Do you have any favorite end of the year slideshow songs?
It’s that time of year again – the end of the school year! I’ve been busy finishing up the kiddos’ preschool portfolios and putting together photos for my students’ parents.
Last year, I shared 20 end of the year songs. I had such fun reading all of the suggestions from you, my awesome readers! So now I’m back with 25 more end of the year slideshow songs to add to your end of the school year playlist. I’ve included some of your ideas, along with other songs I think would work well!
Which end of the year slideshow songs will you choose?
I tried to link directly to the individual songs when possible, but some go to an entire album.
1. You’ll Be in My Heart {Phil Collins}
2. I Hope You Dance {Lee Ann Womack}
3. Ordinary Miracle {Sarah McLachlan}
4. I Lived {OneRepublic}
5. We Go Together {John Travolta}
6. Supposed to Be {Jack Johnson}
7. On My Way {Phil Collins}
8. Good Riddance – Time of Your Life {Green Day}
9. Roots Before Branches {Room for Two}
10. I’ll Remember {Madonna}
11. Happy {Pharrell Williams}
12. How Far We’ve Come {Matchbox 20}
13. Gone, Gone, Gone {Phillip Phillips}
14. My Wish {Rascal Flatts}
15. Back Home {Andy Grammer}
16. It Won’t Be Like This for Long {Darius Rucker}
17. I Will Remember You {Sarah McLachlan}
18. In My Life {The Beatles or Johnny Cash}
19. Never Grow Up {Taylor Swift}
20. Firework {Katy Perry}
21. These Are the Days {10,000 Maniacs}
22. Dream Big {Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband}
23. The Climb {Miley Cyrus}
24. To Sir, With Love {Lulu}
25. So Long, Farewell {The Sound of Music}
Which end of the year slideshow songs are your favorites?
I’d love to hear more about how you create your end of the year slideshow? How do you go about designing the slideshow and choosing the music? How long does it usually run?
What kinds of pictures do you like to include? If you get the chance, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Thanks in advance. 🙂
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I always use Carrie underwoods remember when (I think name) also seasons of love from rent, life is a highway by rascal flats, simply the best by Tina turner, aly &aj Christmas song think called greatest time of year.nsometimes muppets song rainbow connection thanks for yours some never heard of!
Thanks Tina! It has been so fun to hear about all the different songs teachers and parents use for end of the school year slideshows! 🙂
I would put see you again by Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa also See You Again by just Charlie Puth
Great list! I will save this for next year. I do our school wide slide show and am always looking for different songs. A couple of my favorites are Let Them Be Little, Never Grow Up, and These Are the Days.
Thanks, Sarah! Love hearing more ideas. How’d your slideshow go this year? Our projector decided to be wonky part way through ours, but otherwise it went well. 🙂
Hall of Fame by the Script is an awesome graduation song. They played it at my sons vpk graduation. It was perfect
The song “I’ll Always Remember You” (I think that’s the name) by Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) is a great song. The lyrics really justify the meaning of graduation.
I really like “Send me on my Way” by Rusted Root.
We are using miley cyrus – wherever I go. it is an amazing song for graduation
I’ve been making slide shows for the end of the year since 2002. I think I love them as much as the kids and families! Last year, I had the honor of making the 6th grade video for my son’s class that was moving up to junior high. Looks like you have most of what I use: Count On Me, Good Riddance, Let Them Be Little, You’ve Got a Friend in Me, You’ll Be In My Heart, The Climb. My Wish, Life Is a Highway. I also use You Raise Me Up (Groban), The World’s Greatest (Kelly), How to Say Goodbye (Smith), When You Remember (Underwood), Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Isreal), Forever Young (Stewart).
Thanks so much for sharing what you use, Alesia! How cool was that – making the video for your son’s class? Were you crying your eyes out? I always blubber a little bit putting these together, so something for my son would make it even more so I think. 🙂
What a great list of songs! I’m a 14 year old making a slideshow for our schools 50th anniversary. For what I’m doing, not all of these songs work but they’re still fantastic! Thanks for taking the time to make a list like this.
If you are at a christian school the song Fingerprints of God is awesome!
I like friends forever which is on bullfrogs and butterflies album God loves fun
Thanks so much for another great idea! 🙂
Jack Johnson – Upside Down, With My Own Two Hands
Kenny Loggins – Your Heart Will Lead You Home
I have made a few of these slideshows, both as a parent and a teacher. Some of my favorites are Born to Be Somebody by Justin Beiber, You’ve Got a Friend in Me from Toy Story, Don’t Blink by Kenny Chesney (I still can’t listen to this one without crying), and My Wish by Rascall Flatts. I love the suggestions you listed. Thanks for some fresh ideas 🙂
These are great suggestions! I like …..
Xmas slideshow – Believe – Polar Express Josh Groban
Find your wings – Mark Harris
Friends forever – Vitamin C
Butterfly Fly Away and The Climb – Miley Cyrus
What software/ app/ program do you use to make your slideshows?
