We all have a few songs we associate with summer, but how about here in Japan? In a recent Goo Ranking survey, 4,322 Japanese people were polled over what summer hits they’d most like to hear this summer. The results may surprise you — there’s a definite tendency to favor older hits…

https://youtu.be/wnTzlX4-3Ig

1.  Yuzu – “Natsuiro”

Folk-pop duo Yuzu released this tune in June of 1998 and it’s one of their most solid hits, remaining in the yearly top 100 rankings until 2012, partly thanks to it being featured in a Lotte ice cream commercial:

2. Whiteberry – “Natsu Matsuri” (cover)

This five-piece group girl band from Hokkaido made such a splash with their cover of Jitterin’Jinn’s “Natsu Matsuri” that many mistakenly believe it’s one of Whiteberry’s many original hits. They released the cover in 2000, when all the members were still in high school.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrpKDw1wKrk

3. ZONE Secret Base – “〜Kimi ga Kureta Mono〜”

Another all-girl group from Hokkaido, this idol group-turned-proper band made a huge hit with this track in August of 2001.

4. Yosui Inoue – Shonen Jidai

Yosui Inoue has been one of the most commercially successful folk pop singers in the last 40 years. Shonen Jidai (meaning “Boyhood”) was released in 1990 and is still one of his biggest hits to date.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzSx7o4iOqg

5. TUBE – “Ah Natsuyasumi”

These lads were big fans of summer, with over a dozen singles covering the topic. As a surf rock band (using this term very loosely) that may be a given, though. They have thusly been rewarded with not one, but two places in the top ten list. (See below.) “Ah Natsuyasumi” came out in 1990, while “Season in the Sun” was released four years prior.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUq2j3Ellb0

6. TUBE – “Season in the Sun”

TUBE’s second top 10 ranking in this list has arguably a catchier chorus than “Ah Natsuyasumi”.

7. Shonan no Kaze – “Suirenka”

Reggae-pop boys Shonan no Kaze come in seventh place with a 2007 single to follow up the previous year’s hit, “Junrenka”.

8. T.M. Revolution – “Hot Limit”

One of Takanori Nishikawa’s many pet projects, T.M. Revolution (short for Takanori Makes Revolution) has had hits for decades. His summer hit “Hot Limit” hit the waves in June of 1998 and the video features him standing on the middle of a star, in the middle of the ocean.

9. Porno Graffiti – “Music Hour”

Also known as Poruno, this pop rock duo uses this track as a summer festival staple. Keep an eye out for the accompanying dance moves.

10. NMB48 – “Boku no Eureka”

The most recent track to make it on the top ten list, NMB48’s sickly sweet pop has only plagued the nation since 2013. Given the longevity some of the tracks on this list have though, it may stay with us for some time…

Did you know any of these tracks before? Do you have any favorite summer hits? Let us know…

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