Check out these tracks for rad ratings.
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Your senior year of school is nothing if not an emotional roller coaster. Excitement, nervousness, and at least a hint of sadness are just a few of the many emotions seniors feel as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives.
Even those who are not part of the class of 2024 can remember all the “lasts”: your last first day, the last homecoming game, last spring break, the last exam, and finally, the long-awaited last day of school. There's a lot to be involved in—beyond prom and college decisions for high school students and job hunting for college students. And before you can even catch your breath, it's time to break out the pompom caps and gowns, grab that diploma you've worked so hard to earn, say your goodbyes and, of course, celebrate.
To get the party started, Advertising sign has rounded up 24 tracks that make great additions to any graduation playlist. From songs written for the purpose of the moment like 2000s Vitamin C-era “Graduation (Friends Forever)” to classics like Kool & The Gang's “Celebration” to brooding yet upbeat numbers like “my future” by Billie Eilish in the era of quarantine. From rocking tunes written for those who are wholeheartedly anti-school like Alice Cooper's 'School's Out', there's something on this list that's sure to be enjoyed by everyone. If you don't have a graduate to celebrate but want to take a musical trip down memory lane, these tracks are sure to get you all in your nostalgic moods.
Check out these odes to growing up and making new memories below.
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Vitamin C, “Graduation (Friends Forever)”
Image source: Courtesy photo
Separate verse: 'Cause we're on and we can't slow down/ These memories play like a movie without sound”
Vitamin C's 2000-era hit is a must-have for your graduation playlist — but be prepared to have the chorus (with a sample from Pachelbel's “Canon in D”) stuck in your head for days to come. Listen here.
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Green Day, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”
Separate verse: “So take the pictures and still frames in your mind/ Hang it on a shelf with good health and good time”
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong reminds us that everything happens for a reason in his guitar track that he originally wrote as a breakup song. But hey — it works great as a toast to great memories, growing up and moving on too. Listen here.
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Queen, “Don't Stop Me Now”
Separate verse: “I'm a shooting star leaping across the sky like a tiger/Defying the laws of gravity”
Nothing is going to stop Queen frontman Freddie Mercury from the band's high-energy hit. Adorned with the group's harmonies and a steady percussive beat, it's a track that's sure to make you 'wanna have a good time'. Listen here.
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Lizzo, “About Damn Time”
Separate verse: “Turn up the music, turn down the lights/ I've got a feeling I'll be alright”
Whether you know the TikTok dance or not, Lizzo's 2023 Grammy winner for record of the year (and Billboard Hot 100 topper) will have you on your feet and partying all night long. Listen here.
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OneRepublic, “Good Life”
Separate verse: “Desperate, I'm taking a mental picture of you now/ Because hopelessly, hope is that we have/ So much to feel good about”
OneRepublic shares a simple but important piece of advice for all recent graduates: you do it! Haters come and go, but that doesn't mean you can't still live your best life. Listen here.
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Macklemore feat. Kesha, “Good Old Days”
Separate verse: “Cause one day soon, your whole life will change/ You'll miss the magic of the good old days”
Graduation is definitely one of life's biggest events — and Macklemore and Kesha reflect on life's most precious moments in their melodic yet inspirational pop song. Listen here.
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Katy Perry, “Fireworks”
Separate verse: “Maybe a reason all the doors are closed/ So you could open one that leads you down the perfect path”
If you're not feeling the love despite such a huge accomplishment, Katy Perry's light-hearted anthem has got your back. Listen here.
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Kid Cudi, “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)”
Separate verse: “People told me little by little, I'm screaming 'F—k that'/ I'll do what I want, looking ahead, no turning back”
This pop-influenced hip-hop track from Kid Cudi's debut album carefully tries to set you up for continued success — but that doesn't mean you won't encounter obstacles along the way. Listen here.
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fun. feat. Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”
Separate verse: “Well let's set the world on fire/ We can burn brighter/ Than the sun”
Sounds like “fun”. is exactly what the pop-rock band has in its anthem about memories and growing up with a Janelle Monae feature. Listen here.
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Billie Eilish, “My Future”
Image source: Courtesy photo
Separate verse: “Know that I'm supposed to be unhappy/ Without somebody (someone)/ But I'm not somebody?”
