![[2026] Graduation Songs That Move People in Their 20s](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/xQjfv_SHBQI/maxresdefault.webp)
[2026] Graduation Songs That Move People in Their 20s
Do you remember that melody that echoed through the gym on graduation day? The song we sang with our arms around friends, holding back tears—the nostalgic BGM that played in the classroom.
Graduation songs are a special presence that distills youth itself, aren’t they? In this article, aimed at people currently in their 20s, we’ll deliver a rich selection of moving graduation songs that will bring back memories—focusing on tracks released during the 2010s through the pandemic era of the 2020s, when this generation experienced graduation.
Please enjoy to the end, soaking in the nostalgia as if you’re going back to meet your past self!
[2026] Most Moving Graduation Songs Millennials Remember (1–10)
Youth PhotographLittle Glee Monster
As graduation season approaches, this timeless song is the one I can’t help but crave.
Released in March 2015 as one half of a double A-side single by Little Glee Monster—renowned for their powerful vocals—it’s characterized by a bright, Motown-inspired beat.
Rather than dwelling on the sadness of parting, it carries a forward-looking message: let’s say goodbye with a smile in the end.
It brings vibrant color to graduation ceremonies that can easily turn somber.
The music video was filmed with the full cooperation of a junior high school in Tokyo, capturing the students’ authentic expressions—don’t miss it.
The classrooms and hallways you shared with friends come vividly to mind, and each listen will bring back those memories in living color.
It’s a perfect song to celebrate a new beginning and give graduates a supportive push forward.
About meMrs. GREEN APPLE
An epic rock ballad that powerfully sings of the wonder of life, and one of Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s most monumental works.
Its lyrics, which affirm that both the days that don’t go well and the miraculous moments are all part of who you are, are sure to move you.
Released as a single in January 2019, it was written as the support song for the 97th All Japan High School Soccer Championship.
Created by vocalist Motoki Omori around the theme of “an anthem to life that can also affirm those who lost,” this piece delivers emotion that transcends winning and losing.
It’s a masterpiece that will resonate not only with those who devoted their youth to club activities, but with anyone struggling with their future.
As you stand at the milestone of graduation, listen while reflecting on the path you’ve taken.
You’ll feel the strength to believe in yourself well up inside.
Thank youikimonogakari
A signature ballad by Ikimonogakari, beloved as a classic song for expressing heartfelt thanks to those who’ve supported you.
It was written as the theme song for the NHK morning drama Gegege no Nyobo, starring Nao Matsushita as the heroine, and released as a single in May 2010.
Its warm message—portraying the love nurtured in everyday life and the resolve to walk hand in hand with someone precious into the future—resonates deeply with listeners.
Feelings that are clumsy and hard to put into words can be conveyed honestly when carried by the song’s gentle yet powerful melody.
So widely embraced that it’s even included in high school music textbooks, this masterpiece is perfect for expressing gratitude to teachers and friends at graduation ceremonies, or to family at thank-you gatherings.
Daphne (winter daphne)DISH//
When you feel like you’re about to lose heart, just knowing there’s a place you can return to might make you stronger.
Sung by the dance-rock band DISH//, this song is a mid-tempo number whose warm message resonates deeply.
The collaboration between vocalist Takumi Kitamura and Hattori from Macaroni Empitsu drew attention, and the track has been cherished as their 14th single, released in November 2021.
Chosen as the theme song for the TV drama “The Winner in February: The Classroom of Guaranteed Success,” it’s also included on the album TRIANGLE.
The lyrics, which portray a clumsy kind of kindness that can’t quite say “thank you” straightforwardly, are perfect for moments of reflection on family and teachers at graduation ceremonies.
Its marching-like forward-driving rhythm and handclaps are sure to give you the courage to take a new step.
HarukaYOASOBI
YOASOBI is a musical duo that captivates audiences around the world with the unique concept of “turning novels into music.” Their masterpiece Haruka, whose lyrics portray the growth and farewell of a girl from the perspective of a mug, resonates perfectly with the milestone of graduation.
