[Graduation Live & Farewell Concert] Graduation Songs You’ll Want to Play with Your Band [2026]
For students in bands, many of you probably perform live around graduation time—at events like graduation thank-you parties, graduation live shows, or farewell gigs for departing members.
Of course, it’s great to play those memorable songs you performed many times while in school.
But since it’s a special occasion, a lot of you might be thinking about playing songs that fit the graduation theme!
Still, it’s not always easy to come up with graduation-themed songs…
So in this article, we’ll introduce plenty of popular graduation songs that are perfect for band performances.
We’ve selected not only band songs, but also singer-songwriter tracks that would work well with a band setup, so feel free to use this as a reference for choosing your setlist.
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[Graduation Live / Farewell Concert] Graduation Songs You’ll Want to Play with Your Band [2026] (81–90)
If I can laughUrufuruzu
Isn’t it somehow more wonderful to say goodbye with a smile than to part in tears? This is a song by the rock band Ulfuls, released in 2002 as their 24th single.
The lyrics speak to how hard it is to become an adult, yet how great it would be if we could just live life with a smile.
How about using this song at graduation so both those sending off and those being sent off can exchange cheers, hoping to become adults like that?
GraduationZONE
A song by the girls’ rock band ZONE, who made their major debut in 2001 and announced the end of their activities in 2013.
Just like its title, it’s themed around graduation, making it a perfect number to perform during the graduation season.
While the lyrics sing of memories from youth and the loneliness that comes with graduation, the performance is a fast-paced rock number, conveying a message of saying goodbye with a smile even as you carry that loneliness.
Live in the present.Saucy Dog
A perfect song for the fresh start that is graduation is Saucy Dog’s “I’ll Live in the Present.” With energetic sound and moving lyrics, it gives you the strength to look forward while reflecting on the past.
In particular, Shinya Ishihara’s richly expressive vocals are sure to move listeners’ hearts.
This song, which brings back memories of days passionately devoted to club activities and the bonds of friendship, is also ideal for a band performance.
Why not add a splash of color to your precious memories with your friends?
MY GRADUATIONChekkāzu
A gemlike ballad that richly portrays the milestone of graduation.
Set to a gentle melody, it tenderly depicts scenes like exchanging buttons on school uniforms and walking together to the station.
Looking back on memories from ages 16 to 18, it masterfully conveys both the sweetness of young love and the poignancy of parting.
Included on The Checkers’ album “GO” and released in 1987, it was the group’s first self-produced work, with lyrics by Fumiya Fujii and music by Susumu Takeuchi.
Deeply rooted in Japan’s music scene as a staple to hear during graduation season, this song is wholeheartedly recommended for anyone who cherishes memories of their youth.
Night on the Galactic RailroadGOING STEADY
GOING STEADY’s signature song is a moving track themed around youth and dreams.
Influenced by the fairy tales of Kenji Miyazawa, the lyrics are imbued with a bittersweet longing for love and a strong will to soar into a new world.
The song is included on the album “Sakura no Uta,” released in July 2001, and has been used as a radio program ending theme as well as in the film “Fish Story” (Shonen Merikensack).
It’s a perfect choice to perform at graduation concerts or farewell events—any moment that marks the close of a youthful chapter.
Listen to this piece, brimming with youthful energy and fleeting passion, and it’s sure to resonate with your heart!