A track that begins as a somber, introspective ode to Billie Eilish's past turns into a funky, upbeat look at her future. Listen here.
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Bill Withers, “Lovely Day”
Separate verse: “When the day before me/ Seems impossible to face”
We've all had those days when we just couldn't keep it at 100. But Bill Withers' groovy anthem is sure to get you out of whatever you're in. Listen here.
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Post Malone feat. Quavo, “Congratulations”
Separate verse: “I've been patient/ Now I can scream that we made it (we made it)”
The hit show is the subject of Post Malone and Quavo's celebratory track. The energy that all new grades deserve. Listen here.
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Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, “Moment 4 Life”
Separate verse: “No, I'm not lucky, I'm blessed, yeah/ Clap for the heavyweight champion, me/ But I couldn't do it alone, us”
Despite being the biggest names in rap, Nicki Minaj and Drake aren't letting fame get to their heads. The duo is giving a shout out to everyone who helped them get to where they are in their holiday collaboration. Listen here.
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Taylor Swift, “Long Live”
Separate verse: “You held your head like a hero/ On a history book page/ It was the end of a decade/ But the beginning of an era”
Taylor Swift reflects on her best memories Speak now closer. Although it is possible that he is singing about his success Fearless (awards and world tour), the lyrics will strike a chord with alumni as well. Listen here.
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Kool & The Gang, “Celebration”
Image source: Courtesy photo
Separate verse: “So bring your good times and your laughter/We'll celebrate your party with you”
Because what good is any party playlist without this classic? Listen here.
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Maroon 5, “Memories”
Separate verse: “There's a time I remember, when I knew no pain / When I believed forever, and everything would stay the same”
Maroon 5's nostalgic number won't just be on your prom playlist — it'll be in your reunion mix for 10 years. The question remains: What memories will you keep talking about for years to come? Listen here.
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Lorde, “Ribs”
Separate verse: “This dream ain't sweet/ We're roaming the midnight streets/ And I've never felt more alone/ I feel so scary, I'm getting old”
While the lyrics aren't necessarily celebratory or nostalgic, Lorde perfectly captures the fear that comes with growing up in this fan favorite Pure heroin dance floor. Listen here.
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Benny Blanco and Juice WRLD, “Graduation”
Separate verse: “What I didn't know was this grown-up world (This grown-up world)/ It was just school in a bloated world (This bloated world)”
Benny Blanco and Juice WRLD create an upbeat, yet slightly bitter take on Vitamin D's early 2000 self-titled track (which also appears on this list). Listen here.
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Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow, “INDUSTRY BABY”
Image source: Courtesy photo
Separate verse: “I turned my haters on consumers, I make vets feel small”
This is for the champions (graduates)! Complete with a band, Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow take you back to high school with their enigmatic collaboration. Listen here.
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Alice Cooper, “School's Out”
Separate verse: “Well, we have no order / And we have no principles / And we have no innocence”
Alice Cooper's hit for them School is over The album is a dedication to those who maybe didn't have the best experience at school and are just thankful to get out of there. Listen here.
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Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling”
Separate verse: “I know we'll have a ball/ If we get down and out and just lose it all.”
It may be one of the biggest earworms of 2009 (it topped the Hot 100 for 14 weeks), but you can't celebrate grad night without hearing the Black Eyed Peas punch at least once. Listen here.
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Panic! At The Disco, “Hey Look Ma, I Made It”
Separate verse: “In the garden of evil/ I'll be the greatest/ In a golden cathedral/ I'll pray for the faithless”
Panic! The Disco frontman Brandon Urie sings about the ups and downs of the fame train on his upbeat banger. Listen here.
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SZA, “Prom”
Separate verse: “Promise to get a little/Better as I get older/And you're so patient/And you're tired of waiting”
SZA's thoughtful, yet very melodic ode to growing up serves as advice for everyone entering adulthood: it's okay if you don't have it all together. Listen here.
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Kanye West and T-Pain, “Good Life”
Image source: Courtesy photo
Standout Lyrics: “The good life, let's go on a live spree/ S—t, they say the best things in life are free”
Raise your hands to the sky! Kanye West Subtly Tests Michael Jackson On His Vibey Collaboration With T-Pain From His Aptly Titled Graduation album. Listen here.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-graduation-songs-playlist/
