Popular Graduation Song Rankings [2026]

Friend ~Time to Depart~yuzu1rank/position

Yuzu “Friend ~The Time of Departure~”

Released in 2013 and also broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” this number was chosen as the set piece for the middle school division in the 80th NHK National School Music Competition, so many people may have sung it in chorus.

It was created out of feelings for the staff who supported the tour after the Great East Japan Earthquake, and its theme is the strong bond that connects us under the same sky even when we’re apart.

Its beautiful melody and Yuzu’s signature warm harmonies really resonate in the heart.

It’s a song of encouragement that you’ll especially want to hear during the season of farewells.

CorrectRADWIMPS2rank/position

Graduation Ceremony: Singing of the School Song (RADWIMPS – “Answer”)

An inspiring number by RADWIMPS created for NHK’s event “18 Fes.” It’s included on the album ANTI ANTI GENERATION, released in December 2018.

In a life without fixed answers like a school test, its earnest message about finding your own path is deeply moving.

While it lingers on the sorrow of parting with friends, this song lets you vow to live your best in your respective places, making it a great choice to sing together at farewell gatherings.

The perspective of treating the long life ahead as an answer sheet to fill in will gently yet powerfully push those setting off on a new journey forward.

We againSG3rank/position

Us, Again – SG (Official Lyric Video)

Singer-songwriter SG, who has gained popularity mainly on social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

When it comes to his graduation song, it’s the piece released in April 2021.

The song expresses the hope of “meeting again,” gently embracing the sadness of parting.

Set to a simple rhythm that’s easy to enjoy with handclaps, the lyrics evoke everyday memories—like the day you ate ice cream or the walk home where you laughed together in the rain—making them resonate in your heart.

The track was also featured in a Calorie Mate commercial starting in November 2024.

It’s a warm, encouraging song that makes you want to promise a reunion in the future with friends who are graduating and heading down their own paths.

March 9Remioromen4rank/position

Remioromen – March 9

Now a standard graduation song, this is one of Remioromen’s signature tracks.

It’s well known that the song was originally written as a celebration for a friend’s wedding.

Even so, its seasonal mood—where farewells and new beginnings overlap—and its lyrics of gratitude make it a perfect fit as a graduation song as well.

Released as a single in March 2004, it later gained widespread recognition as an insert song in the drama “1 Litre of Tears,” which is how many people remember it.

The way it expresses how the presence of a dear person, who appears when you close your eyes, has given you strength—and the wish to be that presence for someone else—tightens listeners’ chests.

It’s also a popular choice for graduation ceremony choruses, and is a moving number that will continue to be sung for years to come.

spring melancholyMrs. GREEN APPLE5rank/position

Shunshu

It’s included on rock band Mrs.

GREEN APPLE’s sixth single, “Love me, Love you,” released in February 2018.

The song is said to have been written by vocalist Motoki Omori the day after his high school graduation ceremony, capturing his feelings exactly as they were at the time.

There’s a tenderness for days that, in hindsight, went by in a flash, and a loneliness you carry when you can’t quite be honest.

Many listeners may relate to the contradiction of thinking you hate your friends when, in truth, you really love them.

The track also became well known as the song used in Suntory’s “Craft Boss” commercial.

It’s a number that gently stays by your side if you’re feeling the sadness of parting with friends before graduation.

Gift SongCHiCO with HoneyWorks6rank/position

Gifted Song / CHiCO with HoneyWorks

CHiCO with HoneyWorks’ “Okurauta,” sung with heartfelt gratitude to a beloved teacher, is the perfect song for a farewell ceremony.

The song eloquently expresses the complex emotions of graduating students, featuring a memorable, beautiful melody that conveys respect for teachers and hope for the future.

Words of thanks to those who supported one’s growth are sure to resonate with listeners.

“Okurauta” is a song I can recommend to many, as it warms the heart in moments of parting.

Whether as a surprise for a teacher or a class chorus, it’s a choice that’s sure to move people.

YELLikimonogakari7rank/position

Ikimono-gakari “YELL” Music Video

YELL portrays farewell words not as something sad, but as a promise to soar into the future.

Released in September 2009, it is a single by Ikimonogakari, the musical group known for Kiyoe Yoshioka’s clear, expansive vocals.

Loved as the set piece for the NHK All-Japan School Music Competition’s junior high division, the song speaks to the importance of starting to walk on your own feet while facing loneliness and anxiety.

Holding the days spent together in your heart, the lyrics convey the resolve to set off on separate paths, gently accompanying the tears and smiles of graduation season.

This piece adds a moving touch to school-life memory videos—woven from countless photos with friends from club activities, school trips, and more—so be sure to give it a listen.