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Your final year of school is nothing if not an emotional rollercoaster. Excitement, nervousness and at least a hint of sadness are just a few of many emotions that senior students feel as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives.
Even those who are not part of the class of 2023 can remember all the “lasts”: your last first day, last homecoming game, last spring break, last exam, and finally, the highly-anticipated last day of school. It’s a lot to take in — on top of prom and college decisions for high schoolers and job-hunting for higher ed students. And before even getting a chance to catch your breath, it’s time to bust out the caps and gowns for pomp and circumstance, snatch that diploma you’ve worked so hard to get, say your farewells and, of course, celebrate.
To get the party started, Billboard has rounded up 22 tracks that make great additions to any graduation playlist. From songs written for the purpose of this very moment like Vitamin C’s 2000s era earworm “Graduation (Friends Forever),” to classics like Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” to melancholy yet optimistic numbers like Billie Eilish’s quarantine-era “my future,” to rocking tunes written for those who are wholeheartedly anti-school like Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out,” there’s something on this list that everyone is sure to enjoy. If you don’t have a graduate to celebrate but you wanna take a musical trip down memory lane, these tracks are sure to have you all up in your nostalgic feelings.
Check out these odes to growing up and making new memories below.
Vitamin C, “Graduation (Friends Forever)”
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Standout lyric: “’Cause we’re moving on and we can’t slow down/ These memories are playing like a film without sound”
Vitamin C’s 2000s era hit is a graduation playlist essential — but be prepared to have the chorus (featuring a sample from Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”) stuck in your head for the next few days. Listen here.
Green Day, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”
Standout lyric: “So take the photographs and still frames in your mind/ Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time”
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong reminds us that everything happens for a reason in his guitar-driven track he originally wrote as a break-up song. But hey — it works great as a toast to great memories, growing up and moving on, too. Listen here.
Queen, “Don’t Stop Me Now”
Standout lyric: “I’m a shooting star leaping through the sky like a tiger/ Defying the laws of gravity”
Nothing is going to stop Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in the band’s high-energy hit. Layered with the group’s trademark harmonies and a steady percussive beat, it’s a track that’ll surely make you “wanna have a good time,” too. Listen here.
Lizzo, “About Damn Time”
Standout lyric: “Turn up the music, turn down the lights/ I got a feelin’ I’m gon’ be alright”
Whether you know the TikTok dance or not, Lizzo’s 2023 Grammy winner for record of the year (and Billboard Hot 100 topper) will have you on your feet and partying all graduation night long. Listen here.
OneRepublic, “Good Life”
Standout lyric: “Hopelessly, I’m taking a mental picture of you now/ ‘Cause hopelessly, the hope is we have/ So much to feel good about”
OneRepublic share a simple but important piece of advice for all recent grads: you do you! Haters come and go, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still live your best life. Listen here.
Macklemore feat. Kesha, “Good Old Days”
Standout lyric: “’Cause someday soon, your whole life’s gonna change/ You’ll miss the magic of the good old days”
Graduation is definitely one of life’s biggest events — and Macklemore and Kesha reflect on life’s most precious moments in their mellow yet inspiring pop song. Listen here.
Katy Perry, “Firework”
Standout lyric: “Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed/ So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road”
If you’re not feeling the love despite such a huge accomplishment, Katy Perry’s light-hearterd anthem has got your back. Listen here.
Kid Cudi, “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)”
Standout lyric: “People told me slow my roll, I’m screaming out “F—k that”/ I’ma do just what I want, looking ahead, no turning back”
This pop-influenced hip-hop track off Kid Cudi’s debut album cautiously strives to set you up for continued success — but that doesn’t mean you won’t encounter hurdles along the way. Listen here.
fun. feat. Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”
Standout lyric: “So let’s set the world on fire/ We can burn brighter/ Than the sun”
It sounds like “fun.” is exactly what the pop-rock band is having in their anthemic hit about memories and growing up with a feature from Janelle Monae. Listen here.
Billie Eilish, “my future”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Standout lyric: “Know I’m supposed to be unhappy/ Without someone (someone)/ But aren’t I someone?”
A track that starts as a somber, introspective ode to Billie Eilish’s past turns into a funky, optimistic look at her future. Listen here.
Bill Withers, “Lovely Day”
Standout lyric: “When the day that lies ahead of me/ Seems impossible to face”
We’ve all had those days where we just can’t keep it 100. But Bill Withers’ groovy anthem is sure to get you out of whatever rut you may be in. Listen here.
