[Recommended for High School Students] New Graduation Songs & Classic Tearjerkers Collection
Going on to university or junior college, getting a job… Once you graduate from high school and begin walking your own path, some of you may leave your hometown.
You might feel uneasy or lonely at times.
At graduation—the final moments spent with the friends you shared so much time with—your heart is sure to swirl with many emotions: gratitude toward classmates, teachers, and parents, and the joy of stepping closer to adulthood.
In this article, we introduce graduation songs that will be right there with your feelings.
These timeless tunes that resonate with your heart are sure to shine a bright light on your future.
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[Recommended for High School Students] New Graduation Songs & Classic Inspirational Songs (31–40)
horizonback number
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.
cherry blossomKobukuro
Sakura, with its gentle twin vocals that feel like they’re celebrating the start of a new chapter at graduation, is a song released by Kobukuro in 2005.
There are times in the season when cherry blossoms dance that make you feel a twinge of sadness, aren’t there? Songs that stay close to unspoken feelings and sorrow can be what nudges us into adulthood.
The lyrics, which highlight the beauty of the Japanese language, are also captivating, letting you sense tenderness within a sentimental mood.
Brimming with the atmosphere of the transition from winter to spring, this track is highly recommended for anyone approaching graduation!
To the futureKiroro
It was released in 1998 as Kiroro’s second single.
It’s a song often sung in music classes and choir competitions, and it’s also a classic graduation song.
With lyrics expressing gratitude to parents, it’s known for moving parents attending graduation ceremonies to tears.
DarlingMrs. GREEN APPLE
It’s a perfect song for the spring season.
Released in January 2025 as the theme for NHK’s special “18-sai Matsuri,” where Mrs.
GREEN APPLE performed with 1,000 eighteen-year-olds, it features lyrics centered on the struggles and growth of youth, celebrating the importance of staying true to yourself.
Its energetic sound blends pop-rock elements, and the catchy melody leaves a strong impression.
It’s a track that stands by those starting a new chapter or stepping into a new environment, and it’s especially recommended for the spring school entrance season.
On the day of departure…Kawashima Ai
A classic graduation song, “Tabidachi no Hi ni…” sung by singer-songwriter Ai Kawashima.
This track is Kawashima’s eighth single, released in 2006.
It gently makes you realize that after graduation, you’ll never see this scenery with these same people again.
Even if you know in your head that what was once part of everyday life won’t be ordinary anymore, it’s hard to truly grasp until it becomes reality.
It’s a graduation song that perfectly captures those feelings.
[Recommended for High School Students] New Graduation Songs & Classic Tearjerkers (41–50)
I should be able to fly (in the sky).supittsu
“Sora mo Toberu Hazu,” the eighth single by Spitz, released in 1994.
It’s one of Spitz’s signature songs and is beloved across generations.
The track also became a hit as the theme song for the drama ‘Hakusen Nagashi,’ starring Tomoya Nagase from TOKIO, which centers on youth and graduation.
Both the lyrics and the melody carry an indescribable poignancy that at times tightens your chest—such a song.
It evokes a sense of nostalgia for anyone who listens, making it a perfect track for graduation season.
C.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.hONE OK ROCK
C.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.h is one of ONE OK ROCK’s most popular songs.
The title is said to be a coined word that combines two terms, as well as the initials of vocalist Taka’s close friends.
Filled with deep feelings for those friends, it’s also famous as a moving number.
Even when each of us goes our own way, struggles to fit into a new environment, or feels close to breaking, this is a song that reminds us there are always people cheering us on.
It’s the kind of track you’d want to dedicate to a friend with that sentiment in mind.