[Instagram Reels] Moving J-POP and Heart-Touching Classics Perfect for Graduation Season [2026]

I heard the sound of cherry blossoms blooming.＝LOVE

=LOVE (Equal Love) / 1st ALBUM track 'I Heard the Sound of Cherry Blossoms Blooming' MV [YouTube ver.]

When you sense the arrival of spring, doesn’t the everyday suddenly start to sparkle? This work vividly portrays the beginning of love that visits at such seasonal turning points.

It’s a refreshing number sung by =LOVE, the idol group produced by Rino Sashihara.

Included as the lead track on the May 2021 album “Zenbu, Naisho.” it topped the Oricon weekly chart.

The expression of “the sound of cherry blossoms blooming”—a sound we shouldn’t be able to hear—brilliantly overlaps with the shock of falling in love.

In the music video, the rapid costume changes that transform the members’ outfits in an instant became a hot topic, visually conveying a sense of “blooming.” As you dive into a new environment this season, adding it to a video compiling precious memories will surely give your footage an even more dramatic flair.

Good Luck!SixTONES

SixTONES – Good Luck! [YouTube ver.]

SixTONES is a six-member group that showcases each member’s talents across a wide range of fields, including dramas, variety shows, and music.

This track, included on their double A-side single released in November 2022, is a motivational song created as the theme for the TV Asahi drama “Saisho wa Paa,” starring member Jesse.

Kicking off with energetic English phrases right from the start, the structure instantly whisks listeners into a brighter world.

Its straightforward lyrics—saying that if you have a dream you want to achieve, it’s okay to stumble or be laughed at—are sure to give you the courage to take a step forward during graduation season, when anxiety and excitement mix.

It’s an exceptionally positive number we hope you’ll listen to with friends as BGM for reel videos that look back on your memories.

18imase

【imase】18（MV）

This is a track by imase that sings, over a light, upbeat groove, about the complex feelings of standing at the threshold of adulthood at 18.

In the graduation season, when anxiety and anticipation mingle, it’s sure to give you the courage to take a new step.

It was written as the theme song for Suntory’s “Otona Jan” web video series released in April 2023.

The song is also included on the album Bonzai, released in May 2024, and has been embraced as a work that resonates with the generation that lived through the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s perfect as BGM for reel videos connecting your memorable photos and clips, and it inspires a sense of hope for the future.

Its positive message—affirming youth behind masks and days under restrictions, and vividly coloring the life that begins now—really strikes a chord.

Rock this Partytimelesz

timelesz ｢Rock this Party｣ (YouTube Ver.)

In the graduation season that marks a new beginning, timelesz’s song is the kind of number that makes you want to overlay your hopes for the future.

Released for streaming in February 2025, this track is a celebration-filled party tune sung by the group, now an eight-member lineup after an audition process! The lyrics, which sing about chasing dreams and finding the courage to take the first step, fill you with positive energy just by listening.

It was also chosen as the theme song for Universal Music’s “#OurSpringSong Campaign” Phase 4 commercial, adding color to the arrival of spring.

The song is slated to be included on their album “FAM,” set for release in June 2025.

It’s perfect for videos looking back on the best days spent with friends, or scenes that pledge to new challenges! Why not see your own next step reflected in their determination to make their dreams come true with new companions?

Until graduationBoku ga mitakatta aozora

The Blue Sky I Wanted to See / “Until Graduation” Music Video

This song, packed with the bittersweetness of first love that everyone experiences and the heartbreak of parting, is the perfect number to use when making videos for graduation season.

Performed by the idol group Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora, who have drawn attention as Nogizaka46’s official rivals, the track is included on their second single released in January 2024 and was also loved as the ending theme for the Nippon TV show “Sorette!? Jissai Dounanoka.” This medium-tempo ballad, which depicts the inner conflict of facing graduation while carrying unspoken feelings, is sure to evoke the kind of emotion that feels like a snapshot of youth.

If you pair it with a memory movie with friends or a short reel expressing gratitude to someone special, even the most ordinary everyday scenes will be etched in your heart as dramatic memories.

far; distant; by farGReeeeN

GReeeeN – Haruka

Let us introduce a masterpiece ballad by GReeeeN that resonates deeply during graduation season.

Chosen as the theme song for the film “ROOKIES -Graduation-,” this track was released in 2009 as their 11th single.

Its lyrics carefully depict the resolve of a young person leaving home to pursue their dreams, along with the heartfelt words of love from their father and mother.

Beginning with piano and building gradually, it’s sure to move anyone who listens.

Use it as background music for a graduation slideshow or a video of memories, and the tears will surely start to flow.

Song SevenRADWIMPS

Nanoka

This classic RADWIMPS song opens with a warm, gospel-like chorus and flows into a gentle rap part—an impressive progression.

Included on the March 2009 album “Altcolony no Teiri,” it wasn’t released as a single, yet it has remained beloved by fans for years.

Its message—about a protagonist who lacks self-confidence but finds the world shining through the presence of someone precious—resonates deeply during graduation season, when we reaffirm our bonds with friends and lovers.

In recent years it has also enjoyed a resurgence on social media and is popular as background music for videos.

When you’re making a montage-style memory movie from photos and clips, its dramatic structure will only heighten the emotional impact.