50 Best Songs to Play at a Leavers’ Party
-
Aug 04, 2026
-
By Learn How To Be a DJ
-
DJ Playlist Ideas
-
4 min read
50 Best Songs to Play at a Leavers’ Party
Leaving school, college, university or a workplace is a milestone worth celebrating. A great Leavers’ Party playlist helps create an atmosphere that is both nostalgic and exciting, bringing people together one last time before everyone moves on to new opportunities. Whether it is a school prom style celebration, sixth form farewell, university graduation party or office leaving event, music provides the soundtrack to memories that will last for years.
The audience at a Leavers’ Party is usually made up of friends, classmates, colleagues and family members spanning different musical tastes. For that reason, the most successful playlists include a mixture of pop, dance, R&B, indie, disco, rock and timeless party classics that appeal to everyone. Familiar singalong anthems, feel good classics and modern chart hits help create a positive atmosphere while encouraging guests onto the dance floor.
The energy should gradually build throughout the event. Start with relaxed background music while guests arrive and socialise before moving into upbeat classics and current favourites as the evening develops. Towards the end of the celebration, emotional singalong tracks and feel good anthems work particularly well as everyone reflects on shared experiences and prepares for their next chapter.
When planning music for a Leavers’ Party, think about variety rather than sticking to one genre. Include music from different decades so that parents, teachers, lecturers, managers and guests of all ages can enjoy themselves alongside younger attendees. Mixing well known pop hits with dancefloor fillers, classic disco, R&B favourites and modern chart music keeps the atmosphere fresh and entertaining throughout the celebration.
A carefully planned Leavers’ Party playlist should create memorable moments, encourage plenty of dancing and finish on a high. The following collection features some of the most reliable songs that professional DJs regularly use to keep the dance floor full at farewell celebrations.
50 Best Songs to Play at a Leavers’ Party
| No. | Song | Artist | Original Release Year | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Don’t Stop Me Now | Queen | 1979 | Rock |
| 2 | Mr. Brightside | The Killers | 2003 | Indie Rock |
| 3 | Dancing Queen | ABBA | 1976 | Disco |
| 4 | I Gotta Feeling | The Black Eyed Peas | 2009 | Pop |
| 5 | Shut Up and Dance | Walk the Moon | 2014 | Pop Rock |
| 6 | Can’t Stop the Feeling! | Justin Timberlake | 2016 | Pop |
| 7 | Uptown Funk | Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars | 2014 | Funk Pop |
| 8 | Happy | Pharrell Williams | 2013 | Pop |
| 9 | Levitating | Dua Lipa | 2020 | Disco Pop |
| 10 | Blinding Lights | The Weeknd | 2019 | Synth Pop |
| 11 | Firework | Katy Perry | 2010 | Pop |
| 12 | Roar | Katy Perry | 2013 | Pop |
| 13 | Hall of Fame | The Script featuring will.i.am | 2012 | Pop Rock |
| 14 | Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) | Green Day | 1997 | Acoustic Rock |
| 15 | We Are Young | Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe | 2011 | Indie Pop |
| 16 | Counting Stars | OneRepublic | 2013 | Pop Rock |
| 17 | Best Day of My Life | American Authors | 2013 | Indie Rock |
| 18 | Rather Be | Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne | 2014 | Dance Pop |
| 19 | Titanium | David Guetta featuring Sia | 2011 | Dance Pop |
| 20 | Wake Me Up | Avicii | 2013 | EDM |
| 21 | Levels | Avicii | 2011 | Progressive House |
| 22 | One Kiss | Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa | 2018 | House |
| 23 | Feel So Close | Calvin Harris | 2011 | Dance |
| 24 | Freed from Desire | Gala | 1996 | Eurodance |
| 25 | September | Earth, Wind & Fire | 1978 | Disco |
| 26 | Celebration | Kool & The Gang | 1980 | Funk |
| 27 | Ain’t No Mountain High Enough | Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell | 1967 | Soul |
| 28 | Sweet Caroline | Neil Diamond | 1969 | Pop |
| 29 | Don’t Stop Believin’ | Journey | 1981 | Rock |
| 30 | Livin’ on a Prayer | Bon Jovi | 1986 | Rock |
| 31 | Walking on Sunshine | Katrina and the Waves | 1985 | Pop Rock |
| 32 | Valerie | Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse | 2007 | Soul Pop |
| 33 | Can’t Take My Eyes Off You | Andy Williams | 1967 | Pop |
| 34 | Hey Ya! | Outkast | 2003 | Hip Hop |
| 35 | Crazy in Love | Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z | 2003 | R&B |
| 36 | Yeah! | Usher featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris | 2004 | R&B |
| 37 | 24K Magic | Bruno Mars | 2016 | Funk Pop |
| 38 | Treasure | Bruno Mars | 2013 | Funk Pop |
| 39 | Dance Monkey | Tones and I | 2019 | Pop |
| 40 | Flowers | Miley Cyrus | 2023 | Pop |
| 41 | As It Was | Harry Styles | 2022 | Pop |
| 42 | Shake It Off | Taylor Swift | 2014 | Pop |
| 43 | Party Rock Anthem | LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock | 2011 | Electro Pop |
| 44 | We Found Love | Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris | 2011 | Dance Pop |
| 45 | Get Lucky | Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams | 2013 | Disco |
| 46 | Sex on Fire | Kings of Leon | 2008 | Rock |
| 47 | Pompeii | Bastille | 2013 | Indie Pop |
| 48 | Castle on the Hill | Ed Sheeran | 2017 | Pop Rock |
| 49 | Unwritten | Natasha Bedingfield | 2004 | Pop |
| 50 | This Is Me | Keala Settle & The Greatest Showman Ensemble | 2017 | Musical Pop |
Learn How to Be a DJ
If creating playlists like this has inspired you to step behind the decks yourself, there has never been a better time to learn. DJing is a rewarding skill that combines music knowledge, creativity and performance, whether you want to play at parties, weddings, clubs or festivals.
Our comprehensive ebook covers everything beginners need to know, including choosing DJ equipment, understanding music structure, beatmatching, mixing techniques, reading a crowd, building playlists and finding your first paid bookings.
Start your DJ journey today with How to Become a DJ and discover the skills, techniques and confidence needed to perform like a professional.