Post Malone feat. Quavo, “Congratulations”
Standout lyric: “I was patient/ Now I can scream that we made it (We made it)”
Manifesting success is the theme of Post Malone and Quavo’s celebratory track. Which exactly the energy all new grads deserve. Listen here.
Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, “Moment 4 Life”
Standout lyric: “No, I’m not lucky, I’m blessed, yes/ Clap for the heavyweight champ, me/ But I couldn’t do it all alone, we”
Despite being the biggest names in rap, Nicki Minaj and Drake aren’t letting fame get to their heads. The duo shouts out everyone that helped them get to where they are in their celebratory collaboration. Listen here.
Taylor Swift, “Long Live”
Standout lyric: “You held your head like a hero/ On a history book page/ It was the end of a decade/ But the start of an age”
Taylor Swift reflects on the best of memories in her Speak Now closer. Though she’s likely singing about the success of Fearless (award wins and world tour), the lyrics will hit close to home for graduates, too. Listen here.
Kool & The Gang, “Celebration”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Standout lyric: “So bring your good times and your laughter too/ We gonna celebrate your party with you”
Because what good is any party playlist without this classic? Listen here.
Maroon 5, “Memories”
Standout lyric: “There’s a time that I remember, when I did not know no pain/ When I believed in forever, and everything would stay the same”
Maroon 5’s nostalgic number won’t just be on your graduation party playlist — it’ll be on your 10-year reunion mix, too. The question remains: What memories will you keep talking for years to come? Listen here.
Lorde, “Ribs”
Standout lyric: “This dream isn’t feeling sweet/ We’re reeling through the midnight streets/ And I’ve never felt more alone/ It feels so scary, getting old”
Though the lyrics aren’t necessary celebratory or even nostalgic, Lorde perfectly captures the fear that comes with growing up in this fan-favorite Pure Heroine track. Listen here.
Benny Blanco and Juice WRLD, “Graduation”
Standout lyric: “What I didn’t know was this grown-up world (This grown-up world)/ Was just school in a blown-up world (This blown-up world)”
Benny Blanco and Juice WRLD create an upbeat, yet slightly bitter take on Vitamin D’s early 2000’s track by the same name (which also appears on this list). Listen here.
Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow, “INDUSTRY BABY”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Standout lyric: “Turned my haters to consumers, I make vets feel like they juniors”
This one is for the champions (graduates)! Complete with a marching band, Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow take you back to high school in their enigmatic collaboration. Listen here.
Alice Cooper, “School’s Out”
Standout lyric: “Well, we got no class/ And we got no principles/ And we got no innocence”
Alice Cooper’s smash opener to their School’s Out album is a dedication to those who maybe didn’t have the best experience in school, and are just grateful to get outta there. Listen here.
Panic! At The Disco, “Hey Look Ma, I Made It”
Standout lyric: “In the garden of evil/ I’m gonna be the greatest/ In a golden cathedral/ I’ll be praying for the faithless”
Panic! At The Disco frontman Brandon Urie sings about the ups and downs of the fame train in his upbeat banger. Listen here.
SZA, “Prom”
Standout lyric: “Promise to get a little/ Better as I get older/ And you’re so patient/ And sick of waitin’”
SZA’s thoughtful yet far from mellow ode to growing up serves as a piece of advice for everyone entering adulthood: it’s okay if you don’t have it all together. Listen here.
Kanye West and T-Pain, “Good Life”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Standout lyric: “The good life, let’s go on a living spree/ S—t, they say the best things in life are free”
Throw your hands up in the sky! Kanye West subtly samples Michael Jackson in his vibey collaboration with T-Pain off his aptly titled Graduation album. Listen here.
HipHopWired Featured Video
What up, Hip-Hop Wired Nation? We’re back with another edition of CRT FRSH AKA Certified Fresh! Part of our duty as a publication and crew is to school the masses on who is doing what musically and there’s no better way to do that beyond our CRT FRSH (Certified Fresh) bi-weekly playlist.
Disclaimer:
The CRT FRSH playlist is a labor of love. We don’t take payments nor do we do favors. We only add joints to our playlist that fit the theme and vision we’re going for and don’t seek to waste the time of the listener. Further, we don’t stick to one lane of Hip-Hop. We believe that all aspects of the music should get some light, whether it’s young lions in the trenches or those hoping for that one shot to blow up to grizzled veterans puffing out their chests with lots more to say.
