Recommended summer songs for people in their 20s: classic and popular J-pop tracks
When summer comes around, don’t you often find yourself wanting summery background music as you head out for drives and enjoy the outdoors more? And when you go to karaoke, many of you probably want to hype things up with songs that capture the season and make you feel the summer vibe.
So in this article, we’ll introduce some popular summer tunes! This time, we’re focusing on songs recommended for people currently in their 20s, gathering a wide range centered on tracks you likely listened to back in your school days.
Use this article as a guide to pick songs you can enjoy when you get together with people from the same generation!
- [Summer Songs] Summer tracks recommended for teens: A roundup of the latest and classic hits
- [Classics] Timeless Summer Hits Recommended for All Ages [Summer Songs]
- [July Songs] A selection of Japanese summer tunes perfect for the start of the season!
- Summer Songs That Hit in the 2000s | A Look Back at Nostalgic Summer Tunes!
- [Summer Songs Recommended for Your 30s] A Selection of Nostalgic Hit Tunes!
- Get fired up for the hot season! Summer songs recommended for Gen Z
- Classic “summer songs” you’ll want to listen to in summer. Timeless J-pop summertime anthems perfect for summer guys and summer girls.
- [Summer Classics] When it comes to summer, it’s got to be this song! A roundup from timeless staples to the latest hit tracks.
- Masterpieces that color the hot season! Summer songs recommended for the Yutori generation
- A summer song sung by a male vocalist. Summer songs that are also useful for karaoke selection.
- Perfect for driving BGM and karaoke! Recommended summer songs for people in their 40s [2026]
- Famous and popular Japanese summer songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke
- [Recommended for your 20s] Songs that get the crowd going at karaoke | From the latest hits to timeless classics
Recommended summer songs for people in their 20s: classic and popular Japanese tracks (21–30)
Music HourPorunogurafiti
Porno Graffitti captivates listeners with their distinctive high-tone vocals and catchy, approachable melodies.
Since their major debut in 1999, they produced numerous hit songs throughout the 2000s.
Among their tracks, the one to highlight as a summer song is “Music Hour.” It’s an up-tempo, feel-good rock tune, and the melody in the chorus is especially catchy—you’ll find yourself wanting to sing along.
Pay attention to the lyrics themed around summer romance, and give it another listen!
Baby BabyKami wa saikoro o furanai
A light, airy song like a bubble, yet it still carries a mature feel.
It showcases a new side of God Does Not Play Dice.
While amping up the summer mood, it also brings back slightly bittersweet memories of youth.
Released in June 2024, the track is filled with feelings born during their live house tour.
Despite its upbeat tempo, its sing-along-friendly pop appeal is irresistible.
It’s perfect as driving music and is sure to get the crowd going at karaoke.
Add it to your playlist to help make some summer memories.
Recommended summer songs for people in their 20s: Japanese classics and popular tracks (31–40)
Nagisasupittsu
Spitz, whose vocalist Masamune Kusano paints a unique worldview beloved across generations.
“Nagisa” is their 14th single, released on September 9, 1996.
It was used in Ezaki Glico’s Pocky commercial and became the band’s first song to debut at No.
1 on the Oricon charts.
It was revived in 2015 as the CM song for the Subaru Forester, so many people have likely heard it then as well.
The repeating drum pattern is striking, heightening the excitement and thrill of heading to the seaside.
With drums that evoke the sound of crashing waves and sparkling guitar tones, it’s a superb track—one you’ll definitely want to listen to in the summer.
fireworksAAA
AAA, a vocal group that went on hiatus after their 2021 tour.
The song “Hanabi” is included on their 2007 single “Natsumono.” The first track, “SUNSHINE,” is sung by all the members; the second track, “No End Summer,” is sung by the male members; and the third track, “Hanabi,” is sung by the female members Misako Uno and Chiaki Ito.
The lyrics liken fireworks—a hallmark of summer—to a fleeting romance, crafting a poignant song that evokes the loneliness at summer’s end and the beauty of a Japanese summer.
EsperanzaNishino Kana
Kana Nishino’s “Esperanza,” released in 2011.
It’s a Latin-tinged number that lifts your summer mood, but in fact it’s a slightly sad summer love song about feelings that don’t reach the one you love.
The title “Esperanza” means “hope” in Japanese, and the lyrics weave a love filled with hope for an unattainable romance, for someone who won’t turn around and notice her.
It’s a song that conveys the bittersweetness of loving someone even while knowing that you don’t exist in his heart and that there’s someone else he likes.
All of the YouthFujifaburikku
This is the 10th single from Fujifabric, a rock band that continued performing with the remaining members even after vocalist Masahiko Shimura passed away suddenly in 2009.
It’s a catchy number with lyrical lyrics that evoke vivid scenery and a simple yet expansive arrangement that deepens the song’s world.
That bittersweet nostalgia you feel when you look back on the past after diving into society in your twenties really sinks in, doesn’t it? It’s a track that links the melancholy of late summer with the bewilderment of growing up—a song I want people in their twenties to listen to and lose themselves in.
GuaranaSukima Suichi
Sukima Switch, known for many hit songs and popular across a wide range of generations.
Their song “Guarana” was released as a single in 2006 and was also chosen as the theme song for the film “Rough,” based on the original work by Mitsuru Adachi and starring Masami Nagasawa and Mokomichi Hayami.
It’s a track that expresses, in a straightforward way, the hesitation and inner conflict that come with taking on a challenge, through uplifting words and melody.
It’s a perfect cheer-up song for anyone feeling uncertain—a number that lets you feel the heat of a hot summer and a passionate heart.