[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!
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365 Days’ Paper AirplaneAKB48
A heartwarming classic ballad by AKB48 that teaches the importance of looking up at the sky and living with a positive outlook.
Its charm lies in a simple, folk-like melody that feels a bit different from the typical glamorous idol sound.
Although it was a coupling track on the single “Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby,” released in December 2015, it gained nationwide popularity as the theme song for the NHK morning drama “Asa ga Kita,” starring Haru.
Rather than competing to keep your distance from others, its affirming message says it’s enough to fly in your own way—something that gently supports those stepping into a new chapter of life with uncertainty.
Now a standard in choral repertoires, this moving song is perfect for creating graduation memories and for moments when you want to cheer on your cherished friends.
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.
Highschool loveE-girls
It’s a bright, energetic dance track that feels like a concentrated burst of youthful sparkle.
It captures the endless conversations with friends reunited after a long time and the heart-pounding excitement of a class reunion, instantly bringing back vivid memories just by listening.
Released as a single by E-girls in September 2014, it became well known as the theme song for the drama GTO 2nd Season.
It was also used in the “Samantha Vega meets E-girls” commercial, so many will remember its catchy melody from TV.
Included on the album E.G.
TIME, this song holds a special place for the generation that practiced dance routines for school festivals and sports days.
Give it a listen when you want to reminisce about those irreplaceable days spent 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?