Unrequited love songs you’ll want to listen to in summer. Classic summer hits and recommended popular tracks.

August NightSilent Siren

[Silent Siren] 'August Night' MUSIC VIDEO full ver. [Silent Siren]

Known by the nickname “SaiSai” and originally drawing attention for its members being primarily reader models at the time of formation, SILENT SIREN’s 10th single delivers a fully polished sound that makes you forget their modeling origins.

Chosen as the CM song for Vantan Design Institute’s “Summer Seminar,” it captivates with a straightforward rock sound paired with cute vocals, offering a refreshing breeze that seems to blow away the swelter of summer.

The lyrics, depicting unrequited love, are sweet yet bittersweet—a rock tune you’ll want to listen to on a summer night.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Tears of Tropical FishFlower

Flower “Tropical Fish’s Tears” — 2nd album “Hanadokei (Flower Clock)” out March 4

A Flower song marked by a dreamlike sound that feels as if you’re underwater.

Its poetic lyrics liken the ache of unrequited love to a fish drifting in an aquarium, reflecting the protagonist’s heartache and resonating deeply with listeners.

Released in June 2014 as their seventh single, the track was later included on the album Hanadokei.

On summer evenings, when a sudden loneliness arrives or on nights when you want to sink into a sentimental mood, this song will quietly stay by your side.

Its bittersweet yet somehow warm melody will gently wrap your heart.

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.

sodasumika

sumika / Soda [Music Video]

A song by sumika that blends the fizzy, sparkling refreshment of a carbonated drink with a chest-tightening wistfulness.

It’s said that vocalist Kenta Kataoka wrote this passionate piece in almost a single night, channeling regret over a relationship left unresolved by a “misguided sense of kindness.” If you’ve ever struggled to express your feelings, you’ll feel that frustration all too keenly.

The track was included on the mini-album “I co Y,” released by an indie label in November 2014.

It’s a love song that gently stays by your side—whether you’re basking in a joyful summer romance or weathering a slightly bittersweet one.

green plumkuriipuhaipe

Creephyp - “Ome” (MUSIC VIDEO)

A CreepHyp song that depicts the sweet-and-sour yet slightly wistful beginning of a romance between two people who meet in midsummer.

The way a once-lonely everyday life turns vividly colorful through meeting someone special is sure to make your heart skip a beat.

While boldly incorporating synthesizers and programmed beats, the band’s signature sound and Sekai-kan Ozaki’s piercing lyrical worldview remain intact.

Released for streaming in May 2023, the track was also included on the album “Konna Tokoro ni Ita no ka Yatto Mitsuketa yo,” released in December of the same year.

It also drew attention as a tie-in with the dating/marriage-matching app “Pairs.” If you’re excited about a romance that’s about to begin, or want to feel the exhilaration of summer, listening to this song will surely color an unforgettable page in your memories.

The Summer That Vanished Beyond the GlassŌsawa Yoshiyuki

Yoshiyuki Osawa – The Summer That Vanished Beyond the Glass

This is a ballad perfect for those moments at summer’s end, at dusk, when a fleeting memory of a past love suddenly tightens your chest.

Its melody, which stirs up beautiful memories like sepia-toned photographs you can no longer touch, is bittersweet yet warmly comforting.

Released in February 1986 as Masayuki Suzuki’s solo debut, it was also widely loved as the song used in Nissin Foods’ Cup Noodles commercials.

It’s said to depict a world that continues the story from Yoshiyuki Ohsawa’s signature song, “Soshite Boku wa Tohō ni Kureru,” which he composed, revealing greater depth the more you listen.

On a sentimental night, this gentle tune may quietly nestle close to 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.