[2025] Recommended for Your 40s! A Roundup of Perfect Karaoke Songs for Christmas

I LOVE YOUNEW!Hidemasa Tokunaga

HIDEAKI TOKUNAGA – I LOVE YOU

Among the songs by Hideaki Tokunaga, a singer-songwriter emblematic of the ’90s, this track is known for its crystal-clear balladry.

Released in November 1992, it peaked at No.

7 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart and sold over 310,000 copies.

With a simple yet moving melody and Tokunaga’s smooth, soaring high notes, it’s a memorable piece that conveys a warm feeling perfect for the winter season.

It’s also a karaoke favorite: while its straightforward ballad structure makes it easy to sing, it’s a masterpiece that tests the singer’s expressiveness.

It’s a song not only for those who listened in real time, but one that fans of the golden era of ’90s J-pop should definitely try singing.

Christmas BellNEW!Yoichiro Yanagihara

Yoichiro Yanagihara – Christmas Bell / I Am a Musician

This is a single released in November 1995, when Yoichiro Yanagihara was still a member of the band Tama and was credited as Youichiro Yanagihara.

Unlike the usual bright, festive Christmas standards, it tackles a shocking theme: a man whose dreams have failed deciding to take his own life on Christmas Eve.

Yanagihara himself has described it as “the darkest Christmas song in the world.” Even so, its somber subject matter is wrapped in Yanagihara’s characteristically humorous, matter-of-fact storytelling and an arrangement by Moonriders’ Ryomei Shirai that carries a touch of brightness, achieving a delicate balance that contains pathos without becoming oppressively heavy.

Among fans, it’s highly regarded as an “outlier Christmas song,” and for the generation that spent their youth during J-pop’s golden era, singing this sardonic Christmas tune at karaoke might just convey a distinctly adult sense of composure.

I can’t wait until ChristmasNEW!Misato Watanabe

I can’t wait until Christmas

The single released by Misato Watanabe in November 1991 is a song that was re-edited into the “Snowman Version” from the album Lucky and used in a Meiji Life Insurance commercial.

Its vivid imagery beautifully builds anticipation for Christmas against a vast snowy landscape, and the saxophone, which shines from the middle to the outro, leaves a strong impression.

The arrangement blends refreshing guitar tones with rock’s power, carrying a surf music–like lightness that sets winter romance aflutter.

Peaking at No.

12 on the Oricon Singles Chart, this track evokes the buoyant Christmas spirit of the bubble era and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at karaoke.

I can’t say “Merry Christmas.”NEW!Junichi Inagaki

Junichi Inagaki – Can’t Say Merry Christmas ~ Church ver. (Official Music Video)

This is the 20th single by Junichi Inagaki, who has long been active as an urban-style singer, released in November 1990.

Chosen as the commercial song for Sanki’s “Boutique JOY,” it’s a winter staple marked by sophisticated arrangements and poignant lyrics.

Interweaving imagery like a velvet sky and foghorns sounding from the harbor, it delicately portrays the regret and loneliness of being unable to express one’s feelings to someone important.

This ballad, themed around a heart that can’t be honest, is full of mature mood with elements of AOR and city pop.

It’s a recommended number for those whose hearts ache with Christmas memories or when you want to sing in a mellow, intimate atmosphere.

Devil’s Merry ChristmasNEW!Seikima-II

Devil’s Merry Christmas

The heavy metal band Seikima-II, which took the world by storm with its unique worldview, released a single in 1996 that stands out as an unconventional piece, sharply depicting the reality lurking behind the glitz of Christmas.

While it opens with scenes of a holy night wrapped in eerie brilliance, the lyrics also confront the darker sides of society, such as war and poverty, serving as a powerful counterpoint to the festive season.

It’s also memorable that the song was originally produced to run over seven minutes, but the second verse was entirely cut on the grounds that it was too long for a single, with the full version later released in subsequent years.

Combining metal-style intensity with melodic, kayōkyoku-inspired sensibilities, the sound is guaranteed to get a crowd going at karaoke.

It’s a bracing Seikima-II number that’s especially recommended for those tired of the usual Christmas standards.

Santa ClausELLEGARDEN

Santa Claus

Here’s a Christmas song that still shines today, wrapped in a sense of nostalgia.

Featured on ELLEGARDEN’s album “DON’T TRUST ANYONE BUT US,” released in April 2002, this track perfectly fuses the driving energy of melodic punk with heartrending lyrics.

Through Takeshi Hosomi’s distinctive vocals, it depicts a protagonist dressed as Santa Claus trying to deliver a gift filled with love for someone special.

The lyrics—where deep feelings for a lover intertwine with a premonition of parting—are sure to resonate deeply with listeners.

It’s the perfect song to sing on Christmas night while thinking of someone dear.

For those in their 40s looking to light up a karaoke session, give it a try!

Love Song in DecemberGACKT

GACKT “December Love Song”

A winter ballad by GACKT that portrays the warmth of lovers enveloping the city with the arrival of winter.

Released in December 2001, this work reached No.

5 on the Oricon chart and remained on the charts for nine weeks, making it a popular song.

GACKT himself wrote, composed, and produced the track.

Its warm melody and lyrics that romantically depict winter scenes resonate deeply.

English, Chinese, and Korean versions were also released, earning it international acclaim.

It’s a song you’ll want to sing at karaoke during the Christmas season to express your feelings for someone special.

It’s also perfect as background music for cherished moments with your partner, friends, or family.