College graduation is a big-freaking-deal. There’s no better way to ring in this huge event than with the perfect college graduation song

You pray and pray for this day to finally come and once it does, you’re thrown into a blender of joy, fear, excitement, anticipation, and hopeful expectancy — mixing your insides into an unrecognizable blend of emotions.

Don’t worry, All Groan Up is here to help sort things out. Whether you’re looking for 17 ideas of the best college graduation gifts.

Or if you’re looking for the best college graduation songs to ring in that college graduation party with style.

Here at All Groan Up we’ve scoured the web and the world for the fourteen best songs to ring in graduation like the pro you are.

To get on this exclusive college graduation playlist the song needs to:

1). Pull on the old heart strings.

2). Make you feel smothered in nostalgia.

3). Be played at a minimum 7,328 graduation party’s.

Here we go.

Top 14 college graduation songs over the last 40 years

14. Here’s to the Night — Eve 6 

Here’s to the Night is your classic 90’s, sitting in a corner of a big grad party drinking from your red plastic cup as nostalgia overtakes you like an unbridled avalanche, graduation song. Drink it in at number fourteen on the countdown. (Link to Eve 6 album)

13. Another Brick in the Wall (Part Two) — Pink Floyd 

“We don’t need no education”

A classic 70’s education protest song that would make your Aunt Martha blush. (Link to Pink Floyd)

12. Graduation — Vitamin C

I want to take the corner of my graduation cap and jab my ear out when I hear this one. Vitamin C sings a deliberate, non-nuanced graduation song that makes you wish graduation would just end already. But alas, it’s still here on the list at #12. (Link to Vitamin C)

11. Unwritten — Natasha Bedingfield:

“Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten.”

And in six months is when your loan repayments begin.  So write in that book as much as possible before Sallie Mae tries to repossess it. Luckily Unwritten is so upbeat it makes you forget about silly reality. So go grab the real world by the ears and snarl at it. (Link to Unwritten)

10. Today — Smashing Pumpkins

“Today is the greatest day I’ve ever known”

You wouldn’t know it was the greatest day by the way Billy Corgan sings it, but the greatest day it is. Or maybe not. Or is. (Link to Today)

9. Dog Days are Over — Florence + The Machine

Has nothing to do with graduation per say, but she sings the dog days are over… over and over again. What’s more fitting than that? (Link to Florence + The Machine)

8. Time of My Life — Bill Medley

The 80’s are now represented on the countdown with this feel good dance tune. Time of My Life is best remembered as the Dirty Dancing song. But play it at your graduation party and the whole guest list might join in a choreographed dance that would make Patrick Swayze proud. (Link to Time of my Life)

7. Time of Your Life (Good Riddance) —  Green Day 

Another Time of Your Life tune with a slightly different feel. Green Day makes you want to curl up with your acoustic guitar and just have a good graduation cry. (Link to Good Riddance)

6. School’s Out — Alice Cooper

“School’s out forever”

Yep and yep. (Link to School’s Out)

5. Vienna — Billy Joel

“If you’re so smart tell me why you’re still so afraid. Dream on but don’t imagine that they’ll all come true.”

Billy Joel comes in at number five with a not-so-feel-good graduation tune. This song is kind of like your uncle after a few drinks shooting you straight about life in the real world. (Link to Vienna)

4. Graduate — Third Eye Blind

“Can I graduate?”

Well yes, you just did. Raise that diploma high and rock out to Third Eye Blind doing their graduation thing. (Link to Graduate)

3. In This Diary – The Ataris

This song came in at number one on the top ten songs about growing up. And for graduation, it comes in at number three. (Link to In This Diary)

2. Glory Days – Bruce Springstein

Really? Number two? Yes. He’s the boss. You want to argue with him? (Link to Glory Days)

1. Friends are Friends Forever – Michael W. Smith 

When that synthesizer plays its first note, a lone tear trickles down my cheek every time.

If you didn’t grow up in a Christian school, you might not have even heard this 80’s ode to graduation, friends, and teardrops. But Friends are Friends Forever is definitely the cheesiest, classiest of all graduation songs. This song will make you want to hold hands in a circle and never let go. (Link to Friends)

Have any memories playing one of these songs at your graduation party? 

What songs did we miss?

If you purchase a song through one of these links you’re supporting the fine work here at All Groan Up. 

PS — Go here if you’re looking for the best graduation college graduation gift to give your grad or here for a list of the best books every 20something and college grad needs to read.