Its message of unconditional love and gratitude connects with the feelings we have for the teachers and friends we’ve spent time with.
Based on The Moon Prince, an original short story by broadcast writer Osamu Suzuki, the song was released in 2020.
It was also featured in the Art Aquarium Exhibition 2021 and in a commercial for Punitto Runes, becoming a long-running hit with over 400 million streams.
Listening to it while wishing happiness for those dear to you who are setting off on their own paths gives you the courage to face forward amid the loneliness—a perfect number for graduation season.
Youth and a momentmakaroni enpitsu
An emotional number by Macaroni Empitsu, a rock band formed by music college graduates whose unique style—fusing diverse musicality—firmly captures the hearts of the younger generation.
Set to a driving, exhilarating sound, it delivers a message that hits home: youth is fleeting, gone in a flash, and even the moments that felt boring back then are precious treasures in hindsight.
Written in March 2019 as a song for a McDonald’s commercial, it was later included on the mini-album “season,” released in September of the same year.
Portraying both the anxiety and hope of tumbling toward an uncertain future, this track vividly revives the emotions of youth and makes a perfect soundtrack for the graduation season as you look back on memories with friends.
Sakura, You, and Ituki.
Singer-songwriter tuki., whose overwhelming vocal and expressive power belie her teenage years, resonates deeply with her generation.
This song is a medium-tempo ballad that portrays a bittersweet farewell in the season when cherry blossoms dance in the air, along with lingering feelings that won’t fade.
Carried by the gentle tones of an acoustic guitar, the lyrics tighten your chest as they mourn days the two can never return to.
Released in January 2024 as an insert song for ABEMA’s “Kyou, Suki ni Narimashita.
Graduation Edition 2024,” it beautifully colored the show’s moving scenes.
It’s a song that will stand by those complicated feelings of wanting to carefully tuck away memories of someone you loved.
After graduation, before you each set off on your own paths, it’s a track you’ll want to listen to quietly on your own.
Orangeakai kouen
An emotional rock number that blends the bittersweetness of dusk with the exhilarating rush of stepping into the future.
It’s included on the four-piece band Akai Ko-en’s single “Orange / pray,” released in November 2020.
Created as the opening theme for the drama “A Band Leap Through Time,” the song powerfully portrays a forward-looking resolve, even while dealing with themes of farewell and new departures.
Vocalist Riko Ishino’s straightforward voice is sure to give you the courage to move forward without fearing change.
It also feels like a work packed tightly with the musical passion left behind by the band’s central figure, Maisa Tsuno.
As spring arrives—a season when we part from familiar friends and dive into new worlds, full of both anticipation and anxiety—why not listen to it as a BGM to rally yourself?
The season of farewellSHISHAMO
Even after the graduation ceremony ends, the feelings that won’t quite settle and the regret over words left unsaid… SHISHAMO’s song gives voice to that bittersweetness everyone has felt.
It’s the closing track on their album “SHISHAMO 2,” released in March 2015, and centers on an unrequited love for an upperclassman who’s graduating first.
The lyrics carefully trace the protagonist’s heart as they face parting without ever confessing their feelings.
When the music video was released, it drew significant attention, including being selected as SPACE SHOWER TV’s “POWER PUSH!” for March 2015.
It’s a song that gently stays by the side of those who are parting from someone important due to moving on to further studies or work, or who still haven’t managed to express their feelings.
KanadeSukima Suichi
This song is a beautiful ballad that portrays parting with someone dear and the wish to stay connected at heart beyond that farewell.
Released by Sukima Switch in March 2004 as their second single, it features a sentimental sound centered on piano and guitar that truly resonates.
It was used as an insert song for the film “Rough,” the theme song for the drama “Sotsu Uta,” and in 2006 was selected as the ending theme for the final day of “Netto Koshien.” The protagonist’s earnest desire to reach someone through voice and song even when apart mirrors the feelings of junior high school students facing the milestone of graduation.
It’s a track that, while looking back on days with friends, makes you want to cherish those bonds going forward.
Sung as a chorus, it would surely fill the entire venue with warm tears.