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!
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Recommended summer songs for people in their 20s: Classic and popular J-Pop tracks (41–50)
Ponytail and ScrunchieAKB48
This song, with Minami Takahashi and Atsuko Maeda at the center, is from what you could call AKB48’s golden era, right? If you’re in your twenties now, there are probably many of you who danced to this song back in your school days.
The title itself isn’t particularly summery, but when you look at the lyrics, what’s depicted there is a sparkling summer.
The words convey a rising sense of excitement for the summer that’s about to begin, and for those who listened to this when it was first released, I bet it still stirs your heart even now.
E.G. summer RIDERE-girls
E-girls, the girl group that disbanded after their final livestream in December 2020.
Known for catchy songs that capture cute, girlish feelings, they were especially popular among women of the same generation.
Their 2016 single “E.G.
summer RIDER” is a full-on summer track bursting with cute-girl vibes.
It’s perfect for when you want to boost your summer mood, and great for girls’ get-togethers or drives.
Highly recommended for women in their 20s who want to enjoy summer and really soak up that summer feeling.
Shadows of SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE
This is a pop tune that carries the faint signs of summer’s end, leaving a bittersweet yet comforting afterglow.
Created by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, the song was written as the theme for Kirin’s “Gogo no Kocha” commercial featuring Ren Meguro of Snow Man and Ayami Nakajo.
Released as the fifth installment of their five-month release run in 2025, it drew attention for being their first title to bear “summer” in about seven years, since the classic Aoto Natsu (“Blue and Summer”).
Through vivid summer imagery, the lyrics gently touch the tender parts of the heart, capturing inexpressible excitement and a wavering resolve.
It’s an emotional rock ballad perfect for when you want to sink into a sentimental mood.
My Best FriendLittle Glee Monster
A song released just after all the members of the female vocal group Little Glee Monster had become high school students.
Despite their youth, it’s an outstanding track that showcases their overwhelming vocal prowess—from backing harmonies to solos—at an exceptionally high level.
At the same time, paired with lyrics brimming with youthful energy, it’s fun yet somehow bittersweet, making it a perfect number for a fleeting summer.
summer festivalWhiteberry
This was the third single by Whiteberry, a five-member girls’ band from Hokkaido, chosen as the theme song for the TV drama “Fushigi na Hanashi.” The song was originally released by JITTERIN’JINN in 1990, but Whiteberry’s version surpassed the original in total sales and is literally regarded as the band’s signature track.
With straightforward, heartrending lyrics that vividly paint scenes in your mind, a sense of speed in the arrangement, and a catchy melody that sticks with you, it’s safe to say this is a quintessential summer anthem.
Roco LotionORANGE RANGE
For people in their twenties, isn’t ORANGE RANGE an artist that symbolizes their youth? It’s no exaggeration to say that many of them listened to the band a lot during their school days.
Among their songs, there are plenty that perfectly fit summer, but their signature track and a summer staple is “Locolotion,” released in 2004.
Its high-energy, feel-good sound and lyrics instantly put you in a summer mood the moment you hear it.
Immoral SummerNogizaka 46
This is a Nogizaka46 track whose passionate sound evokes the blistering heat of summer, layered with a hint of illicit romantic impulse.
It’s included on their 39th single, “Same numbers,” released in July 2025.
The lyrics, where curiosity about a more mature world intersects with a dangerous pull that seems ready to cross the line of common sense, embody a bold worldview that only an Under track can express.
It’s guaranteed to lift your spirits when you want to break free from the everyday!