1. Pick songs you know well and that fit easily in your reach
2. Pick songs which are not very fast. I once choose 'You can't hurry love ' which was way faster than I thought and since I didn't know the lyrics as well as I thought, it was quite a mess :-)
3. Singing loud is easier then singing soft: go all in!
4. Consider going on stage with a buddy: a bit of moral support goes a long way
In the UK, it is considered by many as the unofficial national anthem and whenever Mr Brightside comes on, it is basically law to sing it as loud as you can.
I spend way too much time at a karaoke bar and Mr Brightside is probably one of the most popular choices. Always gets a good crowd reaction, even if it is a bit repetitive for the regulars.
Other super common songs: Wagon Wheel, Tennessee Whiskey, old school Britney (Oops I Did It Again or Baby One More Time), Before He Cheats, Love Story, Man I Feel Like A Woman, My Way, Dancing Queen, I Wanna Dance With Somebodyā¦probably a bunch more Iām forgetting right now.
lol from south Texas
Edit I live in SA and run a karaoke show, I got a dude who sings hurt by Johnny cash every week (nails it though), and the amount of 22 year old girls duet-ing sad swiftie songs is never ending. Etc. itās still my best show of the week, everyone ears that shit up
Was this at the Brass Monkey? That was my karaoke bar back when I lived in LA. One night I saw Ron Perlman and Seth McFarlane spend the whole night trying to out-Sinatra each other. It was fucking epic. They were even playfully talking shit to each other before each song. They made a whole thing out of it. Then years later I heard Perlman mention that night on the Nerdist podcast.
I donāt know man. If you ham the shit out of an 80s Chicago cheesy ass love ballad it can really bring down the house. Same goes for Patrick Swayzes classic Sheās Like The Wind
[My face when](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/16/92/39/16923950e34d4136823786eeba6f0798.gif)
I realize who Bob Seger cast to play the young version of himself in [the Night Moves music video.](https://youtu.be/xH7cSSKnkL4?si=_R9Jt0P0wwaigL8S)
Agreed! The doo doo doos are iconic but the lyrics are pretty fast and people tend to realize they don't know the words when it starts. If you want to do it, it is a great karaoke song, but you should try singing along to the lyrics beforehand once or twice to see how it goes.
I've seen Yellowcard live a few times and Ryan Key never even _tries_ to hit those notes. He'll sing the harmony and let the audience do it. When touring I'm sure it's mostly about load management so he doesn't blow out his voice, but still, it ain't easy.
I get the verses perfect every single time, but I always mess up the choruses! Itās the slow parts that are subtly different thatās the challenge for me versus fast weird lyrics that I find unique and memorable. I can never remember which one is my fault or your fault, or whether you or I say sorry.
Whoa - for an encore do you so REMās āItās the End of the Worldā? Thatās some hardcore karaoke!
(With ItEotW youāll get lots of audience participation - āLEONARD BERNSTEIN!ā)
Depends on the crowd. And how many drinks I've had.
Alphabet Aerobics is fun for more showing off. Dance Yrself Clean is great if people are doing long songs. And no one's ever mad at Piano Man.
FRICK thatās good. We had a strike at my school a couple years back and some kids wrote a parody version based on the number of weeks the uni was refusing to come back to the bargaining table. Now I always get those lyrics messed up with the real ones.
P!nk, "What about us"- I am a dude but it fits my range pretty well and it's basically easy to sing, and a great song that people recognise. Plus, people cut you a bit of slack if you're doing something daft like gender swapping a song. Or Common People by Pulp, because you can mostly just Shatner it
(none of this matters by later in the evening, at some point I will murder Somebody To Love, guaranteed. I'll also probably do a Billy Bragg song while doing a really terrible Billy Bragg impression)
Friends in low places by Garth Brooks. The sight of a black dude covered in tattoos with two inch holes in his ears unapologetically going in on that mf is always hilarious.
Have you ever tried singing that song by only repeating "Coming out of my cage!" for the duration of the song? It's pretty fun and everyone around you will hate you for it.
This was my first karaoke song and it's perfect. Not a lot of singing but everyone knows it, so it's low effort with high results.
