Sounds of summer. Sound effects and soothing ambient sounds
What sounds say “summer” to you? What comes to mind? In this article, we researched a variety of soundscapes that evoke summer—from timeless classics to scorching, exotic vibes.
We curated a wide selection, carefully picked, so please take your time and enjoy! Close your eyes and you can picture everything from tropical resorts and remote deserts to jungles and fireworks festivals.
These can be used for healing, as sound effects, or as substitutes for pseudo–field recordings to add color to your music.
Most of them cannot be used commercially, so be sure to check the licenses carefully!
- Festival sounds. Sound effects and everyday ambient sounds.
- A collection of summer-like songs: tracks that go perfectly with summer, like the sea and the sky.
- Sound of wind. Sound effects and soothing ambient sounds
- A classic song themed around a summer festival. A song of summer memories (2026).
- Firework sounds. Sound effects and relaxing ambient sound
- Love songs you want to listen to in summer. Love songs that color the summer.
- Reiwa-era summer songs: A roundup of new staple tracks that color the hot summer
- Sound of rain. Sound effects and natural ambient sounds
- Cool songs to listen to in summer: a roundup of music to help you cool down
- [Summer Songs] Stylish Japanese Hits: A Collection of Masterpieces That Bring a Refreshing Breeze
- [Summer Classics] When it comes to summer, it’s got to be this song! A roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks.
- Songs to Enjoy in Summer! Classic Hits Special (Showa & Heisei)
- [Masterpieces to Enjoy During Summer Vacation] A collection of summer songs bursting with summer vibes
Sounds of Summer: Sound Effects and Soothing Ambient Sounds (1–10)
Indian Drone Tone in C • Indian Tones • Tanpura (Tambura) • Backing Track for Musicians & Singers
It’s not exactly summer ambient sounds, but don’t you feel a summery vibe when you listen to Indian folk music? You hear these sounds often in movie soundtracks too, and somehow the tones themselves convey a sense of heat.
Many Indian instruments are quite distinctive—sometimes they’re just sustaining the same note, yet the moment you hear it, it feels unmistakably Indian.
Indian music is really good, so definitely check it out.
Saharan Winds (Africa) • Unspoiled World • Relaxing Nature Sounds • Wind & Sand
Many people probably like the sound of wind you hear in summer.
If that’s you, this sound is recommended.
The recording is apparently wind from the Sahara Desert, but if you just listen to it, you often hear similar sounds in Japan during summer, too.
Since it also includes the sound of sand and the wind is strong, it even evokes a bit of a typhoon-like impression, which gives it a summery feel.
Hurricane Winds & Rain • 10H Storm Ambience • Irma, Florida, Sept. 2017
Typhoons are one of the symbols of summer, aren’t they? Although typhoons bring all sorts of hassles and disasters, just listening to the sounds can actually be quite soothing.
I think many people feel nostalgic when they hear the wind and the rain.
The more you listen, the more relaxed you become.
If we could also smell the scents that come with it, it might make us feel even more nostalgic.
Sounds of Summer: Sound Effects & Soothing Ambient Audio (11–20)
The call of the large brown cicada
This is the call of the large brown cicada (Kumazemi), which is widely distributed from the Kanto region to the Nansei Islands.
Among cicadas found in Japan, it is the second largest species, and it calls most frequently from sunrise until noon.
Its sound evokes the heat of summer, but compared to the aburazemi (large brown cicada), it feels a bit cooler—perhaps suggesting a slightly lower heat index.
The calls of higurashi (evening cicadas) and tsukutsukubōshi cicadas
Rather than the blazing, scorching heat, higurashi and tsukutsukubōshi cicadas evoke a kind of summer where you can feel a hint of coolness in the air.
When the tsukutsukubōshi start to sing, you sense that summer is drawing to a close.
Their sound makes you feel quietly reflective, thinking, “A lot happened, but it was a good summer.”
“Time Leap”: A Traveler Through Time
The setup is unique: you visit the “Earth Shop,” a place that lets you travel to any era or location, and they send you to a relaxing natural environment.
But at its core, it’s really all about rich, natural ambient sounds.
Because it begins with an introduction that sounds like you’re entering a shop, the contrast with the natural sounds that follow feels especially striking.
The natural audio focuses on a river and birdsong, and the constant presence of the birds clearly conveys the abundance of nature.
The gradual changes in sound—like the noises you make while moving and the ebb and flow of the river—are also memorable, creating a strong sense of journey.
From the grassland where a gentle breeze blows
The theme is a landscape where grasslands stretch out, featuring the sound of wind blowing through and the surrounding ambient noises.
Most prominent are the sounds of a nearby river and birdsong, whose overlap evokes the expanse of the plains and the richness of nature.
The wind isn’t particularly strong, which helps a fresh, airy feeling stand out clearly.
Because both the birds and the wind can be heard in various types and intensities, the overall impression strongly conveys the delight of the natural world.