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This week’s update is broken up into two halves, much like we did last time. The first 25 songs are folks that should already be on most folks’ radars or very close to it. In the second half, we dug deep into the virtual crates to shine a light on the future big names of tomorrow. As always, we didn’t list everything we liked and we’ll add the joints we missed in some following updates.
We open up this week’s update with SZA’s remix of “Kill Bill” from her 2022 album SOS which features Doja Cat displaying her formidable rapping ability. We follow that up with another remix, this time Ice Spice’s “Princess Diana” featuring Nicki Minaj in a scene-stealing turn.
The Alchemist has been on quite a run in the last few years and his collaborative album with Larry June, The Great Escape, is packed with strong joints, most notably “Palisades, CA” featuring Big Sean for the first time over an Alchemist beat. Other tracks in the playlist’s first half include “Search and Rescue” from Drake, “DOGTOOTH” from Tyler, The Creator, and “Fallin’” from Joey BadA$$.
On the playlist’s second half, we include “Half Steppin’” from Grafh and one of our favorite rappers in Smoke DZA. Patty Honcho, a name you all should look out for, torches his track “Clocking In” with BlaQ Chidori on the help out. In that same crew, producer klwn cat and his collaborative album Don’t Go Outside with unruly has a number of joints we looked over and went with “Tell Me How You Feel” featuring Mourning Run and the talented Matt Draugos.
We also have joints on the CRT FRSH list from Hus Kingpin, IDK, BIA, Curren$y, Nappy Nina, B. Cool-Aid, Chris Crack, YUNGMORPHEUS, defprez, Black Thought, and more. Enjoy the playlist and we’ll be updating it in a couple of weeks with 50 brand-new joints.
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Photo: PeopleImages / Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
What up, Hip-Hop Wired Nation? We’re back with CRT FRSH AKA Certified Fresh! Part of our duty as a publication and crew is to school the masses on who is doing what musically and there’s no better way to do that beyond our CRT FRSH (Certified Fresh) bi-weekly playlist.
Disclaimer:
The CRT FRSH playlist is a labor of love. We don’t take payments nor do we do favors. We only add joints to our playlist that fit the theme and vision we’re going for and don’t seek to waste the time of the listener. Further, we don’t stick to one lane of Hip-Hop. We believe that all aspects of the music should get some light, whether it’s young lions in the trenches or those hoping for that one shot to blow up to grizzled veterans puffing out their chests with lots more to say.
Related Stories
This week’s update is long overdue but will highlight some of the joints over the past couple of months that we’ve been rocking via our respective audio devices. Hopefully, you find a new fave in the CRT FRSH mix!
Since we’re heading to the Dreamville Festival this weekend, we open up with “Ma Boy” featuring JID and Lute, continuing the magic that the label seems to have on deck at all times. That track is followed with NLE Choppa’s “CHAMPIONS,” which will most likely make it to a lot of workout or walkout playlists. Memphis star GloRilla links with HittKidd once more for the entertaining “Internet Trolls” and it should be clear what her focus is here.
Young Nudy’s latest set Gumbo features several ear-pleasing tracks but the 21 Savage-assisted “Peaches & Egglants” is a standout. Lola Brooke is a rapper with a ton of momentum and her “So DISRESPECTFUL” joint definitely adds to the growth. Wiz Khalifa, one of the many stars of the so-called “Blog Era” re-released his 2008 Star Power mixtape and we include the track “Like A Star.”
One of the surprises of 2023 is Def Jam putting a deep focus on Hip-Hop’s underground with acts like Maxo and Navy Blue. We include the tracks “Both Hands” featuring the talented Liv.E, and “Windows to the Soul” featuring Kelly Moonstone respectively. Washington D.C. rapper Sideshow dropped his excellent 2MM JUST DON’T STAND THERE! album and we include “2MM” on this CRT FRSH drop.
We also have new joints from Privaledge, Spectacular Diagnostics, Ja’King The Divine, Midaz the Beast, Gold Chain Music, Skillibeng, Oddisee, Nito, Rueben Vincent, Flo Milli, IDK, Statik Selektah, and more.
Check out the joints below.
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Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
In this very special update of the CRT FRSH playlist, we’re turning our focus on the legendary trio, De La Soul. To honor the Plugs getting their music back onto streaming services, we’re featuring 33 (see what we did there?) tracks from the Long Island legends.
