[2026] Best melancholic summer classics in Western music: recommended popular songs

One More TryGeorge Michael

George Michael – One More Try

“One More Try” is a work by George Michael, formerly of the UK duo Wham!.

It was released as a single from the album Faith.

This ballad showcases George’s exceptional vocal ability and was released in 1988.

The lyrics convey a message to a lover with whom he has had a relationship that must be kept secret, saying he can no longer continue such a relationship.

SparksColdplay

Coldplay – Sparks

The quiet plucking of an acoustic guitar somehow makes you feel a little wistful, doesn’t it? It’s a song by Coldplay, one of the UK’s most iconic rock bands.

This track appears on their debut album, Parachutes, released in July 2000.

You can almost picture the protagonist admitting their mistakes and hoping to rebuild the relationship just one more time.

That heart-wrenching feeling overlaps with the sentimental mood of a late-summer evening.

The gentle waltz rhythm and the warm sound that feels like a live studio performance softly cradle the listener’s heart.

Covered in the 2013 film I Give It a Year, this piece is the kind of song you’ll want to play on a night when you quietly shed tears while reminiscing about summers gone by.

After The Love Has GoneEarth, Wind & Fire

Earth, Wind & Fire – After The Love Has Gone (Audio)

Earth, Wind & Fire is a soul/funk band from the United States, known for their grand, expansive sound.

They have numerous hit songs, including “September,” “Shining Star,” and “Fantasy.” “After the Love Has Gone” was included on their 1979 album I Am (known in Japan as “Apocalypse”).

It is also recognized as a classic of AOR.

Only TimeEnya

Enya – Only Time (Official 4K Music Video)

With a voice that carries a serene, almost sacred resonance, Enya has soothed listeners around the world.

In Japan, too, her ethereal sound is widely known.

This piece conveys a universal message—that only the passage of time can heal all things—set to a beautiful melody that ebbs and flows like the tide.

The many layered vocals seem to bring both the wistful mood of summer’s end and a quiet hope for tomorrow to the heart.

The song is included on the album A Day Without Rain, released in November 2000, and was also featured in the film Sweet November.

In 2001, it touched countless hearts and is known for reaching number 10 on the U.S.

charts.

It’s the kind of track you’ll want to listen to while gazing at the evening sky, lost in thought.

Dog Days Are OverFlorence & The Machine

Florence + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over (2010 Version) (Official Music Video)

Florence and the Machine, the British band known for blending diverse genres like art pop and gospel.

This song from their 2009 debut album Lungs delivers a powerful message that resonates as a declaration of the end of hard days.

Starting with gentle harp tones and then bursting into emotion with handclaps, Florence Welch’s vocals feel as if they blow away the melancholy of summer’s end.

It’s also memorable that the track closed out the film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.

3, leading to a 618% week-over-week surge in streams.

Rather than lamenting the passing of summer, it’s an emotional song to hear when you want to hold on to hope for the new season ahead.