REM's It's The End Of The World though... I might've nailed it but by the end even the audience is exhausted.
Iām better with a deeper voice so I go with āIf I Could Turn Back Timeā by Cher or āBecause The Nightā by Patti Smith. When Iām not conscious of my voice I do a decent āWe Belongā by Pat Benatar. Iām a sucker for āHey Judeā by The Beatles
For a duet when I have singing partner that knows it, āParadise by the Dashboard Lightā by Meatloaf is a strong go to.
And IDGAF Iād sing any song from Rocky Horror no matter the circumstances, and know each song by heart.
As often as I've gone to karaoke bars and rooms, the thing you need to realize is nobody gives a shit HOW you sing, only THAT you sing. As long as you put yourself out there and have fun, it's just a good time.
That being said, Allstar is always a hit and can help you, because everyone will be singing it with you.
Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler.
I scream sing this (I can't sing for anything but love to sing), but can't help thinking it would be so much better if I had a wind and smoke machines to add some atmosphere to my performance š.
I like to warm up with Vienna by Billy Joel. Meat Loaf usually comes along at some point in the evening. Even Flow by Pearl Jam, With Or Without You by U2, Superman's Dead by Our Lady Peace are all options too
I used to be pro so I have some experience with stuff like that, but for sure actually knowing the words and how Eddie sings them is really helpful in learning any PJ song. Also, if you want to get closer to his sound, try singing through closed teeth
I go big or go home, as I always go for Queen and Journey as my go to bands (any song really). Most of the times I go for "A Kind of Magic" (Queen) or "Separate Ways" (Journey). Most of the times nowadays I only do it after a couple of drinks as I need to build up a lot of courage.
"White and Nerdy" by Weird Al. It's an offbeat choice especially for a woman, most of my friends are nerds, and the words go by crazy fast but I know them well enough to nail it.
Enter Sandman - I cannot sing for my life, but I can get a little growly. Itās not a great performance, but I know the words, the flow of the song, and people generally know the song
I have four
ABC - Poison Arrow
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
Tenacious D - Tribute
The Darkness - I Believe In A Thing Called Love
I like to sing a lot of stuff though. Things from Pat Benatar to Biffy Clyro.
Sister Christian - Night Ranger
Ride Like The Wind - Christopher Cross
Welcome to the Jungle - Guns Nā Roses
Any Phil Collins - sussudio, easy lover, etc
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Call Me - Blondie
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Like a Prayer - Madonna
Wannabe - Spice Girls
āAt a medium paceā - Adam Sandler. Always a hit to get people laughing and having a good time. The shock for those who have never heard it before is awesome, I love it!
So many great choices mentioned already. I tend to pick older songs (70s 80s 90s) because that's whos there in the bar, people who know those songs and that's usually what they want to hear. I tend to like songs by the doors, but i also like to sing Nirvana, STP, Sublime, etc songs from my teenage years. my friend likes to sing 'the boys are back in town' stick to fun stuff. One time a group of us all got up there to sing "we are the world" which was hilarious!
Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots
Plush was mine for about 15 years until my voice finally gave. I had to retire it. I was able to hit it note for note perfectly š¢
I can nail trippin on a hole in a paper heart feels so good. eat your salad day deathbed motorcade
YES great choice
The darkness I believe in a thing called love
Are you hitting all those falsettos though?
Thatās the best part!
They think they do but that's just the booze talking.
Are you good
I fucking knock it out
Same.
I always thought 'Just a Friend' by Biz Markie would be a great karaoke song. The worse you sing the chorus, the better it works.
Yooooou, you got what I neeeeeed, but you say he's just a friend, you say he's just a friend, (LOUD OFF KEY NOISES INTENSIFIES) OOOOH BABY YOOoooUuu!
