1999 Sentimental Hit, Called the 'Most Iconic Farewell Anthem,' Resurfaces Every Year Despite Never Reaching No. 1
It's the farewell anthem that fans will never actually say goodbye to: Vitamin C's nostalgic track "Graduation (Friends Forever)."
The beloved sentimental pop song was released as part of Vitamin C's self-titled debut album in 1999, and over 25 years later, it still remains a go-to graduation staple that fans continuously bring back every year.
But despite its continued success over the years, "Graduation (Friends Forever)" never hit No. 1 on the charts. After it was released as a single in 2000, the song peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 38, spending a total of twelve weeks at various spots on the chart.
The song also hit the Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 chart (now known as the Pop Airplay chart), where it peaked at No. 12 in June 2000. According to Spotify, "Graduation (Friends Forever)" has been streamed more than 43 million times, making it by far the most popular song from Vitamin C's entire music catalog.
The fan-favorite graduation song has been referred to as the "most iconic farewell anthem ever," as noted in a 2020 press release from Vizzy Hard Seltzer, which released a light-hearted parody of the Vitamin C track to bid farewell to the tumultuous year that was 2020.
"Graduation (Friends Forever)" is also consistently included on roundup lists of the best graduation songs, including a ranking from Teen Vogue, which placed the Vitamin C classic as the No. 16 song on its list of the Best Graduation Songs for the Ultimate Graduation Playlist.
Parade even named it the "best graduation song of all time" in a May 2026 ranking, along with other ceremony staples like "Good Riddance (Time of Our Lives)" by Green Day, "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons and more.
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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 4:26 AM.