A roundup of youth-themed songs recommended for high school students
The songs you fall in love with in high school will become vivid memories adorning a page of your youth.
It’s a strange feeling that they never fade and you can still listen to them decades later.
In this article, we’ve put together a selection of tracks we recommend for those of you right in the middle of your youth right now!
We’ll introduce a wide range—from songs that fire you up, to ones that heighten the mood for romance, to heart-wrenching pieces that might make you cry.
Be sure to read to the end.
You just might discover the best music of your life.
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A roundup of youth songs I’d recommend to high school students (111–120)
Ode to YouthMomoiro Kurōbā Zetto
Seishunfu, which was also the theme song for the film The Curtain Rises, is a popular track both as a youth anthem and a graduation song.
It’s an unusually mellow song for Momoclo, creating quite a contrast with their usually energetic tunes.
When you listen to it while looking back on your junior high or high school memories, it’s bound to strike a chord.
It could also be great to sing at a graduation ceremony or use as background music.
This song will likely make you fondly remember your school days.
How about making Seishunfu your own anthem of youth?
A roundup of youth-themed songs I’d recommend to high school students (121–130)
My reason for livingheddofon no naka no sekai
The song “Sekai in the Headphones” reminds us of the small joys we tend to overlook in the rush of daily life, and the importance of irreplaceable moments.
When you feel like you’re losing yourself, listening to this track will help you notice the “reason to live” that’s right around you.
Chosen as the theme song for TBS’s late-night drama “Kono Hatsukoi wa Fiction desu” and released in December 2021, it gained strong support especially from Gen Z.
It trended on social media and has resonated with many people.
Why not spend some time facing your inner self along with its exhilarating melody? You’re sure to discover something new.
Only for you, clear skiesYorushika
This popular song by Yorushika, a collaborative music group consisting of n-buna, a Vocaloid producer active mainly on Nico Nico Douga, and vocalist suis, powerfully evokes summer and youth.
The lyrics are generally abstract, sparking a different story for each listener.
High school students on the verge of adulthood might feel the song is a bit beyond their years.
Still, the song conveys the emotional movement of fixating on one person and the feelings that grow larger and larger over time.
Until graduationBoku ga mitakatta aozora
This is a song by Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora that delicately portrays a bittersweet crush.
It expresses the unrequited feelings of a high school student about to graduate, layered with the image of cherry blossom buds.
The lyrics are filled with emotions unique to youth, like “When I think of you, I can’t help but cry,” and listening to it makes your chest tighten.
Released in January 2024 as their second single, the music video was filmed at a melancholy fishing port.
It’s a perfect song not only for high school students in the graduation season, but also for adults who feel nostalgic for their youth.
Dried flowersYuuri
It’s “Dry Flower” by Yuuri, a song released in 2020.
It’s a beloved track that has been listened to by many, surpassing 100 million streams.
With a nostalgic sound and a heartrending melody, it’s an “emo” song that stirs your emotions.
Yuuri’s vocals, blending gentleness and strength, also resonate in a way that pierces the heart.
The lyrics liken post-breakup feelings to dried flowers, and they may bring back memories of love from school days.
GraduationOzaki Yutaka
Yutaka Ozaki delivers a work that captures the clumsy emotions of youth in their entirety with his powerful voice.
Frankly portraying the feelings of young people—such as the sense of confinement in school life and distrust of adults—this piece carries a universal message about the yearning for freedom that everyone experiences during their school years.
Released in January 1985 and peaking at No.
20 on the Oricon chart, it debuted as the lead single from the album “Kaikisen” (Tropic of Cancer).
Later, in 2016, it was featured as the commercial song for a web-exclusive short movie by a casual apparel chain, continuing to resonate across generations.
It’s a song to listen to when you find yourself wavering between ideals and reality or questioning the norms of society.
The wave that slashes through youthatarashii gakkou no rīdāzu
With the concept of “breaking out of this petty, intolerant society with individuality and freedom, in an era where only model citizens get praised,” the dance-and-vocal performance unit ATARASHII GAKKO! made their world debut in 2020.
Seishun wo Kirisaku Hadou, included on their EP Itijikikoku (Temporary Return), sticks in your head with its catchy melody riding a cool rock ensemble.
The dizzyingly shifting arrangement perfectly captures the momentum of youth.
It’s a hard-hitting upper tune whose razor-sharp impact demands attention—be sure to listen for the lyrics’ deft internal rhymes.