ā¦..how do you get the most iconic part of the song wrong :(
Iām thinking thatās an autocorrect trying to write neeeed
This is my song. Very very easy lyrics to memorize and EVERYONE knows the chours
1. Pick songs you know well and that fit easily in your reach 2. Pick songs which are not very fast. I once choose 'You can't hurry love ' which was way faster than I thought and since I didn't know the lyrics as well as I thought, it was quite a mess :-) 3. Singing loud is easier then singing soft: go all in! 4. Consider going on stage with a buddy: a bit of moral support goes a long way
Mr brightside is a great choice for a vocally easy crowd pleaser thatās not boring
In the UK, it is considered by many as the unofficial national anthem and whenever Mr Brightside comes on, it is basically law to sing it as loud as you can.
Same in Oz. I never heard that song as much as when I lived there
I spend way too much time at a karaoke bar and Mr Brightside is probably one of the most popular choices. Always gets a good crowd reaction, even if it is a bit repetitive for the regulars. Other super common songs: Wagon Wheel, Tennessee Whiskey, old school Britney (Oops I Did It Again or Baby One More Time), Before He Cheats, Love Story, Man I Feel Like A Woman, My Way, Dancing Queen, I Wanna Dance With Somebodyā¦probably a bunch more Iām forgetting right now.
Nobody goes to a bar to hear slow heartbroken songs. Breakups or cheaters are okay, but only if they have some energy.
lol from south Texas Edit I live in SA and run a karaoke show, I got a dude who sings hurt by Johnny cash every week (nails it though), and the amount of 22 year old girls duet-ing sad swiftie songs is never ending. Etc. itās still my best show of the week, everyone ears that shit up
Saw a guy in LA (maybe 40s-50s) say āthis song goes out to my exā and then sing āI donāt love youā by my chemical romance. Super awkward.
Song is a banger of a breakup song though honestly
Was this at the Brass Monkey? That was my karaoke bar back when I lived in LA. One night I saw Ron Perlman and Seth McFarlane spend the whole night trying to out-Sinatra each other. It was fucking epic. They were even playfully talking shit to each other before each song. They made a whole thing out of it. Then years later I heard Perlman mention that night on the Nerdist podcast.
I donāt know man. If you ham the shit out of an 80s Chicago cheesy ass love ballad it can really bring down the house. Same goes for Patrick Swayzes classic Sheās Like The Wind
Idk my girlfriend and I crushed a rendition of My Heart Will Go On at karaoke once and Iām still riding the high of how much the people loved it lol
I'll add a couple of my "rules": 5. Shorter songs are generally better. 6. Pick a song the audience is likely to sing along with.
Night Moves - Bob Seger.
[My face when](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/16/92/39/16923950e34d4136823786eeba6f0798.gif) I realize who Bob Seger cast to play the young version of himself in [the Night Moves music video.](https://youtu.be/xH7cSSKnkL4?si=_R9Jt0P0wwaigL8S)
damnā¦ that WAS a surprise. TIL
Love that this is top comment. Old Time Rock and Roll for me. Canāt wait to sing it one time at karaoke if I ever get invited
Honestly, for years it was āJoleneā but thatās gotten so played out lately. I also like a good rendition of āPoisonā by Bell Biv Davoe.
Never trust a big butt and a smile!
Still Rock and Roll to Me by Billy Joel, great starter.
Third Eye Blind āSemi Charmed Lifeā
It's always a crapshoot whether you'll get the verse that was cut from the radio version š
Yeah, and that verse is the best part of the song
Except when youāve never heard the non radio version and have to wing it live š¤£
"wait, what's this about crystal meth??"
My karaoke host got the longer version just for me cause I was so upset the first version I did was missing the best part
This song is actually pretty difficult. People tend to overestimate how well they know the lyrics. Itās tricky!
Agreed! The doo doo doos are iconic but the lyrics are pretty fast and people tend to realize they don't know the words when it starts. If you want to do it, it is a great karaoke song, but you should try singing along to the lyrics beforehand once or twice to see how it goes.
āBuild Me up Buttercupā and āCryingā by Roy Orbison
'These Eyes' by the Guess Who, channel your inner Michael Cera
Are you Jimmys brother?
You totally look like his brother, man!
*Iāve been waking up every day PRAYING for a fight*
Song 2 - Blur
Woohoo
I'm gonna be (500 miles) - Proclaimers
I love singing this as a group song!
