Recommended Western Music for Autumn: Popular Autumn Songs and Hidden Gems [2025]

Autumn AlmanacThe Kinks

Autumn Almanac

For fans of British rock, the name The Kinks carries a special resonance.

Compared to contemporaries like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, they may be slightly less well-known in Japan, but bands that followed—such as Oasis and Blur—have often professed their love for the Kinks, and groups from genres like metal and punk have eagerly covered their songs.

Among the Kinks’ quintessentially British works, their famous autumn song is Autumn Almanac.

Led by lively guitar backing and flowing harmonies, its withered charm and easygoing melody make for a pastoral and truly distinctive number.

Said to be about a local gardener, it’s a masterpiece of British music that showcases frontman Ray Davies’s storytelling prowess to the fullest.

Something Better To DoOlivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John – Something Better To Do

Olivia Newton-John achieved worldwide success as a singer and actress, especially in the 1970s and 1980s.

With her adorable looks, she was also immensely popular in Japan.

Today, I’d like to introduce “Aki Kaze no Ballad” (“Autumn Breeze Ballad”), a classic from the period when Olivia, later famed in the ’80s for a more rock-infused, sexy image, was singing country-tinged pop with a wholesome feel.

Its gentle sound arrangement and melody create a very calm atmosphere that’s perfect for an autumn afternoon.

Interestingly, the word “autumn” never appears in the title or lyrics, and the song isn’t exactly a cheerful one, yet you can imagine how such a Japanese title came about from a certain impression—something that conveys the easygoing mood of the time.

thinking 2 muchJeremy Zucker

Jeremy Zucker – thinking 2 much (Official Audio)

Jeremy Zucker, born in 1996 and hailing from New Jersey, USA, is a new-generation singer-songwriter and producer.

He holds the remarkable record of surpassing 2 billion streams on music platforms, garnering attention even before his official debut.

In April 2020, he released his long-awaited debut album, Love Is Not Dying.

The song featured here, “thinking 2 much,” was released in September 2018.

His delicate, naive vocals drift through a soundscape that deftly weaves subtle electronic textures—truly memorable.

The track is included on the EP Summer,, and it somehow evokes the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.

All of MeJohn Legend

John Legend – All of Me (Official Video)

When it comes to American singer John Legend’s signature songs, the straightforward love song “All of Me” stands out.

It’s a gentle piano ballad that’s perfect for autumn.

Released in August 2013, it became a massive hit, reaching No.

1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.

S.

The lyrics, written for his then-fiancée and now wife Chrissy Teigen, are heartwarming.

Since long autumn nights can easily make you feel a bit wistful, give “All of Me” a listen.

Grand Theft Autumn / Where Is Your BoyFall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy: Grand Theft Autumn / Where Is Your Boy [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

Fall Out Boy, the most successful band to emerge from the 2000s pop-punk/emo boom and still globally popular into the 2020s—including in Japan, crafted a flexible sound centered on Patrick Stump’s soulful, R&B-influenced vocals and outstanding singing ability, which had a major impact on the bands that followed.

On their debut album, Take This to Your Grave, there’s a track whose title explicitly includes the word “Autumn.” Though a bit rough around the edges, it’s an early classic brimming with youthful energy that showcases their catchiness and remains a live staple.

In fact, aside from the title, it has nothing to do with autumn, and the music video was even shot amid piled-up snow—but why not enjoy it as a quirky, offbeat fall song?

Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadElton John

Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John is a British genius singer-songwriter of global renown, and it’s still fresh in our memories that the autobiographical musical film Rocketman recently became a hot topic.

Among his many hits, I’d like to introduce the classic Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, known in Japan by the translated title “Tasogare no Rengamichi” (Twilight Brick Road).

Included on the album of the same name released in 1973, it became a hit single in both the UK and the US.

The song’s title is taken from the Yellow Brick Road in The Wizard of Oz.

It carries the idea of turning away from the “yellow road” of stardom to pursue one’s own path.

While it doesn’t honestly have much to do with the autumn season, its wistful melody and sound give it a mood that makes it a perfect recommendation for listening in the fall.

Autumn LeavesChris Brown ft. Kendrick Lamar

Chris Brown – Autumn Leaves (Explicit) ft. Kendrick Lamar

A track included on the 2014 album ‘X.

‘ The music video, directed by Colin Tilley—who has also worked on projects for Enrique Iglesias, Justin Bieber, and Justin Timberlake—was filmed in Hawaii.