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

sea glassSaucy Dog

Saucy Dog “Sea Glass” Music Video <4th Mini Album “Take Me” Released on 2020.9.2>

With its catchy melody that evokes the summer sun, this Saucy Dog track preserves the band’s signature warmth even after their major-label debut.

The song paints bittersweet memories of two people spending time together by the seaside in summer.

For anyone who’s experienced heartbreak, it tenderly captures the desire to keep both the ordinary days and the special moments with a lover forever in your heart.

Released on July 15, 2020, the song became one of Saucy Dog’s signature tracks, fueling anticipation for their nationwide headlining tour in the fall.

As summer draws to a close, it’s the perfect song for those who want to bask in memories of love and youth.

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.

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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Hoshino Takashi

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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.

Fireworks in Augustmurasaki ima

Murasaki Ima – August Fireworks / Mulasaki Ima – unfading summer (MUSIC VIDEO)

A ballad that delicately captures the poignancy of summer’s end.

Composed by Shikon, it’s a summer track released in August 2025.

The gently emotive melody line leaves a strong impression, creating a calming listening experience.

Its theme—facing the loneliness of a departing season and the inner conflicts we keep to ourselves—is compelling, and Shikon’s expressively rich vocals strike straight at the heart.

At first glance, you might think it’s simply a sad song, but it’s the perfect track for moments when you want to pause amid everyday life or reflect on days gone by.

Ms. SeptemberRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – Ms. September [Official Live Video from “RADWIMPS Outdoor LIVE 2013 ‘Aoi to Mememe’”]

Even though August is over, it’s still sweltering these days, and there are summer songs that fit perfectly in September, too.

“September-san,” included on RADWIMPS’s 2006 album RADWIMPS 3: The One We Forgot to Bring to the Deserted Island, is one such track.

It’s said to be an important song for the band, apparently named in connection with September 3, the date of their first-ever solo concert.

It’s a summer song whose characteristically RADWIMPS emotional, bittersweet sound really resonates with the heart.

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Hamada Takuya

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