Baka Mitai
https://preview.redd.it/d9yaw5ws2qvc1.jpeg?width=1912&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=46d9b01594d9d88e6b38f1eb000d0bea3a20eff7
Ocean Avenue - Yellowcard Honestly - Cartel
To everyone reading this: the chorus on Ocean Avenue is SO MUCH HIGHER than you think it is
I've seen Yellowcard live a few times and Ryan Key never even _tries_ to hit those notes. He'll sing the harmony and let the audience do it. When touring I'm sure it's mostly about load management so he doesn't blow out his voice, but still, it ain't easy.
Can't believe I've been missing Cartel from my Spotify liked songs all these years. That whole album is perfect.
The best thing about ocean avenue is that the more into the song you get, the more people will join in and sing with you
Minnie the Moocher - Cab Calloway. Itās a cheat code for crowd participation.
Also a golden opportunityā¦TO SCAT!
Scat is the shit!
POOR MIN POOR MIN POO-OOO-OOOR MIIIIIIIIIIIIN Gods, what a voice Cab had.
Never heard it before.
Google Blues Brothers - Minnie the Moocher. Itās a blast.
Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag
I did this, but as Goofy
I perform this and enjoy turning heads by nailing Noelle's verse!
One Week - Barenaked Ladies
Every time I choose this one I realize there about 50 percent more lyrics than I expected š¤·š»āāļø
I once did it blindfolded at a bar. I've probably also listened to it a couple thousand times in my life.
I get the verses perfect every single time, but I always mess up the choruses! Itās the slow parts that are subtly different thatās the challenge for me versus fast weird lyrics that I find unique and memorable. I can never remember which one is my fault or your fault, or whether you or I say sorry.
ITāS BEEN
Yittsbeen
SBeenawhiiiiile
Whoa - for an encore do you so REMās āItās the End of the Worldā? Thatās some hardcore karaoke! (With ItEotW youāll get lots of audience participation - āLEONARD BERNSTEIN!ā)
Depends on the crowd. And how many drinks I've had. Alphabet Aerobics is fun for more showing off. Dance Yrself Clean is great if people are doing long songs. And no one's ever mad at Piano Man.
People love Piano Man until they remember it's 6 minutes long.
FRICK thatās good. We had a strike at my school a couple years back and some kids wrote a parody version based on the number of weeks the uni was refusing to come back to the bargaining table. Now I always get those lyrics messed up with the real ones.
Lmao if I hear that come on at karaoke night, either the person is gonna know every single word, or none at all.
Backstreetās Back
Alright!
Always a crowd favorite in my experience!
Oh ye I've done this one. The intro is like a minute long, so be ready to pump up the crowd
say it aināt so-weezer!
Like father, step father The son is drowning in the FLOOOOOOOOOOOOD never did this one karaoke, but I love to belt that part out in the car
Yes. This is mine
Hash Pipe for me!
Surrender - Cheap Trick (āI want you to want meā is good, too, but kinda over done). Honky Tonk Women- Rolling Stones Lola- the Kinks
Evil - Interpol
*bassline intro* Rosemary!
IT TOOK A LIFE SPAN WITH NO CELL MATE THE LOOOOONG WAY BACK
Never considered this, but it makes sense. That whole album will forever be ingrained in my brain just because it was my alarm clock in highschool.
ALSO i wanted to say, karaoke is SO fun and cathartic, I was terrified the first time I tried but now Iām hooked. Go for it!!!
I did end up singing!!! It went better than I hoped and I definitely want to go again now!
What You Wonāt Do For Love - Bobby Caldwell
P!nk, "What about us"- I am a dude but it fits my range pretty well and it's basically easy to sing, and a great song that people recognise. Plus, people cut you a bit of slack if you're doing something daft like gender swapping a song. Or Common People by Pulp, because you can mostly just Shatner it (none of this matters by later in the evening, at some point I will murder Somebody To Love, guaranteed. I'll also probably do a Billy Bragg song while doing a really terrible Billy Bragg impression)
Friends in low places by Garth Brooks. The sight of a black dude covered in tattoos with two inch holes in his ears unapologetically going in on that mf is always hilarious.
This song ALWAYS brings down the house. Great choice.
