Recommended Western music for autumn: popular autumn songs and hidden gems [2026]

MeanTaylor Swift

Taylor Swift – Mean

Taylor Swift is a globally renowned songstress and singer-songwriter who rose from a young top star in the country scene to the queen of pop.

Here, we introduce “Mean,” a celebrated track from her third studio album, Speak Now—released in 2010 and a massive hit—which was also issued as a single.

Many of you may remember the music video, featuring a striking image of Taylor strumming a banjo as she sings.

The lyrics, sharp and biting in true Taylor fashion, pack quite a punch, but the song itself has the breezy feel of country pop with a strong country flavor—perfect for a pleasant autumn drive in mild weather.

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Time After TimeCyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time (Official HD Video)

Even if a song isn’t explicitly about autumn, there are pieces that somehow evoke the season, aren’t there? Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”—by the globally renowned singer-actress and noted Japanophile—is one such track.

It’s a gem of a ballad included on her debut album She’s So Unusual, which achieved an astonishing 16 million sales worldwide, and it has become a standard continually covered by countless artists and bands.

As you can tell from Cyndi’s autobiographical music video, the song movingly conveys the bittersweet sadness of a protagonist who has decided to follow her own path yet still sings earnestly of unwavering feelings for someone precious.

Perhaps it’s that heart-tugging sense of poignancy that makes the song feel like autumn.

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Fly Me to the MoonJoe Harnell

JOE HARNELL & HIS ORCHESTRA – FLY ME TO THE MOON (BOSSA NOVA)

It’s a jazz standard.

They say autumn nights are long, and listening to it while gazing at the moon at night is very calming.

It’s also well-known for being used as the ending theme of the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Won’t Go Home Without YouMaroon 5

Maroon 5 – Won’t Go Home Without You (Official Music Video)

Since the extraordinary success of their 2002 debut album Songs About Jane, Maroon 5 has enjoyed popularity as one of the world’s top bands.

Among their dazzling discography filled with hits, Won’t Go Home Without You stands out as a masterpiece whose deeply plaintive melody resonates in the heart.

Adam Levine’s vocals, pouring out regret over a relationship that has ended and a yearning not to go home alone, are truly remarkable.

The band’s performance, too, is excellent—measured and restrained, yet expressive, with a keen sense of push and pull.

On a melancholy autumn afternoon, give this song a listen alongside your bittersweet memories!

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Easy On MeAdele

Adele – Easy On Me (Official Video)

The artist who released the single “Easy On Me,” her first in six years since the 2015 album 25, is Grammy-winning singer Adele.

“Easy On Me” topped both the UK and US singles charts and set a new global record on Spotify for most streams in a single day.

The song’s lyrics center on Adele’s own divorce and serve as an apology to her son.

With Adele’s clear, pure vocals and beautiful piano, it’s a perfect track for the autumn season.

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Hamada Takuya

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