[Sunset Songs] Songs about sunsets and the evening glow you’ll want to listen to at dusk
I’ve put together songs you’ll want to listen to while watching the sunset.
When you gaze at a sky dyed by the setting sun, you feel the day coming to a close, and at the same time a hard-to-describe sense of poignancy and loneliness spreads through your chest.
In fact, there are many timeless, heart-wrenching masterpieces themed around sunsets, regardless of era.
Whether rock, pop, or folk, each track is filled with melancholy, nostalgia, and bittersweet emotion.
Give them a listen when you want to calm your mind or when you’re in the mood for a tender, sorrowful ballad.
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[Sunset Songs] Songs about sunsets you want to listen to at dusk (21–30)
Katsushika RhapsodyDōjima Kōhei
It was used as the opening theme for the anime “Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo.” Because illustrations of Kameari in summer were featured, it’s a song strongly associated with summer.
The scenery shifting from dusk to night and the somewhat wistful melody evoke a sense of nostalgia.
Betrayal at SunsetShiatāburukku
Is there any sunset song as emotional as this? It’s a track by the rock band Theatre Brook, led by Taiji Sato, released in 2010 as their 13th single.
It made waves when it was chosen as the opening theme for the anime Durarara!!.
The sound brims with masculinity, and Sato’s strong, resonant vocals really hit home.
There’s also a certain wistfulness in it that truly evokes the mood of a sunset.
If you’re looking for a cool song to play in the evening, definitely give this one a listen.
[Sunset Songs] Songs about sunsets you’ll want to listen to at dusk (31–40)
glowing madder-redAimer
Akane Sasu is a sunset song with a memorable music video featuring a man and woman walking sadly through the dusk.
It was also used as the ending theme for the anime Natsume’s Book of Friends Go, so anime fans might recognize it.
The lyrics convey a quietly melancholic feeling, giving the impression of having found something precious only to have to part with it.
In the MV, the man can see the woman, but the woman can’t see the man—perhaps they no longer exist in the same world.
It’s a song that seeps gently into your heart with a bittersweet ache when you listen to it while watching the evening sky.
Sunset Hillchoucho
Yuuhizaka, which makes the bittersweet hues of the setting sun feel even more poignant.
The song, originally composed by Vocaloid producer doriko using Hatsune Miku, is covered by the singer ChouCho.
While the original conveys a grand sense of sorrow, ChouCho’s version carries a lonely, acoustic flavor.
It’s the walk home with someone you love as the sunset blazes—yet it’s not a joyful path; your chest tightens under the weight of the farewell that’s about to come.
Is it a breakup with a lover, or a parting from an unrequited love? Blending the loneliness of the sunset with the melancholy of the walk home, this is an ultimately heartrending track.
afterglowyoshida takurou
For those moments on your way home from work or school when you think, “Man, I’m beat today,” I recommend Takuro Yoshida’s Yubae (Evening Glow).
Included on the album Yoshidacho no Uta, this song was chosen as the theme for the film Keisho-hai starring Hiroyuki Sanada.
Its refreshing melody pairs perfectly with the sight of the slowly setting sun.
Even on days when everything felt tough, you can let it dissolve into the coming night and reset for tomorrow.
If you’re heading home thinking, “I gave it my all today!” let this song help lift your spirits.
The sunset is your canvas.Inagaki Junichi
A perfect song to listen to while watching the sunset with someone you love is Junichi Inagaki’s “The Sunset Is Your Canvas.” Released on streaming, this track was featured in the Daihatsu CANBUS commercial starring Mitsuki Takahata.
The song portrays the feelings of love for a woman who’s more than a friend but not yet a girlfriend, and the way he tries to convey those feelings.
Like paints being brushed onto a canvas right before his eyes, her expressions change color moment by moment, and even as he’s tossed about by them, he finds himself more and more drawn to her.
If you have a close friend of the opposite sex you’d like to become something more with, taking this song along for a sunset drive sounds like a great idea!
Family photoYoshida Yamada
This song paints a warm portrait of family bonds, spun from a single photograph filled with childhood memories.
Told from a child’s perspective, each everyday scene—like the joy of a new bicycle or tear stains on a park bench—brims with memories anyone can relate to.
While it poignantly conveys the absence of the father behind the camera, it never dwells in sorrow; instead, Yoshida Yamada gently sing a world suffused with warmth.
Released in October 2024, the piece was also chosen as the theme song for RKK Kumamoto Broadcasting’s “Evening Live Getsukin!”, resonating with many through its heartwarming acoustic sound.
On nights when you come home tired from work, listening as you look through family photos will likely stir fond memories and renew your strength for tomorrow.