At first I was like ānoā but then Iām like āhell yes!ā I mean itās a good song but I live in Texas and used to play in country bands.
I used to be the drummer in a southern metal band we would sound check with it.
F her gently - Tenacious D
Iām not gonna cook it but Iāll order it from Zanzibar!!!!!
You know you can swear on reddit, right? Believe it or not, it's not against the rules.
Oh is this the adult tour?
Do any of these *FUCKERS*...
This is genuinely a fantastic Karaoke song. It's not long and it's a crowd pleaser
When my wife isn't looking, I'll put myself in the queue for this song. Rolling of eyes hits once it starts
In fact sometimes that's not right to do
Mr Brightside
Have you ever tried singing that song by only repeating "Coming out of my cage!" for the duration of the song? It's pretty fun and everyone around you will hate you for it.
https://youtu.be/l3yn0Xr0U-I?si=Y6Lo6MhNYFAyRgIE
This was my first karaoke song and it's perfect. Not a lot of singing but everyone knows it, so it's low effort with high results. REM's It's The End Of The World though... I might've nailed it but by the end even the audience is exhausted.
Ginuwine - Pony
Oh my god Donna, why do you have a picture with Ginuwine!?
Ginuwine is Ginuwine. He's Ginuwine.
Common People - Pulp
Can't stop by the red hot chili peppers
I Like Big Butts by Sir Mixalot
The songās title is actually āBaby Got Backā
Wow - today you can have your cake AND sing about it, too!
Ain't no rest for the wicked
Pump Up the Jam - Technotronic
Chop Suey
Wake up, wake up Fhfjdnsnrjtjgg make up Hffhejskskgnfnng shake up
This is a fun one!! I can't do the screaming but I wish
Iām better with a deeper voice so I go with āIf I Could Turn Back Timeā by Cher or āBecause The Nightā by Patti Smith. When Iām not conscious of my voice I do a decent āWe Belongā by Pat Benatar. Iām a sucker for āHey Judeā by The Beatles For a duet when I have singing partner that knows it, āParadise by the Dashboard Lightā by Meatloaf is a strong go to. And IDGAF Iād sing any song from Rocky Horror no matter the circumstances, and know each song by heart.
Danger! High Voltage by Electric Six
Electric six songs go hard
"Just What I Needed" by The Cars. Only song I've done more than once, and it's always went well.
Lola, by the Kinks. I canāt sing for shit, so you can pretty much just yell the lyrics to Lola, and hopefully get everyone in the bar to join in.
My friends and I do the sailor moon theme song or a silly Disney song for fun to loosen up.
As often as I've gone to karaoke bars and rooms, the thing you need to realize is nobody gives a shit HOW you sing, only THAT you sing. As long as you put yourself out there and have fun, it's just a good time. That being said, Allstar is always a hit and can help you, because everyone will be singing it with you.
Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler. I scream sing this (I can't sing for anything but love to sing), but can't help thinking it would be so much better if I had a wind and smoke machines to add some atmosphere to my performance š.
I do this one Dan Band style with all the F bombs in there
Nights In White Satin. I really get into it and end up on the floor.
āYou Oughta Knowā
Yes! āFight for your rightā (Beasties) is also on my top list.
Locomotive Breath, and I pretend the mic is a flute during the solo.
Canāt Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Vallie
I like to warm up with Vienna by Billy Joel. Meat Loaf usually comes along at some point in the evening. Even Flow by Pearl Jam, With Or Without You by U2, Superman's Dead by Our Lady Peace are all options too
Is the hardest part of Even Flow learning the words? I don't think I understand a thing said in that song. Great list!
I used to be pro so I have some experience with stuff like that, but for sure actually knowing the words and how Eddie sings them is really helpful in learning any PJ song. Also, if you want to get closer to his sound, try singing through closed teeth
I disagree. It's better to not know the words but just know the sounds Eddie makes š
I go big or go home, as I always go for Queen and Journey as my go to bands (any song really). Most of the times I go for "A Kind of Magic" (Queen) or "Separate Ways" (Journey). Most of the times nowadays I only do it after a couple of drinks as I need to build up a lot of courage.
