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.
- Songs to use in the memory movie. Let’s look back on our memories before graduation!
- [Farewell] A selection of moving, tear-jerking Japanese songs recommended for graduation ceremonies
- [Touching] Entrance/Exit Songs for Graduation Ceremonies: Classics & the Latest BGM
- [Gratitude, Encouragement, Memories] Tear-Jerking Graduation Songs You Can’t Listen to Without Crying [2026]
- A collection of songs you’ll want to listen to when retiring from your school club [Youth]
- [For Graduates] Graduation Songs and Cheer Anthems to Convey Gratitude and Support
- [Great Lyrics!!] Recommended Tear-Jerking Graduation Songs with Heartfelt, Moving Words [2026]
- Songs we want to sing at the graduation ceremony! A special feature on moving, heart-touching preschool graduation songs
- A graduation song that's trending and popular on TikTok. A perfect track for memory videos.
- Thank you, Teacher: A Song of Gratitude for Teachers and Mentors — An Emotional Farewell Song for the Journey Ahead
- [Moving] Heartfelt Japanese Songs Recommended for Graduation Season [2026]
- Stand out at the graduation party! A collection of ideas for unforgettable surprise videos
- [2026] Graduate with a Smile! Recommended Uplifting Graduation Songs
Cry your eyes out with classic graduation songs! Recommended tracks for graduation movie BGM (141–150)
I can’t put it into wordsofukōsu
Partings from those dear to us, encounters with the ones we love, and emotions too deep for words.
This gem of a ballad, released by Off Course in February 1982, gently sings of such delicate moments in life.
Kazumasa Oda’s clear, pure voice and the beautiful melody seep deep into the heart.
The song is included on the album “over” and was released as a double A-side single with “Kimi ni Okuru Uta.” In 1999, it was chosen for a life insurance company’s commercial, once again moving the hearts of many.
It’s a song to play when your feelings for someone overflow or when you want to express gratitude to someone precious.
Song of FledgingSakushi Murano Shirō, Sakkyoku Iwakawa Saburō
When it comes to classic graduation songs from way back, “Sudachi no Uta” (Song of Departure) comes to mind.
These days, J-pop songs are often arranged for chorus and sung at ceremonies, but before that it ranked alongside “Hotaru no Hikari” as a staple of graduation ceremonies.
It’s a song that portrays parting from friends with a refreshing tone and conveys a sense of resolve to stride forward toward tomorrow.
Only the graduation photo knowsHinatazaka46
A song by Hinatazaka46 themed around graduation.
It gently sings of the bittersweet feelings of the cherry blossom season and the love that went unspoken.
Memories and regrets sealed in graduation photos resonate deeply, intertwined with clear, transparent vocals.
Set for release on January 29, 2025, the track features Nao Kosaka as center and will be available in five editions: limited first-press versions and a regular edition.
It was premiered at their Tokyo Dome concert on December 26, 2024.
It’s a recommended listen not only for students entering graduation season, but also for anyone who wants to reflect on past loves.
Somewhere on this EarthSakushi Miura Keiko • Sakkyoku Wakamatsu Kan
“Somewhere on This Earth” is a choral piece released in 1998.
It is a song about growing from childhood to adulthood and taking new steps.
With a refreshing melody perfect for graduation and a beautiful piano accompaniment, it adds splendor to graduation ceremonies.
It is a graduation song that expresses both the sadness of parting from friends and the hope of moving toward a bright future.
Best FriendNishino Kana
This is a song by Kana Nishino that expresses gratitude to a precious best friend and a wish for a friendship that lasts forever.
With a calm sound centered on piano and strings, it conveys the feeling of quietly savoring one’s memories.
The gratitude and joy for supporting each other are sung in simple, straightforward words.
It’s a song that makes you want to convey your honest feelings to your cherished friends at the moment of graduation, as everyone sets off on their own paths.
SAKURA GoodbyeSCANDAL
This song has the vibe of pure student-days youth.
Its lyrics vividly portray scenes everyone recognizes, so many people will relate.
Sing it at karaoke after the graduation ceremony and it’s sure to hype up the room.
The performance isn’t very difficult, so trying it as a band could be a great challenge—and a chance to make another wonderful memory.
Words of FarewellKaientai
Since its release in 1979, this timeless classic has brightened countless graduation ceremonies as a go-to graduation song! Not only those who watched Tetsuya Takeda perform it in real time, but even today’s students have likely heard it.
It’s that widely known.
So it’s perfect not just to sing at the ceremony, but also as background music for a video gift to teachers or parents.
Many artists have covered it over the years, so if you’re using it as video BGM, choosing a cover version instead of the original could be a stylish touch.
