Recommended graduation songs for men: tracks that cheer you on as you embark on a new journey

treasurewacci

wacci “Treasure” (Lyric Video)

It’s a cheering song that gently affirms the anxiety and impatience you feel while pursuing your dreams, yet also the strong will not to give up.

Included on the album “Kanjō Hyakkei,” released in August 2017, this track features a warm band sound whose words and melody reach straight to the heart.

It became a hot topic when Miho Takagi of speed skating listened to it as her pump-up song during the Pyeongchang Olympics in February 2018, and it spread as a song that gives many people a push forward.

True to wacci’s style, its everyday, empathetic message makes it perfect to give to a friend setting out on a new path at graduation or to teammates who have overcome frustration in their club activities.

It’s a song that helps you reaffirm the “precious things” that will support you in the life ahead.

DarlingMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE "Darling" Official Music Video

A perfect Mrs.

GREEN APPLE track to hear during graduation season, when anxiety and excitement mix.

The lyrics question your true self and gently urge you to love yourself—including your weaknesses—giving you the courage to take a new step forward.

Written as the theme song for NHK General’s “Mrs.

GREEN APPLE 18 Festival” in January 2025, the song is also included on their best-of album “10,” released in July of the same year.

On the program, a chorus performance with 1,000 18-year-olds was showcased, and its sheer energy became a hot topic.

When you’re straining to meet others’ expectations, listening to this will remind you it’s okay to be just the way you are.

It’s also perfect for belting out at karaoke with friends as you celebrate each other’s new beginnings!

Promise of SunflowersHata Motohiro

Motohiro Hata – “Himawari no Yakusoku” Music Video

A singer-songwriter with a voice of “steel and glass” that resonates in the heart, Motohiro Hata delivers a moving ballad.

Its lyrics, which depict the warmth of those who stay by your side and the unchanging bonds that endure even when you’re apart, gently accompany the season of farewells.

Released as a single in August 2014, this song was created as the theme for the film STAND BY ME Doraemon.

Its messages, which overlap with the film’s story, struck a chord with many people, and by 2015 it had become such a massive hit that it dominated the karaoke charts.

No matter if the paths we walk diverge in the future, our hearts will always remain connected—this is a song that inspires that kind of hope.

Sing it arm-in-arm with friends at graduations or farewell parties as they set off on new journeys, and it will surely become a memory that lasts a lifetime!

Sakura RoadKyūshūdan

Kyushu Man 'Sakura Road' PV (Full ver.)

Kusuo, a singer-songwriter from Nagasaki Prefecture with reggae roots who’s widely supported for his emotionally resonant songs.

Released in March 2009 as his second major-label single, this work is a classic that dramatizes springtime farewells and new departures.

It was later included on the album “(R).” The single also featured a track that became the ending theme for TBS’s “The World’s Mysteries,” and at the time, a commercial featuring a pro wrestler from the same hometown drew attention as well.

The lyrics, which hold both the poignancy of falling cherry blossoms and the strength to move toward the future, gently push listeners forward.

Sung over reggae’s uniquely soothing rhythm, it keeps the mood from getting too somber and helps you stay positive.

It’s a perfect pick for karaoke to celebrate new beginnings when you want to get fired up with friends.

KanadeSukima Suichi

Sukima Switch – “Kanade” Music Video : SUKIMASWITCH / KANADE Music Video

This is one of Sukima Switch’s signature ballads, the kind you want to listen to when the season of farewells arrives.

Released as a single in March 2004, it’s also well known as an insert song for the film “Rough” and as the ending theme on the final day of the 2006 “Nettō Kōshien.” The lyrics, set to a wistful melody, portray parting with someone important while holding on to hope for the future.

Many listeners are surely moved by its message of a strong bond that keeps people connected through song even when they’re apart.

Featured on the album “Natsugumo Noise,” it has remained beloved and has been covered by many artists.

It’s a song perfect for spring, when life changes—whether you’re taking a new step forward or looking back nostalgically on your youth.

About meMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE – About Me

This grand rock ballad by Mrs.

GREEN APPLE is an ode to life that, set to a marching rhythm, portrays both its beauty and its cruelty.

Even as it confronts the reality that hard work doesn’t always pay off, its powerful message grips the heart, as if affirming every step you’ve taken so far.

Released as a single in January 2019, it was written as the support song for the 97th All Japan High School Soccer Championship and also drew attention as a Calorie Mate commercial track.

With lyrics that gently encourage not only the winners but also those who fell short, it’s a warmhearted song that graduating students who’ve felt the sting of club activities or entrance exams won’t be able to listen to without tears.

Highly recommended as a masterpiece that helps you recognize yourself and gives you the courage to hold your head high and take a new step forward!

Run Through the MemoriesMy Hair is Bad

My Hair is Bad – Dash Through the Memories

This song was written by the rock band My Hair is Bad, from Joetsu City in Niigata Prefecture, for the film Crayon Shin-chan: Our Dinosaur Diary, released in August 2024.

It carries a warm message that looks back on the days gone by and affirms that even painful experiences connect to who we are now.

As the closing track on their album ghosts, released in July 2024, it’s a perfect fit for parting with friends who shared irreplaceable moments together—like the one unforgettable summer Shin-chan and his friends spent.

Any anxiety about stepping onto a new path will surely be transformed into courage by vocalist Tomomi Shiiki’s powerful voice.

It’s a song we hope you’ll listen to as you and your friends, who may be separated after graduation, cheer on each other’s futures.