I was using MovieMaker, but I need to find something else for this year. MovieMaker on a different Windows platform doesn’t actually translate to a movie anymore. So disappointed with the mess it was this year! Do you have a preferred program?
During a sports themed pre-k graduation, many years ago, we did a wonderful song by R. Kelly. It was titled “World’s Greatest”, I believe. As I handed out the diplomas to the children’s, this song played. I also created a slideshow of pictures and made a copy for each parent. We used songs lik “We Are the Champions” and “We’re All in This Together” (from High School Musical). Such wonderful memories. <3
LOVE that idea, Naomi! Thank you so much! 🙂
I like Tomorrow by Tevin Campbell and Quincy Jones. I also like R. Kelly’s World’s Greatest.
Thanks, Lauritha!
Let Them Be Little
This is a great list! Thanks for the help 🙂 I also use Jack Johnson’s “Better Together” song alot.
Love that one, too, thanks!
vitamin C – graduation (friends forever) – a end of the millenial Graduation staple at my High school
Thanks so much! 🙂
I’ve made 8 birthday videos for my kids. I tend to use more modern songs. Below is the list of songs I’ve used or plan to use.
1. Andrew & Polly – Little Bitta You
2. Barry Louis Polisar – Me and You
3. Brett Dennen – The One Who Loves You the Most
4. Ed Sheeran – Photograph
5. Inland Sky – Little Hands
6. Jess Penner – All Smiles
7. Mindy Gledhill – Hourglass
8. Plain White T’s – Rhythm Of Love
9. Taylor Swift – Never Grow Up
10. Bruno Mars – Count On Me
11. Bright Eyes – First Day of My Life
12. Matthew West – Safe and Sound
13. Boyce Avenue – On My Way
14. Rob Thomas – Little Wonders
Thanks for those suggestions, I love them! 🙂
A song that I use for my end of year slideshow (and it makes me tear up) is See Me Beautiful by Red Grammer.
Adding that to my list, thank you! 🙂
We have used September by earth wind and fire; Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the waves; and Good Time by owl city and Carley ray jepsen. All really fun songs.
Love all of those suggestions, thank you! 🙂
I have started my end of the year slideshow and I am at an hour with 2 second pictures and only to March pictures. Needless to say, I take a lot of pictures of my first graders. Here are some songs I am using this year . . . obviously not finished yet.
Best Day of My Life – American Authors
Every Moment Counts – Randy Beard
Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
Best Days – Graham Colten
Fight Song – Rachel Platten
Shooting Star – Owl City
It’s Our Time – Marty Casey
Let Them Be Little – Billy Dean
The Time of my Life – David Cook
Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World – Isreal Kamakawiwo’ole
I Lived – One Republic
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
Firework – Katy Perry
Ordinary Miracle – Sarah McLachlan
See You Again – Wiz Khalifa
You Raise Me Up – Josh Groban
Dream Big – Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband
My Wish – Rascal Flatts
I love love love hearing what others are putting in their slideshows! YES, I take way too many photos each year. It’s always so tough to narrow down which to include. 🙂
I am in charge of my elementary school’s morning announcements; every three weeks, there is a different team of 5th graders that are on-air, so they get their individual pictures/theme, plus we have other candid photos taken of events happening around the school. These 1-2 minute clips are edited together for our school’s final year-end video, which usually runs 15 minutes in length
Some of the songs I list are not necessarily the “sappy” type of songs, but go with specific events or are just fun for the kids:
The Police: Too Much Information (before spring break when everyone needs a break)
Mutemath: Typical, also Spotlight (used for Veterans Day assembly pictures)
Alpha Rev: Sing Loud (also works for Veterans Day assembly pictures)
Oingo Boingo: Weird Science (Science Fair photos)
Kraftwerk: Pocket Calculator (Science Fair, math night photos)
The Script: Superheros (our school theme one year was superheros)
Kaiser Chiefs: Good Days, Bad Days
Duran Duran: Planet Earth, also Reach Up For the Sunrise
REO Speedwagon: Time For Me To Fly (fade in at about 1:40, then the lyrics went perfectly with a 5th grade farewell-type montage)
REO Speedwagon: Roll With the Changes
Madness: Wings of a Dove (A Celebratory Song) (such a happy, tropical-sounding song, I think because of the steel drums)
Kate Earl: Learning To Fly
manicanparty: Should I Stay Or Should I Go (breast cancer, everybody dressed in pink photos; the kids LOVED this song, which is of course a cover version of the Clash)
CHVRCHES: Never Ending Circles (bright, cheerful, female vocalist)
Luther Ingram: Exus Trek (this is perfect for Halloween/costume pictures, because it has a spooky edge to it, but still very Mo-town sounding!)
