Graduation Party Playlist

Updated October 2026 · 33 songs · Titles and artists only

A graduation party mixes family, friends and neighbors, so the music has to work for everyone. This list uses upbeat songs about moving forward, with a few songs the graduate probably loves.

The playlist

Arrival and photos

Cheerful songs while guests mingle.

1. Happy — Pharrell Williams
2. Best Day of My Life — American Authors
3. Good Time — Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
4. On Top of the World — Imagine Dragons
5. Home — Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
6. Walking on Sunshine — Katrina and the Waves
7. Forever Young — Alphaville
8. Free Fallin' — Tom Petty

Celebration

Dance songs for the main party.

9. Celebration — Kool & the Gang
10. Can't Stop the Feeling! — Justin Timberlake
11. I Gotta Feeling — Black Eyed Peas
12. Uptown Funk — Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
13. Party in the U.S.A. — Miley Cyrus
14. Roar — Katy Perry
15. Firework — Katy Perry
16. Shake It Off — Taylor Swift
17. Levitating — Dua Lipa
18. Blinding Lights — The Weeknd
19. Sunflower — Post Malone & Swae Lee
20. Congratulations — Post Malone feat. Quavo
21. Started from the Bottom — Drake
22. Eye of the Tiger — Survivor
23. All Star — Smash Mouth
24. Dancing Queen — ABBA
25. Shut Up and Dance — Walk the Moon

Sing-along finish

For the last hour.

26. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) — Green Day
27. High Hopes — Panic! at the Disco
28. Closing Time — Semisonic
29. Mr. Brightside — The Killers
30. Don't Stop Believin' — Journey
31. Sweet Caroline — Neil Diamond
32. Take Me Home, Country Roads — John Denver
33. Wagon Wheel — Darius Rucker

Tips for your graduation party music

• Ask the graduate for a short list of favorite songs and add them first.
• Mix older and newer songs so grandparents and classmates both have something.
• Check explicit tags in Apple Music for family-friendly versions.
• Play slow, reflective songs during speeches or a slideshow.
• If the party runs outdoors, keep the speaker near the food and seating.

Let guests vote instead of playing DJ

Jukebox lets classmates and relatives vote on the same queue. Show the QR code on a poster or on the TV, and everyone can request songs. The graduate hears their friends' picks next to the family's.

Here is how it works. The host starts a session from Apple Music. Guests join by 6-digit code, QR code or by being nearby. They vote on songs, request their own and vote to skip. The most-voted song plays next. Guests need no account, and only the host needs Apple Music.

Frequently asked questions