Creating a Great Graduation Songs List

Choosing graduation songs can seem like a lot of responsibility. The songs will be played in front of the graduates and their families. You may feel like you will have to live with the consequences if you get it wrong. But if you put effort into your choice, you increase your chances of success.

Start with simple research. What have been the songs used over the past few years. Do you notice any particular pattern or is there a good mix of songs. Perhaps the songs are formal or more current chart music. The institution may be fairly formal and the graduation songs will mirror that. The institution may be a forward thinking high school which likes to play modern music. It may be a kindergarten which likes to play fun music suitable for the kids. The music played at an art college, medical school, vet school or journalist college will be suitable for that particular institution. Hopefully the school will have a normal style of music which will help you make your decision.

You will know the current top 100 chart songs and will be able to take a view on the suitability of any of them. Perhaps one of them has the right feel and lyrics for your ceremony. Perhaps there has been a song that stands out over the past few years as being a graduation favorite. Sometimes a blockbuster movie has a great soundtrack that fits graduation perfectly. Also TV adverts often revive a classic song that really does mean something to everyone. Perhaps even a TV show theme tune can give a good song. One has a favorite song of mine and I love to hear it. When you look at the songs getting airtime perhaps you can find something from that list.

Another great source of inspiration is the online sites that have details and lists of graduation songs. There are great lists, blogs of graduates current favorites, top 10s from the past few years and also top 40 recommended songs. It does not take long to look through free websites with a view to filtering the list down to a few you wish to use. The last time I looked at the lists I found lots of songs I had forgotten about. Seeing them does make you want to play them.

Talk to the graduates to find out what they would like. Just gather in the suggestions and filter them down to ones you might like. They may give you some unusual suggestions but within their list may be a great song. The graduates will also be able to tell you what emotional response they have to a song and why they like it. That should give you ideas on how to create the right mood at the ceremony. You will also know what you would like to add in. Once you have a small list of possible graduation songs then you can talk to the school and finalise the play list.

Resource: Graduation Songs