Kim Carnes: Crazy In the Night (also for dress-up/costume pictures)
Moby: Bodyrock (Jump Rope for Heart, all-school run, etc. the kids LOVE this song)
Tyrone Wells: Time of Our Lives (surprised no one has mentioned this yet–this song is perfectly tailored for graduations)
Two Door Cinema Club: What You Know (the kids loved this one, kind of a 5th grade bye-bye song)
Billy Idol: Dancing With Myself (edit out the lyric about “sinking another drink”)
Beatles: The Word (worked for Valentines Day pictures featuring different vocabulary words that speak to kids’ personalities)
No Doubt: Trapped In a Box (the kids LOVED this one)
Hey Champ: Comet, also Neverest (have been meaning to use Neverest but have not gotten around to it yet)
Howard Jones: Things Can Only Get Better
Alphabeat: Vacation (great song to use right before summer vacation starts)
The Other Ones: Holiday (similar theme as above song)
ABBA: Eagle (used with fall fun run pictures)
Said the Whale: I Love You (valentines pictures)
Big Country: In a Big Country
Mark Ronson & the Business Intl.: The Bike Song (the kids LOVED this one; worked well with “back-to-school” type pictures, first day of school & fall playground pictures) I skipped over most of the rap section
Mark Ronson & the Daptone Horns: God Put a Smile On Your Face (yes, a Coldplay cover; this song worked well for a “private detective/spy”-type theme)
Lobo: Me and You and a Dog Named “Boo” (works well for back-to-school type pictures)
Betty Who: Somebody Loves You (works great for Muffins With Mom and Doughnuts With Dad photos)
Filter: Take a Picture
Florrie: Call 911 (Fred Falke mix) the kids LOVED this one
Mint Royale: Wait For You
Fatboy Slim: The Rockafeller Skank (used just the beginning portion of this one….the kids LOVED it) (used with sunglasses day, or “hats ‘n’ tats” day photos)
Capitols: Cool Jerk (see comment from previous song)
Master Shortie: Bringing It Back (I cut out the first verse when he sings about Patrick Swayze and seeing the 80s through his mother’s eyes)…..the kids LOVED this one. Works well with back-to-school type pictures
Quincy Jones Big Band: Boogie Stop Shuffle
The Last Goodnight: Pictures of You
Matchbox Twenty: How Far We’ve Come
Owl City: Fireflies (for a few years there, this song was being used for EVERY video at school, but is probably due for a re-appearance)
Bangles: Different Light
Pixie Lott: Boys and Girls
Libera: Stay With Me (English boy choir with hiphop track underneath)
Jonas Brothers: That’s Just the Way We Roll
Smash Mouth: All-Star
Five: Keep On Movin’ (works well for Jump Rope For Heart-type events)
Jesus Jones: Right Here, Right Now
Shiny Toy Guns: You Are the One
S Club 7: Don’t Stop Movin’
Bewitched: C’est La Vie
Jackson 5: Time Explosion
CSS: Move (CSS is a Brazilian dance/pop group)
The follwoing are songs I have NOT used yet, but would like to in the future:
Gorillaz: 19-2000 (Soulchild Remix) (back-to-school type pictures)
Above & Beyond: Small Moments, also On a Good Day (Metropolis)
Animal TV: Corridor Club
Living In a Box: Living In a Box
Rockwell: Somebody’s Watching Me (Halloween/costume pictures)
Glass Tiger: I Will Be There (Veterans Day assembly photos)
French Horn Rebellion with Jody Watley: Cold Enough (winter recess or snowshoeing pictures)
Shirley Ellis; Soul Time
Talking Heads: Wild, Wild Life
Fitz & the Tantrums: The Walker
Kaligraph E: Life Ahead (samples the Carpenters)
Kraftwerk: It’s More Fun To Compute
Younghearts: A Little Togetherness
Shout Out Louds: Walking In Your Footsteps
Kiki Dee: I’ve Got the Music In Me
Billy Butler: The Right Track
Stereo MCs: Connected
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark (OMD): Electricity (science fair photos)
Reptile Youth: Morning Sun
Judy Collins: Song For Judith (Open the Door)(lyrics are perfect for graduation videos)
Simple Minds: Don’t You (Forget About Me)
Electric Light Orchestra (ELO): Hold On Tight, also All Over the World
Byrds: All I Really Want To Do
B-52s: Topaz
Gabrielle: Rise (channeling Bob Dylan with this song)
Natasha Bedingfield: Pocketful of Sunshine
The Shapeshifters: Lola’s Theme
Hopefully, everyone reading this will be able to find at least one song to use from this list!
WHOA! You are awesome for sharing these songs with us! THANK YOU!
Your list is EXACTLY what I’ve been searching for! Thanks so very much.
So happy I could help!!! 🙂
PRICELESS by For King & Country
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL7WLyCzql8
What a sweet song to add to the list! Thank you!
“Slow Down” by Nichole Nordeman is one of my very favorites. It always makes me teary but it’s very sweet for a preschool promotion.
Oh my word, YES! That one makes me teary every single time, but it is the perfect addition. Thank you, Della!