[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 Party] Graduation Songs You’ll Want to Play with Your Band [2026] (31–40)
proofflumpool
If you want to perform a touching, mellow ballad with your band, this song is highly recommended! Its clear, refreshing vocals and beautiful accompaniment make it especially appealing.
It’s a classic that many students love so much it’s often chosen for graduation ceremonies.
In the original, strings and piano add an even more moving touch, but when performing it with a band, it’s great to arrange it without strings and just add a keyboard.
It could also be nice to have everyone there join in a chorus over the band’s performance.
SAKURA GoodbyeSCANDAL
This is the second single by SCANDAL, a girls’ rock band formed by four members with no prior instrumental experience who were part of the CALESS Vocal & Dance School.
The song was used as the ending theme for the variety show “Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!” and is also known as a number that has been performed live since the band’s formation.
With lyrics that sing about the very day of the graduation ceremony, graduates will likely be able to vividly picture the scenes.
It’s a rock tune that’s sure to heat up any graduation live show, with forward-looking lyrics about a positive farewell before a new step, and a driving, exhilarating sound.
Song of a FriendBUMP OF CHICKEN
Formed in 1996, BUMP OF CHICKEN is popular across generations.
Many of the teachers likely listened to their songs during their own youth.
Released in 2014, “Tomodachi no Uta” (“Song of Friends”) features lyrics that, while reflecting on bonds and memories with friends, also make you aware of the passage of time.
Friends can be an uncertain presence, and it may be difficult to stay friends forever.
Even so, this song, which encourages you to keep walking while believing in your friends, is perfect for expressing gratitude.
Words of FarewellFLOW
FLOW made headlines by covering a classic by Kaientai with a modern rock sound.
This one is definitely perfect for graduation season! The lyrics, originally from a folk song and rich in flavor, take on a whole new feel when sung over this fast tempo—it’s really cool!
FocusriteMAN WITH A MISSION
Being separated from friends, teachers, and family isn’t a negative event—that’s the message this rock number conveys.
It’s a track by MAN WITH A MISSION, who are also very active overseas, included as a coupling song on their first single “distance,” released in 2012.
Set to a powerful sound, it’s a refreshing piece that sings of a positive outlook toward the future.
While many of their songs incorporate electronic elements, this one should be easy to cover even with a simple band setup of just guitar, bass, and drums.
[Graduation Live / Farewell Party] Graduation Songs You Want to Play with a Band [2026] (41–50)
When I turn around…Janne Da Arc
When it comes to graduation songs by visual kei rock bands, this is the one.
Released in 2006 as Janne Da Arc’s 25th single, it was also chosen as the theme song for the film HIRAKATA, in which the band members appeared.
It’s a nostalgic, grand rock number that sings of parting from someone important and the hope of meeting again someday.
RPGSEKAI NO OWARI
This is the sixth single by SEKAI NO OWARI, a four-member band that continues to deliver uniquely creative entertainment through fantastical songs and live performances.
Chosen as the theme song for the animated film Crayon Shin-chan: Very Tasty! B-class Gourmet Survival!!, it’s a catchy number with a march-like rhythm that evokes a role-playing game—just as the title suggests.
The lyrics, which call to mind the beginning of an adventure, resonate with graduates embarking on a new chapter.
Featuring bass drum and hand cymbals, it’s a fun piece to faithfully recreate for a school graduation live performance.