[2026 Edition] A Roundup of Popular and Classic Western Songs to Listen to in September

Pale November DewThe Dead Tongues

The Dead Tongues – “Pale November Dew”

Dead Tongue is the project of Ryan Gustafson, a singer-songwriter, musician, and producer active in the country genre.

This work is a single released on May 18, 2018.

While not very well known in Japan, he is a particularly buzzed-about rising star in his home country’s increasingly acclaimed country scene.

You’ll hear it in the music: it strikes a superb balance between expressive richness—grounded in a deep love of music—and an inviting, accessible feel.

September (Feat. Mic the Microphone and PinkieSkye)The Living Tombstone

Song – September Feat. Mic the Microphone and PinkieSkye

The Living Tombstone, an artist from Israel, released a gem of a track in November 2011 inspired by a popular anime.

Featuring narrative-rich lyrics about a protagonist who has lost their memory and confronts their past, the song blends catchy electropop and electronica.

With Mic the Microphone and PinkieSkye as featured artists, its powerful rap and emotive choruses further elevate the piece.

Nostalgic yet futuristic in feel, it’s perfect for September, when summer shifts into autumn—a recommended listen for anyone wanting to sense the arrival of a new season.

SeptemberThe Shins

September

A song distinguished by the poetic lyrics spun by James Mercer of the American indie rock band The Shins and the warm tones of acoustic guitar.

Included on the March 2012 album Port of Morrow, it presents a deep meditation exploring the complexities of love and human relationships.

Mercer’s distinctive vocals gently sing of an ever‑changing, unpredictable world and the enduring power of love nonetheless.

This piece evokes the importance of facing oneself and the hope found within relationships with loved ones, making it a perfect track for a sentimental autumn night.

We’re Going To Be FriendsThe White Stripes

The White Stripes – We’re Going To Be Friends (Official Music Video)

As a male-female duo distinguished by the rock band’s smallest possible format—just guitar and drums—The White Stripes led the 2000s garage rock boom and achieved worldwide popularity.

Although the band unfortunately broke up in 2011, member Jack White has remained highly active as a solo artist, and he’s been in the spotlight for headlining Fuji Rock in July 2022.

Did you know The White Stripes have a song that’s especially perfect to listen to in September? It’s a track from their breakthrough third album, 2001’s White Blood Cells.

The song has a folky vibe with none of the garage grit, and it’s a masterpiece that nostalgically celebrates childhood friendship—likely drawn from Jack’s own elementary school memories.

It opens by declaring that “autumn has come,” and since that’s also the start of a new school term in Japan, listening to it while reflecting on childhood memories after summer vacation just might bring those scenes vividly back to life.

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SeedwongTurnover

Turnover – Seedwong

Turnover is a rock band from Virginia.

They mainly play indie rock and dream pop, and rose to popularity in the 2010s.

Among Turnover’s releases, the one I especially recommend is Seedwong.

There’s a phrase, “a summer fling,” and as the saying goes, some couples break up by September.

This song portrays the end of that kind of romance.

People nursing a broken heart will find the lyrics relatable, so be sure to check out the Japanese translation as well.

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September SunType O Negative

September Sun – Type O Negative

Type O Negative, the gothic metal icons born in New York.

Their sound—imbued with a singular aesthetic that draws on a wide range of genres—has a devoted following, not least because of the overwhelming presence and voice of vocalist/bassist Peter Steele, who sadly passed away in 2010.

Today I’d like to introduce “September Sun,” a classic track from their de facto final album, Dead Again, released in 2007.

For them, the soaring, straightforward chorus melody and the dramatic song structure make it relatively accessible even to those unfamiliar with the band.

That said, the lyrical world is enigmatic, and it’s anything but simple—at one point, the Spanish phrase “para toda mi vida” suddenly appears, carrying a nuance like “for the rest of my life.” Perhaps it’s worth pondering what Peter wanted to convey with this song, on a night when the feeling of autumn is growing stronger.

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SavantViVii

ViVii – Savant (Official Audio)

September is the time when you can most keenly feel the end of summer, and many people are starting to get swept up in the bittersweet emotions of the approaching autumn.

For those folks, this is a perfect recommendation: ViVii, a dream-pop trio from Sweden made up of Emil and Caroline Jonsson and Anders Eckeborn.

True to the dream-pop genre, their sound is wonderfully dreamy—something you’ll want to listen to on a quiet autumn night.

The lyrics express the desire to make dreams come true, capturing a wish that resonates with everyone.