Friendship songs to listen to in March: introducing graduation songs and songs of gratitude to friends

Don’t bloom.NEW!WHITE JAM

[This year's No.1 graduation song] [MV] Don't Bloom / WHITE JAM [Blackboard Art Ver.]

Every time the season of partings arrives, I find myself wanting to listen to WHITE JAM’s ballad.

The lyrics, packed with the desperate feeling of not wanting to be apart even while wishing happiness for the one setting out, tighten my chest.

Released as a single in February 2016, it spread on social media alongside a video featuring chalkboard art and drew broad empathy, even topping rankings on lyrics search sites.

Later included on the album “WHITE JAM BEST,” this song is a perfect classic to send as a message of thanks and encouragement to friends at graduation or embarking on a new chapter.

best friendNEW!SG

Best Friend (Soulmate) – SG (Official Lyric Video)

A song by SG that I want to give to a dear friend.

As the title suggests, it’s a warm message song themed around the bond with a friend deeply connected at heart.

Life brings many partings—graduations, turning points—but this song straightforwardly sings about an unchanging friendship despite distance, and the hope of meeting again.

Released as a single in March 2022, it resonated with many people, ranking high in LINE MUSIC’s real-time music video charts.

Known for “Bokura Mata,” SG penned this track in his own words, offering not only the sorrow of parting but also the courage to look ahead.

It’s perfect as BGM for graduation season, as well as for times when you want to express gratitude that’s hard to say, or when you’re thinking of a friend far away.

cherry blossomNEW!KALMA

KALMA – Sakura (Music Video)

KALMA is a rock band based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, that has earned support for performances full of down-to-earth lyrics and raw energy.

Originally released digitally in February 2021 and later included on their first full-length album Millennium Hero, this track is an up-tempo number that captures the shift of the seasons from melting snow into spring.

While carrying the loneliness of parting and anxieties about the future, it conveys a determination to push forward and overcome them, striking a chord in listeners’ hearts.

The scat repeated in the chorus is catchy enough for anyone to sing along, creating a sense of unity like at a live show.

It’s an emotional coming-of-age song you’ll want to sing at March karaoke—perfect for farewells that linger with friends and for celebrating new beginnings.

My dear best friendNEW!Shonan no Kaze

Shonan no Kaze “Dear Friend” MUSIC VIDEO

This work by Shonan no Kaze brims with passionate feelings for the companions they spent time with and a resolve to head down their own paths.

Released as a single in February 2009, it was chosen as the theme song for the film “Drop,” directed by Hiroshi Shinagawa.

It portrays an unbreakable, powerful bond forged through rivalry—at times colored by inferiority and frustration—yet never severed.

Rather than stringing together pretty words, it depicts the raw, clumsy, and honest clashes of male friendship that’s sure to stir listeners’ hearts.

The chorus delivers an exhilarating sense of the horizon opening up, making it a staple that sparks massive sing-alongs at live shows.

As spring arrives and friends begin to walk separate roads, why not listen to it to give a supportive push to a close friend wrestling with anxiety or loneliness—and to steel your own resolve as well?

footprint(s)Little Glee Monster

Little Glee Monster “Ashiato” Music Video

Little Glee Monster is a vocal group whose overwhelming singing ability moves listeners to the core.

Their 16th single, “Ashiato” (Footprints), released in September 2020, is a grand number penned by the members themselves that gives you the courage to keep moving forward even in times of uncertainty.

Its powerful lyrics, which seem to affirm their own journey, are perfect for looking back on the days spent with friends during graduation season, when everyone sets off on separate paths.

Written as the required piece for the Junior High School division of the NHK All-Japan School Choir Competition and also broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” the song has become widely loved as a choral piece.

It’s a moving track we hope you’ll listen to when you want to send thanks and cheers for the future to the dear friends with whom you’ve laughed and supported each other along the way!

March of the PetalsAimer

Aimer “March of the Petals” Starring: Mirei Sasaki (Hinatazaka46) (5th albums “Sun Dance” and “Penny Rain” released on 2019/04/10)

This is a song where Aimer’s distinctively husky yet warm voice gently wraps the bittersweet feelings of springtime farewells and new beginnings.

Set to a light, march-like rhythm, it evokes scenes of joyful memories with friends and heartfelt gratitude spreading vividly through the heart like scattering petals.

Included on the triple A-side single “I beg you / Hanabira-tachi no March / Sailing,” released in January 2019, the track drew attention for its music video featuring Hinatazaka46’s Mirei Sasaki, which beautifully captured the fleeting nature of graduation season.

Its band sound quietly offers the courage to look ahead even amid loneliness, making it a perfect gift for dear friends embarking on a new path—along with a heartfelt ‘thank you for everything.’

1000 daysnozomi

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

High school life is said to last about 1,000 days, and this song is a fast-paced, exhilarating number that races through those limited days of youth.

Sung by Noashi, a singer-songwriter popular especially among Gen Z, the track was released as a single in April 2025 and was written specifically for the web commercial of the vitamin soda drink MATCH.

It carries a message that celebrates the preciousness of moments that will never return and the unchanging bonds of friendship even after graduation—perfect for the season of partings that warms the heart.

This piece evokes memories of casual exchanges with friends and secrets you shared, filling you with gratitude.

Why not gift it to friends you’ll be parting ways with, as a token of thanks and a cheer for what lies ahead?