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: Japanese classics and popular tracks (51–60)
Secret Summertsubaki fakutorī
Sung over a sparkling sound is a slightly bitter love story.
It’s a song performed by Tsubaki Factory from Hello! Project.
The track will be released in July 2025.
With a refreshing sound that conjures up images of a sun-drenched poolside and lyrics that depict the protagonist’s aching feelings as they waver in a forbidden relationship, the contrast really gets you.
The mix of exhilaration and immorality hits you right in the heart.
I think it’s perfect for a summer drive.
Paradise BabyRIP SLYME
In the 2000s J-pop scene, many hip-hop groups were active, and RIP SLYME was an indispensable presence among them.
When it comes to their summer songs, their signature track Rakuen Baby definitely stands out.
The music video, which shows the members playing instruments, was memorable, and the track’s sound—featuring live instruments like guitar, upright bass, and organ—gives it a mature vibe.
The lyrics also depict a summer romance, making it a perfect song to soak up that summery atmosphere.
Summer VacationGENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE
A breezy summer tune from GENERATIONS, produced and lyrically penned by member Ryuto Kazuhara.
Released in July 2025, the track serves as the culmination of a six-month consecutive project.
With lyrics that free your heart—telling you not to worry about everyday rules and conventions—and a surf music-inspired sound, it’s impossible not to feel your spirits lift.
Break out of your constricting routine and stretch your wings under the sun! This magical song makes that wish come true.
Goldfish FireworksOtsuka Ai
A beautiful, emotive number for the end of summer sung by Ai Otsuka, who’s strongly associated with fun songs that are lively and a bit quirky.
The distinctly Japanese lyrics and melody leave a strong impression, and the piano line highlights the song’s unique atmosphere.
Ai Otsuka’s delicate vocals perfectly match the fleeting mood of late summer, like sparkling fireworks gradually fading and disappearing.
Recommended summer songs for people in their 20s: Classic and popular Japanese tracks (61–70)
A Little Love SongMONGOL800
A straightforward love song by MONGOL800, a rock band from Okinawa.
Its pure lyrics remind us just how precious the people close to us truly are, touching the hearts of many.
Released in September 2001 and included on the album MESSAGE, which sold over 2.8 million copies, the song spent 14 consecutive weeks at No.
2 on the Oricon karaoke chart.
Its enduring popularity is evident in its use as the ending theme for the TV anime Teasing Master Takagi-san and as a motif for a 2019 film.
Put it on as driving music, and you’ll find yourself singing along under the blue sky.
End of the Summer RetreatWurtS
This is a track by WurtS that feels like it captures that indescribable feeling at summer’s end in musical form.
Over a breezy city-pop sound, it sings of the restless anxiety lurking in everyday life in your mid-twenties and a sentimental longing for the passing summer.
The playful, rhyming word choices add a pleasing accent, making it a striking song where wistfulness and freshness coexist.
The track is included on the digital EP “MAGICAL SOUP,” released in June 2021, and—as the title suggests, which hints at the end of summer training—it also carries a sense of release.
While this particular song had no tie-in, “Wakattenai yo” from the same EP drew wide attention at the time.
It’s the kind of song that resonates even more when you listen during a sunset drive or when you want to be alone with your thoughts.
Mahoro in SummerHarukamirai
This is a song you’ll want to listen to on a hot summer day, the kind that makes you suddenly drift into memories of the past.
Images of summer heat, a baseball field with white balls zipping through the air, and the 5:00 p.m.
siren evoke the sweet-and-sour memories of youth, giving you the courage to walk toward the future, tinged with a touch of regret.
The track appears on the album “THE BAND STAR,” released in July 2020, and its music video—based on the December 2019 live performance at Makuhari Messe—also leaves a strong impression.
It was selected as a recommended song by the music channel MUSIC ON! TV.
Whether you play it as background music on a summer drive or belt it out at karaoke, those fiery feelings from back then are sure to come rushing back.
Give it a listen!