Farewell and goodbye songs in Western music: A roundup of perfect BGM for farewell parties
There are many occasions in life when we send off people who have been important to us—graduations, leaving a company, and more.
If you’ve been put in charge of organizing a farewell party, you might be struggling with booking the venue or planning the program.
If you’re going to do it, you probably want to send them off with stylish background music.
For those people, this article introduces recommended English-language farewell songs!
Whether it’s for graduation or a friend moving away from your hometown, we’ve gathered a wide variety of farewell songs that suit many situations, across different eras and genres—so you’re sure to find the perfect BGM for you.
Be sure to use it as a reference!
- Recommended Western songs to express gratitude and say thank you [2025]
- Departure songs in Western music: world-famous classics and popular tracks.
- Western Music Friendship Songs Ranking [2025]
- Western songs about saying “goodbye” — perfect for bereavement or a departed lover
- Ranking of Western farewell songs [2025]
- Western graduation song ranking [2025]
- [2025] Moving Western songs that touch the heart: A roundup of recommended masterpieces
- Graduation songs in Western music with great lyrics—heartfelt, beautiful messages.
- Tear-jerking graduation songs in Western music. Classic tracks for graduation season and recommended popular songs.
- [Western Music Edition] Cool Free BGM
- A Western pop 'congratulations' song. A celebratory song.
- [2025 Edition] Classic Western Songs with Great Lyrics: Beautiful Messages That Touch the Heart
- The Beatles’ Graduation Songs, Entrance Ceremony Songs, and Popular Tracks Ranking [2025]
Western farewell/parting songs: A roundup of perfect BGM for farewell parties (61–70)
Best FriendBrandy
Brandy is an artist who also works as an actress.
At one point, her career as an artist was in jeopardy due to a traffic accident involving personal injury, but she managed to return after switching labels.
Even so, her image never fully recovered, and no new songs were released after 2012.
Her classic track “Best Friend,” however, is a song about friendship that, while not a commercial hit, received high praise.
It’s a very heartwarming piece—why not consider using it for a farewell party?
ClocksColdplay
One of Coldplay’s signature songs, distinguished by its lyrical piano sound.
It was released in 2002 and included on their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head.
The lyrics invite various interpretations, but if you gently sing it to someone who feels anxious about setting off for new horizons, it may help calm their feelings.
It’s TimeImagine Dragons
When celebrating a friend’s or colleague’s new beginning, refreshing Western pop is perfect as background music.
“It’s Time,” released in 2012 by the American rock band Imagine Dragons, is a great number to dedicate to someone setting off on a new path.
Its ambient-tinged arrangement lends the track an expansive sound.
With its mid-tempo pace, it also fits emotional scenes.
It’s a rock anthem you’ll want to play when sending encouragement to someone standing at a crossroads in life.
Lucky feat. Colbie CaillatJason Mraz
Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz hails from Virginia.
Influenced by a variety of musical genres including soul, funk, R&B, and reggae, he has collaborated with many highly skilled artists.
His classic track “Lucky feat.
Colbie Caillat” features Colbie Caillat, known as a folk-pop artist.
Although it’s a love song, its heartwarming feel makes it a great choice for farewell parties as well.
Happiest YearJaymes Young
James Young is a singer-songwriter from Seattle, known for his sound that fuses electronica, R&B, and synth-pop.
Released in January 2019, this work is a warm song that looks back on a lost love while expressing gratitude.
It condenses into 3 minutes and 48 seconds the value of irreplaceable time that we only realize after it’s gone, conveying that poignancy to us through music.
Even if we lose everything, it encourages us to find the courage to face forward while feeling the happiness of those days.
It’s a recommended piece for those who want to wrap what they’re losing in love, as well as for those who carry unspoken feelings in their hearts.
With A Little Help From My FriendsJoe Cocker
Joe Cocker, a British singer-songwriter who achieved worldwide fame, was active from the 1970s through the 1980s with a musical style that blended various genres such as soul, pop, rock, and blues.
His famous song “With a Little Help from My Friends” is a cover of a Beatles track released in 1967.
As the title suggests, it’s a song about friendship, so I think it’s perfect for a farewell party.
Stole The ShowKygo
This is a track produced by the hugely popular DJ Kygo, featuring Parson James on vocals.
Released in 2015, it became a hit with his signature tropical house sound, but the lyrics are quite serious.
How about singing this song to someone taking a new step, as if to say: Don’t let the ups and downs of life—something everyone experiences—get the better of you?