Recently I published a 7 part series on High School graduation party planning. I have had a few requests to publish the play lists from my last two children’s graduation parties. This is an addendum of sorts to the series. You can find Part 1 of the series here, and Part 5, on creating a musical playlist here. My daughter graduated from High School in 2007, so some of the songs on this list were popular at the time, but have faded. As you will see, we had a mix of old and new as well. Some of the hours had themes, and where there is a them, I tried to tell you what it was. Nearly all of the songs had meaning and purpose to being on the list, that’s just how I was when I made my list. Some were meaningful to me, some to my daughter, others to friends and family who were there. I won’t bore you with the meanings behind each. I will just say that when planning your playlist, give thought to those songs that might be special to you and your guests.

In a couple of days, I will post the list from my son’s graduation party in 2009
Noon – 1:00pm (We were still setting up. The official party didn’t start until 2:00pm)
Kool & The Gang – Celebration
Lou Bega – Mambo Number 5
Ricky Martin – Livin’ La Vida Loca
Gary Glitter – Rock and Roll Part 2
Cher – If I Could Turn Back Time
Bryan Adams – Summer of 69
Queen – Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Lonestar – Mom
The Monkees – Hey Hey We’re the Monkees
Nena – 99 Luft Balloons
Nickleback – This is How You Remind Me
Prince – Let’s Go Crazy
Safaris – Wipeout
Sweet – Ballroom Blitz
Chuck Berry – Johnny B. Goode
Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive

1:00pm – 2:00pm (Tried to have some energy in these songs.)
Avril Lavigne – Sk8er Boi
The Beatles – Twist and Shout
Celine Dion – It’s All Coming Back to Me Now
Pat Travers Band – Boom Boom Out Go the Lights
Frank Sinatra – Fly Me to the Moon
Lonestar – My Front Porch Looking In
Mamas and the Papas – California Dreamin’
Melissa Ehteridge – I’m the Only One
Avril Lavigne – Complicated
Eddie Money – I Think I’m in Love
Soft Cell – Tainted Love
Thomas Dolby – She Blinded Me with Science
Good Charlotte – Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
Styx – Don’t Let it End

2:00pm – 3:00pm (Official start of the party. First few songs are obvious.)
Black Eyed Peas – Let’s Get it Started
Pink – Get this Party Started
Iggy Pop – Lust for Life
Fatboy Slim – Rockafeller Skank
The Who – Who are You
Black Eyed Peas – Pump It
Good Charlotte – Waldorf Worldwide
Jamiroquai – Canned Heat
Quincy Jones – Soul Bossa Nova
Dion – Runaround Sue
Hoobastank – The Reason
Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now
Rascal Flatts – Life is a Highway
Rob Thomas – This is How a heart Breaks
Ros Stewart – Motown Song
Usher – Yeah!

3:00pm – 4:00pm (Dance tunes. When we first planned the party, we thought dancing might break out)
Abba – Dancing Queen
AC/DC – You Shook Me All Night Long
The B52s – Love Shack
Bachman Turner Overdrive – Takin’ Care of Business
Elton John – Crocodile Rock
Eminem – Just Lose It
The Kinks – You Really Got Me Now
Lumidee – I’ll Never Leave You
Transylvanians – Time Warp
Kenny Loggins – Footloose
Ohio Players – Love Rollercoaster
The Champs – Tequila
The Isley Brothers – Shout
Vicki Sue Robinson – Turn the Beat Around

4:00pm – 5:00pm (American Idol earlier, then songs important to our guests from Cleveland, Ohio)
Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone
Josh Gracin – I Want to Live
Carrie Underwood – I’ll Stand By You
Bon Jovi – Shot Through the Heart
Carrie Underwood – Jesus Take the Wheel
Josh Gracin – Nothing to Lose
Carrie Underwood – Wasted
Daughtry – Home
Carrie Underwood – Before He Cheats
Josh Gracin – Peace of Mind
Daughtry – It’s Not Over
Daniel Powter – You Had a Bad Day
The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again
Michael Stanley Band – All I Ever Wanted
Michael Stanley Band – He Can’t Love You

5:00pm – 6:00pm (Starts with the continuation of songs important to our Cleveland guests, then general pop)
Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
Ian Hunter – Cleveland Rocks
Earthquake – Friday on my Mind (Live Version)
The Vogues – Five O’Clock World
Justin Timberlake – Sexy Back
Quiet Riot – Come on Feel the Noise
Ashlee Simpson – Pieces of Me
Avril Lavigne – Girlfriend
Dropkick Murphys – Tessie
Green Day – Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Marky Mark – Good Vibrations
Mercy Me – I Can Only Imagine
Nickleback – Photograph
Pink – God is a DJ
Rascal Flatts – Bless the Broken Road
Third Eye Blind – She Likes Me for Me
LFO – Summer Girls

6:00pm – 7:00pm (the Country Music and the 1970s)
Garth Brooks – Low Places
Faith Hill – Mississippi Girl
Kenny Chesney – Back Where I Come From
Kenny Chesney – Keg in the Closet
Lynrd Skynrd – Sweet Home Alabama
Rascal Flatts – These Days
Rascal Flatts – Fast Cars and Freedom
Earth Wind and Fire – Shining Star
Foreigner – Hot Blooded
Journey – Open Arms
The Bee Gees – Jive Talkin’
KC & the Sunshine Band – Boogie Shoes
Kool & the Gang – Jungle Boogie
The Knack – My Sharona
Lipps Inc. – Funkytown
The Who – Baba O’Reilly

7:00pm – 8:00pm (General pop)
John Fogerty – Centerfield
AC/DC – Hells Bells
Barenaked Ladies – If I Had $1,000,000
Aerosmith – Walk This Way
Creed – Higher
Donots – We Got the Noise
Evanescence – Bring Me to Life
Hootie & the Blowfish – Only Wanna Be With You
KISS – Rock and Roll All Night
Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell
KISS – Shout it Out Loud
Steppenwolf – Born to be Wild
Evanescence – My Immortal
ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man

8:00pm -9:00pm (General pop)
Barenaked Ladies – One Week
Black Crows – Let me Light Your Candle
Smokey Robinson & Miracles – Love Machine
Abba – Mama Mia
Boston – Foreplay / Long Time
The Doors – Touch Me
Eddie Money – If I Could Walk on Water
Maroon 5 – She Will be Loved
Meat Loaf – Good Girls Go to Heaven
Naked Eyes – Always Something There to Remind Me
George Thorogood – Who do You Love
Robert Palmer – Simply Irresistable
Simon & Garfunkel – Kodachrome
Mariah Carey – Vision of Love
Billy Joel – Piano Man

9:00pm – 10:00pm (After hours – songs grandma might not approve)
Black Eyed Peas – Let’s Get Retarded
Queen – Fat Bottomed Girls
Eminem – Ass Like That
Black Eyed Peas – My Humps
Ludacris – Moneymaker
Kanye West – Gold Digger
50 Cent – Disco Inferno
Brad Paisley – Alcohol
Eminem – Lose Yourself
Fall Out Boy – Dance, Dance
Kid Rock – Bawitdaba
Nelly – Air Force Ones
Shaggy – It Wasn’t Me
Justin Timberlake – Rock Your Body
Don McLean – American Pie