Top 10 Hit Songs Perfect for Your Graduation Playlist

When life tries to break me down, only music can make me feel all right. Let me share music's greatest gift through my top playlists!

Graduation Playlist

It's graduation season once again. So, let me list down 10 amazing songs that are perfect for everyone's graduation playlist. These songs will help you celebrate this amazing milestone and also give you a hint of what is waiting out in the real world. Always stay inspired, and don't stop reaching for your dreams.

1. "Youth" by Shawn Mendes ft. Khalid

• Artist: Shawn Mendes ft. Khalid
• Release: 2018
• Album: Shawn Mendes
• Genre: Pop

From the third album of Shawn Mendes comes a beautiful upbeat song about youth, hence the title. Shawn was joined by Khalid and complimented each other's voices, making the track much more pleasing and enjoyable.

"I love this idea of youth, not our age, not as being young, but that thing inside of us that makes us feel that the world is amazing," Shawn said about "Youth" in a secret listening session with some of his fans. It is his way of saying that we should not let society take that child part of us that will always dare to dream. This is not just a perfect bop to add to our inspirational and youthful graduation playlist but even to the playlist of our whole life.

You can't take my youth away

This soul of mine will never break

As long as I wake up today

You can't take my youth away

— Shawn Mendes ft. Khalid (Youth)

2. "Clearly" by Grace VanderWaal

• Artist: Grace VanderWaal
• Release: 2018
• Album: Perfectly Imperfect
• Genre: Pop

After her win on America's Got Talent, Grace continued to bless us with her beautiful music. She is known for writing and delivering such emotional and inspirational songs even from a young age.

This song in particular will again deem Grace as an amazing role model to the youth. This is about getting through tough and dark times and coming out with the lessons and realization that after all the hardships, there's going to be a great life ahead.

I can see clearly now

The rain has gone

I accept all the things

that I cannot change

Gone are the dark clouds

The dawn has come

It's gonna be a bright,

bright sunshiny day

— Grace VanderWaal (Clearly)

3. "A Million Dreams" From The Greatest Showman Movie

• Artist: Hugh Jackman, Ziv Zaifman, Michelle Williams
• Release: 2017
• Album: The Greatest Showman soundtrack

The movie The Greatest Showman is not just known for its great cast and story but also for the amazing soundtrack written by famous songwriting duo, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The songs, just like the story, are absolutely inspirational. The song "A Million Dreams" tells us to believe in ourselves and pushes us to live our dreams and aspirations because nothing is impossible as long as we keep believing.

I close my eyes and I can see

The world that's waiting up for me

That I call my own

Through the dark, through the door

Through where no one's been before

But it feels like home

— Hugh Jackman, Ziv Zaifman, Michelle Williams - The Greatest Showman Soundtrack (A Million Dreams)

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4. "Congratulations" by Post Malone ft. Quavo

• Artist: Post Malone ft. Quavo
• Released: 2016
• Album: Stoney
• Genre: Hip-hop/rap

Some people might think that hip-hop or rap music doesn't usually have positive messages due to the usual use of curse and explicit words. But these artists also have positive stories to tell that we can also be inspired about.

This song by Post Malone is one of those songs that will make us celebrate our achievements and hard work. The beat and lyrics together with Quavo and Post Malones' rapping skills deliver such a beautiful song that all of us youth can relate to.

I dreamed it all ever since I was young

They said I wouldn't be nothing

Now they always say congratulations

Worked so hard, forgot how to vacation

They ain't never had the dedication

People hatin', say we changed

and look we made it, Yeah, we made it

— Post Malone ft. Quavo (Congratulations)

5. "Pray" by Sam Smith ft. Logic

• Artist: Sam Smith ft. Logic
• Released: 2017
• Album: The Thrill of It All
• Genre: Pop

"I hope it becomes your friend in those deep dark nights of confusion and loneliness," Sam Smith tweeted about his song "Pray" after it was released. It is a gospel-inspired song composed of Sam's amazing vocal ability mixed with Logic's inspiring rap lyrics. It is about someone who hasn't been a perfect person and is never a believer but realizes that "everyone prays in the end."

The composition was richly inspired by Sam's stay in Iraq where he realized how little he knew about the world and other people's lives. This can help graduates to have a glimpse of the real world and prepare them to have their mind and heart intact whatever life may bring.

I'm down on my knees,

I'm beggin' you, please

I'm broken, alone, and afraid

I'm not a saint, I'm more of a sinner

I don't wanna lose, but I fear for the winners

When I try to explain, the words run away

That's why I am stood here today

— Sam Smith ft. Logic (Pray)

6. "Don't Ever Let Your Children Grow Up" by Maddie Poppe

• Artist: Maddie Poppe
• Released: 2016
• Album: Songs from the Basement
• Genre: Alternative/Indie

One of Maddie Poppe's amazing originals is "Don't Ever Let Your Children Grow Up", a song that she also performed on American Idol. It is about not letting the beauty of kids' innocence and how it can be tarnished by the world once they grow up. It has such a beautiful melody that would bring us back to our childhood, making us be grateful for simple things.

Oh why'd it have to be

Our imaginations have run dry

We hate ourselves and have a nightly cry

And then we act like we're fine

It's alcohol and bombs and drugs,

don't ever let your children grow up

— Maddie Poppe (Don't Ever Let Your Children Grow Up)

7. "7 Years" by Lukas Graham

• Artist: Lukas Graham
• Released: 2015
• Album: Lukas Graham (Blue Album)
• Genre: Pop

This hit song by Lukas Graham is one beautiful song about his journey of growing up, making friends, losing friends, finding life, reaching dreams, and building a family. This amazing piece can teach graduates what is really important about life, growing up and growing old. A lot can also relate to this song, may it be a kid, an adult, or an elder.

I only see my goals, I don't believe in failure

'Cause I know the smallest voices,

they can make it major

I got my boys with me at least those in favor

And if we don't meet before I leave,

I hope I'll see you later

— Lukas Graham (7 Years)

8. "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten

• Artist: Rachel Platten
• Released: 2014
• Album: Fight Song
• Genre: Pop

One of today's perfect graduation songs is Rachel Platten's "Fight Song." This song can absolutely inspire graduates to never stop fighting and believing even if the world can be so hard and cruel sometimes.

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me

— Rachel Platten (Fight Song)

9. "Rise Up" by Andra Day

• Artist: Andra Day
• Released: 2015
• Album: Cheers to the Fall
• Genre: R&B/soul

Being one of the most beautiful songs ever written, this song would never fail to give us strength, make us believe in ourselves, and keep trying whatever happens.

When the silence isn't quiet

And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe

And I know you feel like dying

But I promise we'll take the world to its feet

And move mountains

We'll take it to its feet

And move mountains

— Andra Day (Rise Up)

10. "Brave" by Sara Bareilles

• Artist: Sara Bareilles
• Released: 2013
• Album: The Blessed Unrest
• Genre: Pop

In life, sometimes, we would feel like our voice does not matter, so we would just keep quiet and fit in. This song would remind us that we matter and we all need to be ourselves wherever we are. Let this great and inspirational track give us the strength to be brave.

Say what you wanna say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say

And let the words fall out

Honestly I wanna see you be brave

— Sara Bareilles (Brave)

© 2018 ThatWallflowerJen