Western music that colors graduation ceremonies. English graduation songs that resonate with the heart.

Look What You’ve DoneDrake

Look What You’ve Done

Drake’s classic “Look What You’ve Done.” You might wonder, “Do rappers even have songs themed around graduation?” While this track isn’t actually about graduation, it’s well known for being frequently played at graduation ceremonies overseas.

Its “tsundere”-style lyrics—maintaining a tough, streetwise vibe while clearly expressing gratitude to his mother—are especially memorable.

It’s a catchy piece crafted to be enjoyable for both hip-hop fans and those who usually aren’t into the genre.

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Have It AllJason Mraz

Jason Mraz – Have It All (Official Video)

Jason Mraz’s “Have It All” is a song I’d like to dedicate to everyone embarking on a new chapter at graduation.

With his warm vocals, he sends a hope-filled message: “May you have it all.” The lyrics capture a parent’s wish for their loved one’s future to shine brightly.

And the up-tempo sound gives you the courage to take that first step toward the future.

As background music for graduations and ceremonies, this song envelops listeners’ hearts—not as an ending, but as the opening of a new beginning.

HappyPharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams – Happy (Official Video)

I want to greet graduation day with a happy heart! For anyone who feels the same, this song is a perfect fit.

In the music video, you can see people of various races and ages dancing in their own styles throughout the city.

Everyone’s wearing dazzling smiles, and it makes you want to start dancing too.

Here, the lyrics are everyone’s dance.

It was released in 2013.

Closing TimeSemisonic

Semisonic – Closing Time (Official Music Video)

Semisonic, an alternative rock band that was hugely active from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.

While they aren’t all that well-known in Japan, they’re a popular band in the U.S., and their song “Closing Time” was a major hit there.

The lyrics are crafted in an abstract way, making the deeper meaning a bit hard to grasp, but it likely conveys the importance of switching gears and moving forward even when your environment changes.

In that sense, the lyrics are a perfect fit for a graduation ceremony, don’t you think?

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You Raise Me UpCeltic Woman

Celtic Woman – You Raise Me Up (Live)

Celtic Woman is a female group from Ireland.

They mainly perform music from their homeland, Irish music.

The original version of this piece is by a Scandinavian duo called Secret Garden, but Celtic Woman’s cover version became more famous.

It was released in 2005.

Born This WayLady Gaga

Lady Gaga – Born This Way (Official Music Video)

It’s a single released by Lady Gaga in 2011.

It affirms every aspect of human individuality and declares powerfully, “I was born this way, and I’m going to live in this style.” It doesn’t matter what others think or how different you are.

This song teaches the importance of living according to your own beliefs.

Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadElton John

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Remastered 2014)

A single with the same title as the 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

It’s a beautiful ballad that makes you feel as if a sunlit brick road is unfolding before your eyes.

The story of a young man returning from the city to the countryside makes it a perfect piece for young people leaving school and setting out into the world.