Tear-jerking classic graduation songs! Recommended tracks for graduation movie BGM
At graduation, it’s common to give a graduation video: from graduates to the teachers who supported them, from teachers to their students, or from current students to the graduating class.
A slideshow that looks back on memories or a message video dedicated to those who helped you is perfect for expressing gratitude.
But one thing many people struggle with when making such videos is choosing the BGM.
So, here are some songs that are perfect for the upcoming graduation season! Pick one track that conveys your feelings.
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Burst into tears with classic graduation songs! Recommended tracks for graduation movie BGM (91–100)
Don’t bloom.WHITE JAM
A lesser-known gem themed around graduation, “Sakanaide.” It’s a song released in 2016 by the music group WHITE JAM, led by vocalist SHIROSE.
It looks back on everyday snapshots of school life, carried by an emotional melody.
The poignant tune might just bring you to tears.
While it’s on the mellow side, the overall groove keeps it from feeling too heavy.
Set your graduation video to this track, and it’s sure to become something special.
JourneyFuji Kaze
A warm melody that feels like being enveloped in kindness soaks into the heart.
Fujii Kaze’s vocals make this a masterpiece that beautifully depicts the journey of life.
Released in March 2021, it was used as the theme song for the TV Asahi drama “Nijiiro Karte.” This work marked his first drama tie-in, and its music video—shot in his hometown of Satoshō, Okayama Prefecture, and at his alma mater—also drew attention.
It’s a song that gently nudges those facing graduation or a new departure.
If you’re about to take a new step, this is a track you should definitely listen to.
Burst into tears with classic graduation songs! Recommended tracks for graduation movie BGM (101–110)
Amazing GraceSakkyokusha fushō
This is a classic hymn beloved around the world and covered by many singers.
The original lyrics were written by the English clergyman John Newton and are said to have been sung for the first time at a worship service in January 1773.
The melody familiar today spread in 19th-century America as a folk tune, eventually joining with the lyrics to become a global standard.
Widely used in films, TV dramas, memorial services, and other scenes symbolizing prayer and renewal, this piece is also a perfect fit for the solemn mood of a graduation ceremony.
Why not play it, filled with gratitude and hope, for children setting out on a new path?
Sayonara ColorSUPER BUTTER DOG
“Sayonara COLOR” is a song released in 2001 by SUPER BUTTER DOG, the band Hanaregumi used to be part of.
It’s well known that actor Naoto Takenaka was so inspired by the heartbreakingly bittersweet lyrics that he made a film with the same title.
The song expresses the complex feelings and gentleness surrounding a couple’s breakup, yet its forward-looking take on “goodbye” also makes it a perfect fit for graduation videos.
Parting from beloved teachers and classmates is sad, but this song reminds us that there is just as much to be gained from those farewells.
Gazing up, the sky is blueHata Motohiro
This is a graduation song by Motohiro Hata that conveys a gentle mood, as if looking back on various memories from graduation day.
The music video is set up like a short drama, featuring scenes from a graduation ceremony and everyone watching a compilation of memories together, so it might be nice to create your own video with that music video in mind.
Centered on acoustic guitar and piano, with strings joining in as the song develops, it evokes an image of someone who can no longer hold back their sadness.
While it portrays the loneliness of parting at graduation, it also expresses a powerful hope—moving toward a new beginning and the future that lies ahead.
To the days without a nameyama
What awaits you after graduation is life in a new environment, right? At that moment, a mix of emotions—sadness of parting, anxiety about the future, or even a sense of liberation—wells up.
If you’re thinking of creating a graduation video as a keepsake for such graduates, how about choosing yama’s “Nameless Days” as the BGM? Accompanied by this emotional track that blends unease, restlessness, and exhilaration, the feelings of each moment will vividly come back to life.
For the recipient, watching that video will let them time-travel back to their youth anytime.
YellKobukuro
It’s a warm, supportive song that stays close to you as you embark on a new chapter.
A double A-side single by Kobukuro, it was released in March 2001 and was also used as the ending theme for Fuji TV’s “Uchi Kuru!?”.
The lyrics, which liken flowers blooming with the arrival of spring to hope for the future, are deeply moving.
It’s perfect for an elementary school graduation ceremony or as background music for a family trip during spring break.
A song that gives courage and hope to anyone taking a new step forward.