[Summer Songs] Summer tracks recommended for teens: A roundup of the latest and classic hits

sunflowerAdo

[Ado] Sunflower

One summer song I’d recommend to teens is this track written and composed by Mewhan and sung by Ado.

Its bright, powerful melody and Ado’s distinctive vocals are striking, and it celebrates the importance of living straight and positively like a sunflower.

Released on July 11, 2023, it drew attention as the theme song for the TBS Tuesday drama “18/40: With Two, Dreams and Love.” It’s a motivational anthem I especially want teens to hear—one that encourages each listener to reflect on themselves and gives them the courage to take a step toward tomorrow.

Ms. Hanako on a high pedestalback number

back number – Takane no Hanako-san (full)

This song portrays unrequited love, with a protagonist who lacks self-confidence pouring out bittersweet feelings for an unattainable, out-of-his-league woman.

Many listeners will likely relate to the lyrics that dwell on his own inadequacies.

Set to an up-tempo melody that conveys both heartache and hope, the contrast between the music and the lyrics is one of the track’s key charms.

Released on March 26, 2014, it’s also included on the albums “Love Story” and “Encore.” It has surpassed 100 million views on YouTube and was performed at the 73rd NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen.

It’s a recommended song for anyone who has experienced unrequited love or feels the pangs of a wistful summer romance.

Summer Love Sensationmakaroni enpitsu

macaroni empitsu “Summer Love Sensation” MV

This song by Macaroni Enpitsu is a work steeped in the bittersweetness of summer.

Its richly emotional melody conjures up young love set against the familiar sights of summer festivals.

You can vividly picture a boy and girl, hearts pounding, trying to draw closer to each other little by little.

Released in August 2017, the music video was filmed on a beach in Chiba.

The whole band appears in yukata, making it irresistibly watchable.

As summer draws to a close, this is a track especially for teens wrestling with matters of the heart—one that will surely give courage to your fresh, tender feelings of love.

StarmineDa-iCE

Da-iCE / “Star Mine” Music Video

Like fireworks blossoming across the night sky, this Da-iCE track ignites our summer.

Crafted with TikTok virality in mind, it features a powerful, hook-first chorus that grabs you from the start.

You might find it naturally fills you with strength as you listen.

Released in August 2022, the song won MTV Video Music Awards Japan’s “MTV Breakthrough Song” and also received an Excellence Award at the 64th Japan Record Awards.

It’s included on the album SCENE.

It’s a perfect pick not only for making summer memories, but also for moments when you need the courage to take on a challenge.

cotton candyback number

back number – Cotton Candy (Short ver.)

This is the sixth single by the three-piece rock band back number, selected as the opening theme for the music show COUNT DOWN TV in July 2012.

It’s a song whose vivid, lyrical lyrics paint scenes and situations so clearly that you can’t help but relate.

The melancholic melody and arrangement amplify the bittersweetness in the words, bringing back memories of a page of youth that everyone has faced at least once.

It’s a summer song we especially want teenagers—those closest to the story told in the lyrics—to hear.

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mixMarushii

Marcy – Mix (Official Music Video)

Known as the song from the Google Pixel 7a web commercial, this track by Marcy has captured the hearts of many.

Its delicate, emotional melody creates an atmosphere where the bittersweetness and warmth of late summer coexist.

It carefully depicts the subtle movements and tremors of the heart in love, gently resonating with listeners.

Released in August 2023, the song is also included on the album Candle.

A Shortcut to SummerSakurazaka46

Sakurazaka46 'Short Cut to Summer'

Its sweet-and-sour, refreshing melody is striking, as if capturing the tender feelings of first love that blossom with the arrival of summer and the casual yet sparkling moments with friends.

This track is included on the fifth single, “Sakurazuki,” released in February 2023.

A love song perfect for summer, coloring a page of youth.

Be sure to listen to it in your favorite scene!