[2026] Modern graduation songs: Reiwa-era staples and new tracks you should know

Waiting for flowersKihara Rui

Rui Kihara / Waiting for Flowers Official Music Video

Written and composed by singer-songwriter Atsu Mizuno, this piece is a ballad distinguished by its warm melody.

It captures the loneliness of parting and a wish to meet again, offering comfort to those standing at the major milestone of graduation.

Released as a single in March 2025, it was also included on the first album, “REPLAY,” released the same year.

It’s a perfect song for spring, a season of new beginnings.

PasswordAina ji Endo

Aina the End – Aikotoba [Official Music Video] (TV Anime “The Apothecary Diaries” Ending Theme)

A song whose vocals, blending transience and resolve, seep deep into the heart.

This medium-tempo ballad by Aina the End—who has continued to shine in many fields after her time with BiSH, including starring in the film “Kyrie no Uta”—was released digitally in October 2023 and used as the ending theme for the anime “The Apothecary Diaries.” Written by singer-songwriter Huey Ishizaki, its expansive melody and prayer-like lyrics are profoundly moving.

The track was later included on the album “RUBY POP,” released in November the following year, and has become a signature song that holds an important place in her live shows.

It’s perfect for anyone looking back on days spent with friends while preparing to take a new step forward.

In those moments when you set off carrying feelings you can’t quite put into words, this song will gently stay by your side.

Hey, senpaiTomei

My Dear “Senpai”

This song, in which Tamei pours plenty of venom into vocals about her complicated feelings for a senior on the verge of graduation, is laced with school-specific items like indoor shoes and uniforms.

It carries a heartfelt wish: not to become just a memory, not to see them graduate.

Included on the EP “1R+1,” released in October 2025, it was first unveiled at a solo show in the spring, where its addictive worldview was well received.

Beneath the cute calls and asides, the lyrics reveal flashes of possessiveness and fixation, conveying the raw ache of refusing the end of youth.

For women who don’t want to be separated from the upperclassman they love and still want to be together, this track will leave a powerful afterglow of empathy.

If I had been living aloneSUPER BEAVER

SUPER BEAVER "If I Had Lived Alone" MV

I am who I am today because I’ve walked alongside someone else.

This song delivers that simple yet easily forgotten truth straight to the heart.

It’s included on the four-piece rock band SUPER BEAVER’s 12th single, released in June 2020, and was chosen as the theme song for the film “Water’s Edge Flight.” The frustrations and joys you could never have experienced alone, and the encounters with those who became precious to you—these feelings that only arise through connections with others surge to the fore alongside a powerful rock sound.

The structure is superb too, building gradually from a quiet opening into growing heat, and by the time it ends your heart will naturally feel warm.

It’s the perfect number for those who, at the milestone of graduation, want to savor their gratitude for the friends they spent time with and the people who supported them.

YuiriMurayama Yuiri

[MV full] Yuiri / Sayaka Murayama [Official]

Ayaka Murayama, who has appeared in over 1,000 AKB48 theater performances and has long been beloved by fans as the “Goddess of the Theater.” Created to coincide with her graduation from the group, this work bears her nickname in its title and is a moving ballad that conveys gratitude while she looks at herself as an idol with an objective eye.

As it reflects on her journey so far, her vocals, filled with determination to move forward into the future, are impossible to listen to without tears.

It’s a coupling track included on the limited first edition TYPE-A of the single “Masaka no Confession,” released in April 2025, with lyrics by Yasushi Akimoto.

It’s a gentle masterpiece that will resonate with anyone embarking on a new chapter from a place they’ve spent many years, or parting ways with cherished companions.

Bye-Good-ByeBE:FIRST

BE:FIRST / Bye-Good-Bye -Music Video-

A song you’ll want to hear as graduation season—and farewells with friends—draws near is BE:FIRST’s second single’s title track.

Released digitally in March 2022, it was written as the theme song for the morning drama “Before Good-Bye: Fantastic 31 Days” on Nippon TV’s ZIP!.

Built on mid-tempo dance-pop with touches of R&B and hip-hop, its sound resonates comfortably.

The lyrics are striking in how they treat “goodbye” not as an ending but as a new beginning, making it a track that gives you the courage to move forward.

It debuted at No.

1 on Billboard JAPAN’s Streaming Songs chart and surpassed 100 million streams in September 2022.

Perfect not only for those heading into graduation ceremonies, but also for anyone stepping into a new environment.

As you look back on your youthful days, you’ll be able to take your next step with a smile.

Forget-me-notMarushii

Marcy – Forget-me-not (Official Music Video)

A season of meetings and farewells that we feel with the arrival of spring.

Released in March 2021, this song by Marcy was created as the first spring-themed track by the three-piece band from Fukuoka.

The lyrics, penned by vocalist Ukyo Yoshida, delicately portray the desire to cheer on someone dear as they take a new step forward, intertwined with the ache of not wanting to let go.

Sound production was handled by Akimitsu Homma, known for his work with Ikimono-gakari, whose transparent band sound and grand arrangement strike straight at the heart.

The track is also included on their major-label debut album “Memory,” where it serves as a piece symbolizing the light of spring and the tremor of anxiety within a narrative that traces the memories of love.

It’s a work we hope reaches those who, during this season of graduations and new school terms, want to give someone a gentle push forward—even as, deep down, they wish they could stay together.