Tear-jerking graduation songs in Western music. Classic tracks for graduation season and recommended popular songs.

Don’t Stop Believin’Journey

Don’t Stop Believin’

For those of you who keep holding on to a belief and smoldering, or who want to take on a new challenge, I’d love for you to listen to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The uplifting vocals and bright melody really stand out.

Facing school or a new job on your own can be really scary, right? But this song will surely give you courage!

Please rememberLeAnn Rimes

Leann Rimes – Please Remember

This is a song sung with a bittersweet wish: “Please remember the radiant days we spent together—please don’t forget them.” Keep your precious memories tucked away in a corner of your heart, always.

HeroMariah Carey

Mariah Carey – Hero (Official HD Video)

Mariah Carey’s song Hero.

Everyone has moments when they think, “At the very least, I want to be on my own side!” Hero by Mariah Carey is a song I want you—someone who wants to be strong—to listen to.

Her voice feels as if it’s right there beside you.

If you’ve had times before graduation when you felt you had to pull yourself together for entrance exams and the like, listen to Hero and let it lift your spirits!

Slow DownNichole Nordeman

Nichole Nordeman – Slow Down (Lyric Video)

I imagine many students will be leaving their parents’ homes upon graduation.

Slow Down is a song I highly recommend to anyone in that situation.

It’s a ballad by singer-songwriter Nichole Nordeman, told from a parent’s perspective, capturing the emotions from the moment a child is born to the moment they set off on their own.

While celebrating a child’s leaving the nest, it also conveys the bittersweet wish for them to stay a little longer, bringing tears to the eyes.

Her clear, transparent vocals and the simple piano melody make it a perfect choice for background music.

When We Were YoungAdele

Adele – When We Were Young (Live at The Church Studios)

This song is about love—like a first love that everyone experiences—sparked by seeing the profile of someone you once cared for, bringing back memories of your younger days or the times you’ve had until now.

It’s a nostalgic song that recalls moments when your chest felt tight with emotion.

7 YearsLukas Graham

Lukas Graham – 7 Years [Official Music Video]

Lukas Graham’s “7 Years” is a song about growing older.

It’s a very heartwarming ballad that makes you look back on the past and feel sentimental.

How have you changed from when you first started school to when you graduate? I imagine you’ve made lots of friends and become better at studying.

Sometimes it might be nice to listen to this song and look back on those days.

Don’t You (Forget About Me)Simple Minds

Simple Minds – Don’t You (Forget About Me)

You know how there are classmates you’ve never really talked to for some reason, right? You might get ignored, but somehow you still kinda want to talk to them! Ever feel that way? I think “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” expresses that fluttery, nervous feeling through music.

To avoid thinking later, “Ahh, I should’ve said something…,” why not take the plunge and use this song as a conversation starter? Let’s make sure we have a graduation with no regrets!