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

bookmarkkuriipuhaipe

CreepHyp - “Bookmark” (MUSIC VIDEO)

Originally written and composed by CreepHyp’s Seikai Ozaki as a campaign song for FM802 and TSUTAYA in 2018, this track is included on the album “Nakitakunaru Hodo Ureshii Hibi ni.” Its lyrics juxtapose the image of falling cherry blossoms with a “bookmark” tucked into a half-read book, evoking lingering feelings for a relationship one isn’t ready to end—sentiments many graduates may relate to.

While the song portrays the sorrow of parting, the music itself is a bright, fast-paced rock tune.

That contrast gently pushes listeners forward into the future, even as they hold on to their loneliness.

It’s an emotional track that tenderly accompanies the wavering heart at the milestone of graduation.

Joined handsMINAMI

[MV] MINAMI – The Hands We Held

A ballad that tugs at the heartstrings, “Tsunai da Te” (“Hands Held”), portrays the bond of two people walking hand in hand toward the future.

Conjuring youthful scenes like the after-school chime and a rainbow after the rain, this work is MINAMI’s major-label debut single, released in July 2023.

It’s a song you’ll want to send to a friend who feels the loneliness of parting during graduation season, when anxiety and hope mingle.

Its warm message—supporting one another’s existence—will surely resonate in the heart.

evening primroseNovelbright

Novelbright – Evening Primrose [Official Music Video]

A love ballad by Novelbright, released in 2020 and surpassing 300 million streams.

Built on an emotive, piano-driven arrangement, it poignantly depicts the days spent together and the pain of parting, striking a chord in the heart.

It’s a song we especially want those facing graduation, parting with classmates, and anxiety about new surroundings to hear.

The dramatic melody and touching lyrics will bring back memories of the precious time you spent with friends.

GloriousBE:FIRST

BE:FIRST / Glorious -Special Movie-

A ballad with a gently stirring melody and a warm message that affirms even the effort itself—the very “footsteps” you leave behind.

Released for streaming in November 2023, it was written as the support song for the 102nd All Japan High School Soccer Tournament.

Also included on the album “2:BE,” it has become beloved not only by fans but by many listeners.

The lyrics honor both winners and those who fall short, carrying a quiet strength that gives listeners a gentle push forward.

It’s a song especially worth hearing for anyone who has been running full-tilt—through club activities, exam prep, and more.

Last teenYuika

Last Teen / “Yuika” [MV]

A track by Yuika that captures the milestone at the end of one’s teenage years in down-to-earth words.

Written and composed by her just before her 20th birthday, it lays bare her anxieties and hopes about becoming an adult, and the wavering feelings of not quite being one yet.

From small everyday realizations—like a messy room or the cost of electricity—to the bittersweet sense of herself and her surroundings changing, the lyrics are packed with a raw realism that resonates.

This work can be seen as the final chapter in a series reflecting on her teens.

Her determination to move forward despite fearing change mirrors the feelings of graduates.

YELLikimonogakari

Ikimono-gakari “YELL” Music Video

Released in 2009 as the set piece for the Junior High School division of the NHK All-Japan School Music Competition, this song portrays the struggles of middle school students.

Although an upbeat, pop-style song was originally requested, Ikimonogakari’s Yoshiki Mizuno reflected on his own junior high school days and created this piece as an alternative proposal, which was ultimately selected.

For middle and high school students carrying worries and pain, many parts of the song resonate with their feelings, making it a piece that’s easier to sing with heartfelt emotion.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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To you, my best friend in the worldHakoniiwa Ririi

To You, My Best Friend in the World / Haconiiwa Lily [Music Video]

Hakonawa Lily is a musical duo featuring Hanon, whose overwhelming vocal power stands out, and Kotoha, known for her strikingly transparent voice.

This track, included on their major debut album “Lily’s Plage,” released in September 2022, is a pop tune with a gentle, folk-inspired melody that really tugs at the heart.

It paints a bittersweet scene of youth: on graduation day, someone tries to confess their feelings to a person they’d always thought of as just a friend.

As their harmonies entwine, you can hear both the “closeness” born from all the time they’ve shared and the “frustration” of words left unspoken.

For anyone heading into graduation while harboring feelings that go beyond friendship, this song will likely resonate especially deeply.