[2026] Graduation songs you’ll want to play in concert band! A collection of moving J‑Pop hits

To the futureKiroro

Kiroro “To the Future” Official Music Video

WSL-18-002 To the Future (Wind Band Selection)

Kiroro’s “Mirai e” is a song that turns graduation moments into something truly special.

The lyrics—born from the time the duo spent together in their high school music room—link hope and gratitude and resonate deeply.

Listening to this piece performed by a wind ensemble as you step beyond childhood and into adulthood will surely give you courage for a new beginning.

Its continued love and countless covers across fields prove its universal appeal.

It’s a highly recommended, unforgettable track that’s hard to hear without tears.

YELLikimonogakari

Ikimono-gakari “YELL” Music Video

YELL / Ikimono-gakari

Ikimono-gakari’s “YELL” is a perfect piece for performance at a graduation ceremony.

With its bittersweet melody and lyrics that take a positive view of graduation as a new beginning, it gives a supportive push to students taking their first steps on a new journey.

Having been selected for the NHK All-Japan School Music Competition and well-regarded as a set piece for wind ensembles, the song truly lends itself to concert band performance.

A moving rendition at a graduation ceremony will be etched deeply in students’ memories and serve as a cheer for their future.

HarukaYOASOBI

YOASOBI 'Haruka' Official Music Video

Haruka / YOASOBI [Osaka Toin High School Wind Ensemble]

YOASOBI’s “Haruka” is a song themed around growth and parting, making it a fitting choice for graduation ceremonies.

The lyrics, inspired by Osamu Suzuki’s novel “Tsuki Ōji” (Moon Prince), reflect days spent at school and evoke a deeply moving emotion.

Combined with the warm yet powerful sound of a wind ensemble, it will etch the memories of this milestone of graduation even more deeply.

While celebrating students’ new beginnings and gently reminiscing about their school days, the warmth this song brings makes graduation feel like the first step toward a bright future.

I should be able to fly (in the sky).supittsu

Spitz / I Should Be Able to Fly in the Sky

[Wind Band Hit] Surely I Can Fly in the Sky / Spitz

This is one of Spitz’s signature songs, released in 1994 as their eighth single.

It was a modest hit at first, but when it was later chosen in 1996 as the theme song for the Fuji TV drama “Hakusen Nagashi,” it gained renewed attention and reached No.

1 on the Oricon weekly chart.

The drama’s portrayal of high school friendship and graduation perfectly matched the song’s crystal-clear melody, leaving a lasting impression on many listeners.

The lyrics express the anxieties and inner conflicts unique to adolescence, along with gratitude for having met someone special, evoking each listener’s own memories of youth.

Filled with hope for the future and a heartfelt wish to stay together, this song is an ideal choice for graduates embarking on a new chapter.

Performed by a wind ensemble, it’s sure to fill the gymnasium with warm, moving emotion.

Daphne (winter daphne)DISH//

DISH// – Sweet Daphne [Official Video]

Daphne / DISH//

How about incorporating this song into the brass band’s background music for the graduation ceremony? DISH//’s song “Jindai-ge” (Jinchōge/Daphne) is perfect for celebrating a new beginning.

Chosen as the theme song for the drama “The Winner in February: The Classroom of Guaranteed Success,” it blends wistful emotion with an encouraging, forward-looking message, deepening the sentiments of graduation.

Its lyrics, which express gratitude and a fresh start, would become even more evocative when carried by the warm tones of a wind ensemble, making the ceremony’s scenes all the more memorable.

ChessboardOfisharu Higedan Dism

Official HIGE DANDism – Chessboard [Official Video]

Chessboard / Official HIGE DANDism [Osaka Toin Wind Orchestra]

Introducing a song by Official HIGE DANDism, newly written as the set piece for the Junior High School Division of the 90th NHK All-Japan School Music Competition.

Released in September 2023 as a double A-side single with “Nichijou,” the track was also broadcast on NHK’s Minna no Uta, reaching listeners across generations.

Its lyrics compare life to a grid of black and white squares, conveying that what truly matters isn’t winning, losing, or being right, but the accumulation of encounters and choices—words that resonate deeply.

The arrangement is also striking, with the timbre and beat evolving step by step from the first half to the second, letting you feel life’s changes through sound.

Given its background as a choral piece sung by many junior high school students, performing it at a graduation ceremony will gently encourage graduates as they take their next steps.

It’s a highly recommended song for anyone who wants to look back on days spent with friends and gain the courage to face the future.

sunflowerAdo

[Ado] Sunflower

Sunflower / Ado | Theme song for TBS Tuesday drama “18/40: If It’s the Two of Us, Dreams and Love Too” [Woodwind Quintet / Wind Ensemble]

Like a flower that blooms straight toward the sun, I want to take a new step forward with a positive mindset.

Gently supporting graduates as they do so is this song released by Ado in July 2023.

Written as the theme for the TBS drama “18/40: Dreams and Love If We’re Together,” the track features lyrics and composition by singer-songwriter Miyuhan, with arrangement by Vocaloid producer 40mP.

It carries an encouraging message: even if you’re timid, stretch yourself little by little and walk toward the light.

It carefully portrays gratitude toward loved ones and a wish for personal growth.

From Ado’s clear, transparent opening to the gradually deepening emotion in her delivery, the performance is a highlight.

When paired with the warm tones of a wind ensemble, it will make a graduation ceremony all the more moving.

It’s a song to gift to anyone about to embark on a new path.