High School Graduation Songs

Choosing a Song

High school graduation songs are played at senior events like prom and the actual graduation ceremony, so they should be chosen with a varied audience in mind. Songs can't have any inappropriate language or suggestive lyrics. The type of music should also be considered. Pop music, show tunes, and country music will be more accessible to all listeners than some other genres like heavy metal or rap. Many band, orchestra, and choir directors make a point of having their students perform the senior song, so you may also want to consider the accessibility and availability of orchestral and choral arrangements of potential songs.

The most popular way to choose a high school graduation song is to have a vote. Some schools leave the final decision up to the senior class officers, while others allow the music department to decide. However, the selected song will be more meaningful to seniors if the entire class has a say in the matter.

If you're getting ready to make the high school graduation song decision, consider the following steps:

1. Gather song ideas/nominations from students. Make announcements and spread the word to your friends and classmates that this is their chance to let their opinions be heard.
2. Have class officers narrow the ideas down to a reasonable number to present on a ballot. Four to six songs would be ideal. The officers can make cuts by only choosing songs with multiple nominations and by eliminating songs that may present problems, such as a song with vulgar lyrics.
3. Create and print ballots.
4. Ask the senior students to vote for their favorite song. If the school will allow it, a class-wide assembly is the easiest way to hold a vote. This will bring the largest number of seniors together at the same time and hopefully allow more students to have a say in the final decision. Voting can also take place during homeroom, lunch periods, or before and after school.
5. If possible, before voting, play the songs for students or offer a chance to read the lyrics. Some students may be swayed by a good title without realizing what the song is really about or how it sounds, leading to a vote for a song they don't really enjoy.
6. If you are not holding the vote during an assembly, you may need to take steps to prevent ballot stuffing. One way to do this is to create a class list and cross off each student's name as he or she is given a ballot.
7. Count the votes.
8. Present the results to the senior class through an announcement and possibly a bulletin board or other public display.

Note: This entire process can also take place alongside voting for other class symbols. Simply expand the nomination and ballot guidelines.

High School Graduation Song Ideas

Most high school graduation songs focus on the themes of remembering the good times and the promise of the future. The following are some popular song choices:

• "I Will Remember You" by Sarah McLachlan
• "Friends" by Michael W Smith
• "Seasons of Love" from Rent
• "Imagine" by John Lennon
• "Graduation Song" by Vitamin C
• "In My Life" by The Beatles
• "For Good" from Wicked
• "The Rose" by Bette Midler
• "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel
• "One Moment in Time" by Whitney Houston
• "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack
• "This is the Moment" from Jekyll and Hyde
• "Time of Your Life" by Green Day
• "Today" by Smashing Pumpkins