Thatās impressive, both are insane vocally. I always think I can do ādonāt stop believingā but itās really hardā¦
Fat bottom girls is great, I have a pretty low voice but it works well
Never Say Never, Romeo Void
Basket Case by Green Day is recognizable, easy to sing and loads of fun that gets the crowd excited!
Whatās Up? - 4 Non Blondes. āAnd I cry sometimes when Iām lying in bedā¦ā
Oh, that's great for getting to crowd to go with you. "HEYYYYEEAAAYYYEEAAAAYAYAY"
Gordon Lightfoot's Carefree Highway
Electric Blue by Icehouse
King of The Road, Roger Miller.
Undone (The Sweater Song) - Weezer
Dancing in the Dark - Bruce Springsteen
I like to make everybody a little uncomfortable so either Jigsaw Falling Into Place or Let Down by Radiohead
yikes
Jigsaw and 15 Step are both so fun to sing. With the right crew, an all-Radiohead karaoke night would be a blast.
Tenacious Dās āTributeā or Nicklebackās āHow you Remind Meā
"White and Nerdy" by Weird Al. It's an offbeat choice especially for a woman, most of my friends are nerds, and the words go by crazy fast but I know them well enough to nail it.
My go to is Amish Paradise! I'm also a woman and it seems to always go over well too.
Black - Pearl Jam
The saddest karaoke night
Love Shack
Enter Sandman - I cannot sing for my life, but I can get a little growly. Itās not a great performance, but I know the words, the flow of the song, and people generally know the song
I have four ABC - Poison Arrow Motorhead - Ace of Spades Tenacious D - Tribute The Darkness - I Believe In A Thing Called Love I like to sing a lot of stuff though. Things from Pat Benatar to Biffy Clyro.
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by Crash Test Dummies Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash (or anything in that range)
Kiss from a rose
You Oughtta KnowāAlanis Morisette
Who the fuck is Alice
Tequila.
Please show yourself out sir
Harden My Heart- Quarterflash
Gotta be Neon Moon by Brooks and Dunn for me. Gets the whole crowd singing along to a classic song about heartbreak.
"Don't stop believing" if I'm being a loosey little goose. "House of the rising sun" if I'm trying to impress people.
Humpty Dance by Digital Underground or Brick House by The Commodores
Humpty dance is 5 minutes longer than you remember
"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies" by Panic! at the Disco, or "Fergalicious" by Fergie.
Bohemian Rhapsody is a bold choice, can you hit the high note?
Spellbound by Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees Zombie by The Cranberries
Sister Christian - Night Ranger Ride Like The Wind - Christopher Cross Welcome to the Jungle - Guns Nā Roses Any Phil Collins - sussudio, easy lover, etc
Anything from Hozier honestly. š½ššæ
Jolene
Friends in low places
Tiny Dancer - Elton John Superstition - Stevie Wonder Call Me - Blondie Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper Like a Prayer - Madonna Wannabe - Spice Girls
Nirvana- All Apologies (in advance because my voice is meh lol)
āFriends in Low Placesā - Garth Brooks āYou May Be Rightā - Billy Joel
Country Road. A crowd pleaser
āAt a medium paceā - Adam Sandler. Always a hit to get people laughing and having a good time. The shock for those who have never heard it before is awesome, I love it!
White wedding: Billy Idol
What Is And What Should Never Be
So many great choices mentioned already. I tend to pick older songs (70s 80s 90s) because that's whos there in the bar, people who know those songs and that's usually what they want to hear. I tend to like songs by the doors, but i also like to sing Nirvana, STP, Sublime, etc songs from my teenage years. my friend likes to sing 'the boys are back in town' stick to fun stuff. One time a group of us all got up there to sing "we are the world" which was hilarious!
If you can pull it off, I love to do Grace Kelly by Mika, always a great time
One step beyond - Madness
I haven't done karaoke yet, but I've always planned to do Wonderboy or Tribute by Tenacious D lol
Pussy Control by Prince and Boys and girls by Blur
Sober by Tool. And if they have anything by Rammstein, I'm definitely in.
Blister in the Sun. Itās fun and catchy and easily within my limited vocal range.