Resonating with Graduation Season! A Collection of Graduation Songs for Instagram Stories [2026]

CorrectRADWIMPS

RADWIMPS – The Answer [Official Music Video]

RADWIMPS, a rock band whose name means “cool cowards.” The song they wrote for NHK’s event and special program “18 Fes” is one you’ll especially want to hear during graduation season.

Its lyrics, infused with the resolve to find answers in life to the questions school never teaches you, are likely to resonate with many.

A version sung with a thousand young people was included on their 2018 album ANTI ANTI GENERATION, and a studio-recorded version was released on CD in February 2024.

The moving ensemble of piano and chorus will make that graduation moment—where farewells to friends intersect with hopes for the future—unforgettable.

Until graduationBoku ga mitakatta aozora

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

This is the second single by Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora, an idol group formed as the official rivals of Nogizaka46, known for singing about relatable, real-life youth.

It’s a medium-tempo ballad tinged with melancholy, where the sounds of piano and strings stir the emotions.

The lyrics depict the frustrating subtleties of a heart that can’t confess its feelings to a first love as graduation approaches and time slips by—something that may remind anyone of a page from their own youth.

Released in January 2024, the song was also selected as the ending theme for Nippon TV’s “Sorette!? Jissai Dounanoka.” Pair it with story posts that capture everyday moments with friends or scenes from the classroom to heighten the emotional atmosphere.

It’s a graduation song that accompanies the season of partings and beautifully colors your memories.

365 Days’ Paper AirplaneAKB48

[MV full] 365 Nichi no Kamihikōki / AKB48 [Official]

A warm message that says you can move forward at your own pace without comparing yourself to others gently resonates in this season of new beginnings in this AKB48 medium-tempo ballad.

With its soothing acoustic tones, this track—despite being a coupling song on the single “Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby,” released in December 2015—became widely known as the theme song for the NHK morning drama Asadora “Asa ga Kita.” With Sayaka Yamamoto as the center, it has transcended the idol-song category and is also beloved as a choral piece.

During graduation season, when anxiety and anticipation about the future mingle, posting it to your Instagram Story alongside a photo of looking up at the sky or a video of laughing with friends is sure to deliver a fresh, moving feeling to everyone who watches.

The meaning of goodbyeNogizaka 46

Nogizaka46 'The Meaning of Goodbye'

It’s the season of farewells—you want to look back on memories with a melody that touches the heart.

Released by Nogizaka46 in November 2016, this song is a masterpiece that portrays the sorrow of parting and the hope for the future.

It’s also known as Nanami Hashimoto’s final single as center, and its lyrics—overlapping with her departure—brought many to tears.

Famous for being the group’s first million-certified single, it was also performed at the 67th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.

With its dramatic progression, the song adds depth to smiling photos with friends or casual videos in the classroom.

Instead of letting farewells end as mere ‘sadness,’ this track turns them into gratitude for the encounters you’ve had.

Choose it as the BGM for a story post dedicated to your cherished friends.

We againSG

Us, Again – SG (Official Lyric Video)

Singer-songwriter SG, who has garnered attention through his activities on TikTok and YouTube.

Released in April 2021, this song gently sings of the sadness of parting and the hope of reunion—truly a track worthy of being called a “Reiwa-era graduation song.” Simple yet irreplaceable memories—like the day they both got drenched after forgetting an umbrella—are sure to vividly resurface in listeners’ hearts.

The piece also made waves when its brass band version was featured in a Calorie Mate commercial supporting exam-takers.

Pair it with moving ceremony footage or a slideshow of photos with friends, and make your graduation unforgettable—try using it in your Instagram Stories.

The clap-along rhythm makes it perfect for everyone to sing together.

Run Through the MemoriesMy Hair is Bad

My Hair is Bad – Dash Through the Memories

A ballad by My Hair is Bad filled with a warm message of gratitude to friends who shared irreplaceable time together, and of turning even painful experiences into strength for the future.

The sincere words penned by vocalist Tomohito Shiiki affirm the days that have passed in their entirety and give you the courage to take a new step forward.

Released in June 2024, the song also drew attention for being written as the theme for the film Crayon Shin-chan: Our Dinosaur Diary.

It’s an important track that closes out the album ghosts, featuring a grand band sound worthy of a story’s end credits.

It’s a song that gently supports graduates as they etch their memories into their hearts and move on toward tomorrow—why not listen to it together with your cherished friends?

Time ParadoxVaundy

Time Paradox (Theme Song of the Movie Doraemon: Nobita’s Earth Symphony) / Vaundy: MUSIC VIDEO

With a musical style that freely crosses a wide range of genres, Vaundy has gained immense support, especially among young people.

Among his songs, this one carries a warm quality that gently resonates with the feelings of graduation season.

Despite its deliberately pared-down, simple arrangement, the melody—somehow nostalgic yet full of hope for the future—truly strikes a chord.

Released in February 2024 as his first CD single, it was written as the theme song for the film Doraemon: Nobita’s Earth Symphony.

The music video, directed by Vaundy himself and featuring Shota Sometani, also drew major attention.

Its message, which seems to connect the past and the future, makes it perfect for the season of new beginnings.

It’s a heartwarming track you’ll want to listen to while reflecting on the days spent with friends.