me~ZONE

ZONE Secret Base ~The Things You Gave Me~ (English Subs+Romaji+Kanji)

This gem of a song is one you’ll find yourself humming at the end of summer, depicting a promise to reunite with someone irreplaceable.

It gently sings of memories shared in a place that felt like a “secret hideout,” along with a faint hope for the future.

The “person you spent time with” could be a close friend, of course, but it might also be a former partner or someone you once had feelings for.

Released in August 2001, this single became familiar as the theme song for the drama Kids War 3: ‘Zaken nayo’ and went on to become a million seller.

It’s a summer ballad that offers comfort to those who have experienced parting with someone dear or who hold a distant promise close to their heart.

late summer heatkaho

Kaho / Late Summer Heat (Music Video)

It’s a song by Kaho that paints, with delicate vocals and melody, that indescribable bittersweet feeling at summer’s end and the faint hope that arrives in quiet moments.

The acoustic warmth and band sound resonate comfortably, gently nestling close to the listener’s heart.

This track was included on the EP “Kimi to Sugoshita Machi no Nakade,” released in September 2021.

As summer draws to a close and you’re feeling a bit sentimental, listening to this song will surely let a gentle warmth spread through your heart.

Front memorySuzuki Emiko × Kameda Seiji

Emiko Suzuki × Seiji Kameda “Front Memory” — Theme song for the film “After the Rain”

On a summer evening, over a soundscape that feels somehow nostalgic, Emiko Suzuki’s powerful voice rings out.

Evoking the tenderness for seasons gone by and the ache of an unfulfilled love, yet portraying a protagonist who keeps looking forward, believing in a fleeting moment of brilliance, this song deeply moved many as the theme for the May 2018 film “After the Rain.” It’s a track you’ll want to add to a playlist full of summer memories—perfect for when you want to indulge in a touch of sentimentality or awaken those bittersweet recollections.

planetariumOtsuka Ai

Ai Otsuka / Planetarium (Short Ver.)

When you think of singer Ai Otsuka’s songs, what kind of image comes to mind? Her lively, bubbly tracks are wonderful, but I also think emotionally rich ballads like “Planetarium” are exceptional.

The title “Planetarium” doesn’t immediately suggest a season, but if you listen closely to the lyrics, you’ll notice fireworks are likened to a starry sky.

And above all, since it’s a song about an unrequited love in summer, if the lyrics resonate with your feelings, it will stay close to you as a cherished song you’ll want to listen to in the summertime.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Murakami Shinpei

Report a problem