As every other Hip-Hop publication has artfully noted, the release of De La Soul’s in digital and downloadable form comes as fans of the group are still mourning the passing of David Jolicoeur, largely known as Dave and formerly known as Trugoy The Dove. Plug Two, as he was affectionately known, passed on Feb. 12 of this year at the age of 54.
Breaking the wall here a bit, I can tell you as a young man growing up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., having music created by a group that represented all sides of my personality and embodied some of my hopes and dreams was so instrumental in my development as a person. De La Soul made it cool to be a little left of center, and also be prepared to handle one’s self if needed as the crew told us on the track “Area” from Buhloone Mindstate.
While some might consider Posdonous the best rapper in the group, Plug Two was always my favorite within the rapping portion of De La Soul for reasons far too music nerdy to share here. All I’ll add to this is that a random encounter with Dave some years ago inside Reagan National Airport was a beautiful moment I’ll never forget. Truly a humble giant. May he rest in powerful peace.
CRT FRSH is largely about celebrating the up-and-coming acts in the wide world of Hip-Hop but we thought it best to shift gears and turn our collective attention on the magnificent discography of De La Soul and how much they’ve impacted the culture of Hip-Hop over the past three decades.
The De La Soul edition of the CRT FRSH playlist can be found below.
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Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Nando Vidal / Getty
What up, Hip-Hop Wired Nation? We’re back on our biweekly schedule with CRT FRSH AKA Certified Fresh! Part of our duty as a publication and crew is to school the masses on who is doing what musically and there’s no better way to do that beyond our CRT FRSH (Certified Fresh) bi-weekly playlist.
Disclaimer:
The CRT FRSH playlist is a labor of love. We don’t take payments nor do we do favors. We only add joints to our playlist that fit the theme and vision we’re going for and don’t seek to waste the time of the listener. Further, we don’t stick to one lane of Hip-Hop. We believe that all aspects of the music should get some light, whether it’s young lions in the trenches or those hoping for that one shot to blow up to grizzled veterans puffing out their chests with lots more to say.
One thing about doing a playlist is that it’s really tough to keep up with the glut of new music that comes out weekly and it doesn’t help that a lot of artists exist in their own ecosystems and social spaces online that discovering all the gold out there is difficult. That said, we believe in the art of (digital) crate digging because there is so much good music out there that we want to make sure we’re always highlighting.
We updated the playlist last Friday (Jan. 27) and tried our best to include other joints we missed in the last part of 2022 and early 2023. We’re pretty sure there are joints that should be here and we hope that someone reading this takes notice and puts us on to the new. Now, on with the show.
We open up this week’s playlist by honoring the life of Lola “Gangsta Boo” Mitchell, who passed away at the top of the year. The path Gangsta Boo laid for other women rappers from the south cannot be denied and her time in Three 6 Mafia solidified her place in the annals of Hip-Hop. We added GloRilla’s “FTCU” to round out the brief tribute, which features Gangsta Boo and further proves how vital Memphis is to the culture.
Keeping it in Memphis, Finesse2Tymes joins forces with Tay Keith for the track “Still With It” and Metro Boomin’s solid compilation HEROES & VILLIANS is packed with several songs we could’ve chosen for the list but we went with “Feel The Fiyaaaah” featuring A$AP Rocky and the late Takeoff.
DJ Drama is back on his Gangsta Grillz grizzly, and his tape with Icewear Vezzo, Paint The City, is another strong entry in the catalog. Joining Vezzo on “Trippin” is 2 Chainz in a scene-stealing turn. Again, we head back down to Memphis with the late Young Dolph and Key Glock joint “Thats How” from the rapper’s posthumous album, Paper Route Frank.
Back to Gangsta Grillz, French Montana’s Coke Boys 6 gets the mixtape treatment, and the track “RZA” features Black Soprano Family honcho Benny The Butcher in top form per usual.
It’s always dope to hear DJ Premier’s production and the legend lends his talents to the vocals of Seattle’s Macklemore on his track HEROES from his forthcoming album, Ben. And for those listeners of a certain age, the news that De La Soul’s catalog is coming to streaming services was huge. The veteran trio’s “The Magic Number” is the first of many tracks to come and we can’t wait.
Salute to the likes of Privaledge, Armani White, Denzel Curry, Cordae, Anderson .Paak, Russ, Styles P, Rasheed Chappell, 38 Spesh, Ty Farris, Mickey Diamond, YUDU featuring Godsilla, Eto, Oddisee, Poe Mack, Van Gunz, Mourning Run, Radio B, Ray Vaughn and more.
Check out the playlist below.
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Photo: Getty
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