From Prom to Graduation: Timeless Pop Songs That Celebrate the Moment

Need a graduation themed playlist? We got you covered!

Graduation is an emotional time filled with hopes and dreams for the future along with memories and nostalgia about the previous few years coming to an end. And what better way to celebrate that complicated time than through music? From prom anthems to graduation ceremony songs; slideshow soundtracks and music to set your social media videos to, there are so many great tracks out there that speak to the experience of closing one chapter and looking ahead to the next. The first real graduation song appeared in 1956 with The Four Freshmen’s “Graduation Day”. Some of the best graduation songs of more modern times are a bit peppier, whether they’re (heavily disputed) power ballads or beloved anthems that always move us. We put together a list below of some timeless graduation songs we love. And if you’re looking for more music for any graduations you’re preparing for (or, you just want to reminisce about the days of your youth yourself), check out our Spotify Playlist! Let us know which songs we should add there in the comments!

“Turn! Turn! Turn!” – The Byrds (1965)

A throwback: this powerful anthem about seasons of life and change is an apt choice for graduation when you think about the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. There’s a season for everything; this one is for saying goodbye.

“I Don't Want to Miss a Thing” – Aerosmith (1998)

It’s romantic, it’s dramatic, it’s from a movie about the impending end of the world via an asteroid hit… all of this makes for an anthem about treasuring life’s best moments forever–which are sentiments we all have at graduation. Not to mention, it’s a great slow dance option for prom.

“Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)” – Green Day (1997)

This late 90s hit has served as the soundtrack to many a graduation video. We know you’ve seen or used it yourself. Both bittersweet and reflective, the lyrics serve as a great way to process goodbyes and memories, and offers hope that even though it’s over, the best times were had, and even better are yet to come.

“I Will Remember You” - Sara McLachlan (1995)

“Weep not for the memories…” is there any better graduation sentiment? This classic is a bittersweet reflection on parting and memory. It’s a bit melancholy (used sometimes at funerals too, yikes) but in general this classic 90s hit is full of the bittersweet sadness, hope, and wistfulness you feel when leaving your friends behind.

“Closing Time” – Semisonic (1998)

This late 90s hit has a storied history: it was written by the band Semisonic when they wanted something to play at the end of their concerts. The phrases “closing time” and “you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here” inspired songwriter and lead singer Dan Wilson, as these were things he heard at the Minneapolis bars he frequented. His wife being pregnant at the time, he realized halfway through the writing process that the song was really about birth. (Listen to all the lyrics again–it’s trippy how well the song fits a birth metaphor!) This is a song that conceptually works incredibly well for transitions and goodbyes.

“No Such Thing” – John Mayer (2001)

Welcome to the real world indeed. A great song about wanting to tell your former self that what you thought was out there was a lie–it’s something else entirely. Better even. The possibilities? They’re endless. Coming of age is usually about figuring this out, and a desire to break out of the confines that the world tends to set up for us.

“Here's to the Night” – Eve 6 (2001)

A great song that evokes nostalgic feelings of looking back and saluting all the great nights that came before, this one serves as a reminder that tomorrow will be here sooner than we think. Though it’s rumored to have been written about another sentiment entirely, millennials will never not think of their own graduation when they hear this.

“Forever Young” – Rod Stewart (1988)

Frequently used in graduation slideshows and farewell videos, this song’s lyrics offer up a set of hopes for one’s future. In all the pictures and videos from graduation, we will stay forever young, no matter what life throws at us. It’s also a grat one for parents of grads, who feel bittersweet emotions about seeing their kids grow up and graduate.

“Glory Days” – Bruce Springsteen (1984)

This song has nostalgia baked right in. Lyrically, it’s about looking back at one’s school days with an old buddy–reminiscing about all the friends, drama, ups and downs. It makes for a fantastic graduation song because it takes place in the future, looking back at the past–which is hopeful for any graduate who hopes they’ll look back on their “glory days” of youth with fondness.

“Graduation (Friends Forever)” – Vitamin C (2000)

This quintessential graduation song of the early 2000s features a string melody based on Pachelbel’s Canon in D, which just sounds like a typical graduation processional….because it is. But the lyrics speak to forever friendships, memories, and the future changes in our lives after we leave school and enter the real world. Love it or hate it, it works on any graduation playlist.

“Unwritten” – Natasha Bedingfield (2004)

For a particular demographic, this song will always be synonymous with what happens after high school graduation (specifically moving to the Hills and starting an internship at Teen Vogue…) Regardless, this mid-2000s hit has an empowering message about possibility and the future. It’s about closing a chapter, but realizing the story not only isn’t over: it hasn’t even been written yet. And you get to write it.

“Long Live” – Taylor Swift (2010)

An anthem for Taylor Swift fans, this is a great song about feeling on top of the world at a particular moment–like graduation. It’s a love letter to the friends, memories, and moments made while getting to a peak of a life journey–looking back with reverence and with an understanding that you don’t know what the future might bring, but you’ll always remember this moment of accomplishment in the back of your mind.

"This Is Me" – Keala Settle (from The Greatest Showman) (2017)

It’s physically impossible not to hear this song and not stand up. (Try it. We dare you.) It’s from The Greatest Showman, the film about P.T. Barnum whose music and lyrics were written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (who might know a thing or two about life in high school). You will absolutely feel empowered and joyful when this song comes on the playlist as evidenced by this rehearsal video. This anthem about identity and bravery is perfect for the new graduate stepping out into the world.

"The Climb" – Miley Cyrus (2009)

Originally released on the Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack, this song became a huge hit peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The power ballad is about the journey, encouraging perseverance and staying strong along the way. This naturally makes it a great graduation song. And Miley is still singing it despite it belonging to the character she played on TV as a kid.

“Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” – Baz Lurhmann (1997)

A spoken word project with a peculiar origin story, this track gained popularity in 1999. Baz Lurhmann was making a charity album based on his films, and Romeo + Juliet’s film soundtrack hit “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)” was a current phenomenon at the time, so the title for “Wear Sunscreen” was an homage. Lurhmann came across an essay circling the internet credited to Kurt Vonnegut, but had really been written by a columnist at the Chicago Tribune, Mary Schmich. His team hired a voiceover artist to read the essay (in the style of Vonnegut) over original music, and it gained traction. They assumed they would re-record an intro every year to that year’s graduating class. In 2024, they released a 25th anniversary remaster. The celebrated essay and spoken word song is about all the things one should remember to appreciate as they age–and also to remember one key piece of advice no matter where life takes us: always wear sunscreen.

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