[Recommended for High School Students] New Graduation Songs & Classic Tearjerkers Collection

sunflowerAdo

[Ado] Sunflower

Like a flower that blooms straight toward the sun, this song delivers a positive feeling.

Released by Ado in July 2023, it was chosen as the theme song for the TBS drama “18/40: Dreams and Love if We’re Together.” The lyrics express a wish to gradually change one’s timid self and to be as straightforward as someone you cherish.

It’s perfect for those anxious about new environments or uncertain about the path ahead.

While carrying the loneliness of taking a different path from classmates, it gently supports graduates who wish to take a step toward the light.

sasanqua (Camellia sasanqua)SEKAI NO OWARI

Sakanaction “Sazanka”

This is a powerful cheer from SEKAI NO OWARI for everyone chasing their dreams.

Released as a single in February 2018, it was chosen as NHK’s theme song for broadcasts of the PyeongChang Olympics and Paralympics that same year.

Set to a beautiful melody woven by piano and strings, the lyrics are written from the perspective of a quiet presence watching over someone who keeps getting back up no matter how many times they fall.

The message affirms the days of earnest effort—like a winter flower that blooms with poise amid hardship—and resonates deeply.

It’s a perfect song for those reaching the milestone of graduation and about to take their first new step.

1000 daysnozomi

Noashi (noa) – 1000 Days [Official Music Video]

Three years of high school add up to about 1,000 days.

Centered on that brief yet intense moment of youth, this song is a youth power anthem by Nasaki, released in April 2025.

It was written specifically for the web commercial “Youth Bonus Time” for the vitamin soda MATCH.

A passionate melody rides atop a driving guitar rock sound, resulting in a track that sets your heart ablaze.

The lyrics are sprinkled with the delicate feelings unique to adolescence—like writing a name in the corner of a notebook and erasing it—gently stirring listeners’ memories.

It’s a song that brings courage for tomorrow to everyone graduating and stepping into a new environment!

About meMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE – About Me

A song produced as the official cheer anthem for the 97th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament.

Rather than irresponsibly telling people who are striving to “hang in there,” it carries a message that every single day is a miracle, including the experiences of broken dreams and discouragement.

It sensitively portrays the feelings of acknowledging differences between oneself and others and the resolve to move forward despite anxiety, leaving listeners with a refreshing, positive outlook—an ode to life.

In 2022, an orchestral arrangement was featured as the song for Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Calorie Mate commercial, drawing renewed attention as a track that supports exam takers.

It’s a song we especially recommend to those marking the milestone of graduation or standing on the brink of a new challenge.

horizonback number

back number – Horizon

A gem of a track by back number that gently stays close to your heart whenever you hit a wall in life.

Even amid the despair that feels like your dreams and hopes are collapsing, the lyrics portray the journey of looking inward and eventually finding light—sure to move you deeply.

This song is also known for being created in August 2020 for high school students after the Inter-High Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While affirming frustration and sorrow, it gives a sense of the view that awaits beyond overcoming them.

As you step into a new world at graduation, you may feel anxiety or loneliness.

In those moments, this song will wrap your pain in its embrace and give you the quiet courage to take that first step.

Run Through the MemoriesMy Hair is Bad

My Hair is Bad – Dash Through the Memories

A ballad by My Hair is Bad filled with a warm message of gratitude to friends who shared irreplaceable time together, and of turning even painful experiences into strength for the future.

The sincere words penned by vocalist Tomohito Shiiki affirm the days that have passed in their entirety and give you the courage to take a new step forward.

Released in June 2024, the song also drew attention for being written as the theme for the film Crayon Shin-chan: Our Dinosaur Diary.

It’s an important track that closes out the album ghosts, featuring a grand band sound worthy of a story’s end credits.

It’s a song that gently supports graduates as they etch their memories into their hearts and move on toward tomorrow—why not listen to it together with your cherished friends?

one’s true feelingssumika

sumika / Honne [Music Video] *Theme song for the 99th All Japan High School Soccer Championship

A song by sumika that directly expresses a universal inner conflict—“Maybe I should give up, but I really don’t want to!”—that everyone has felt at least once.

It was written as the official support song for the 99th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament.

The dramatic arrangement woven by piano and band is striking, building from a quiet, introspective verse into a chorus where resolve crystallizes, stirring the heart.

More than just a typical cheer-up anthem, its appeal lies in portraying the determination to move forward only after first acknowledging one’s own weaknesses.

It’s perfect for high school students standing at the milestone of graduation, about to take a new step, reminding them of the immense importance of friends who strive alongside them.