[High-pitched warning!] Songs with high notes that are hard to sing
The Japanese music scene is known for having a relatively low emphasis on groove, but an unusually large number of high-pitched songs.
In particular, since Japan has finally started earnestly incorporating overseas music in recent years, the overall level of songs has risen dramatically.
With that in mind, this time we’ve picked out Japanese songs that are on the higher side.
From songs with a wide vocal range, to tracks that have pinpoint high parts, to songs that stay in the high register throughout, we selected from a broad set of perspectives—so be sure to find the tracks that suit you!
- Recommended karaoke songs for male vocalists with high voices
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- I want to sing songs that use a lot of falsetto—tracks that are also good for practicing falsetto at karaoke.
- Recommended for great singers! A collection of impressive songs if you can sing them
- [If You Can Sing These, You're Amazing!] Cool Karaoke Songs for Women
- For those confident in their singing ability: Challenging songs to try at karaoke!
- [Karaoke] A roundup of songs that are easy for women to sing!
- Recommended for teenage girls! Easy-to-sing karaoke songs
- [Challenge] A Compilation of Anime Songs with High-Pitched Melodies and High-Tone Vocals
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- Great for karaoke song selection! Recommended easy-to-sing songs for Gen Z women
- [Karaoke] Songs That Make It Easy to Score High | From Classics to the Newest Hits
- [For Teenage Girls] A Collection of Songs That Score High at Karaoke [2025]
[High Notes Warning!] Very High Songs That Are Hard to Sing (111–120)
First LoveUru
This is female singer Uru’s 10th single, released on February 10, 2021.
It’s truly a classic, straight-ahead love ballad! Within the sweet and heartrending melody, I think Uru’s richly expressive vocals really shine.
Personally, I found the contrast in her delivery especially brilliant—the way she belts out the chorus with fullness, then sings the other parts softly, gently, and with a tender sorrow.
Even in that memorable chorus, she avoids going for sheer power with high chest voice, and instead skillfully uses falsetto and mixed voice to create a gentle feel without ever sounding weak.
Because the song requires carefully switching among various types of high-register phonation, I don’t think it’s easy to sing at karaoke.
But once you master it, you’ll surely gain a few levels of expressive ability as a singer.
[High-pitched caution!] Difficult high-range songs to sing (121–130)
DynamiteSuperfly
This is Superfly’s sixth digital single, released on May 23, 2022.
From her debut, vocalist Shiho Ochi has been renowned for her powerful voice and exceptional singing ability, and that vocal presence is fully on display in this track as well! She delivers an impressively powerful, soaring performance.
Her strong, chest-voice high notes are particularly noteworthy.
While it may be difficult for most people to recreate this in karaoke, it’s definitely a song that women who are confident in their high range should try.
One more thing to watch out for when singing this at karaoke is the rhythm.
The song features some intricate rhythmic arrangements, so be careful not to lose track of the vocal entrances by getting pulled along by the backing track.
Goodbye, AliceFlower
A popular song by Flower, the sister group of EXILE.
Known for their strong female fanbase, they deliver a heartbreak song that traces tender, aching feelings.
Their delicate vocals beautifully capture Flower’s unique worldview, drawing listeners into the poignant, sorrowful lyrics.
Knock U downNana Mizuki
A track included on the album “CANNONBALL RUNNING,” released in December 2019.
It was used as the opening theme for TBS’s TV program COUNT DOWN TV for December and January.
Perhaps because voice actors tend to have solid projection and diction, many of them are great singers, and Nana Mizuki is no exception—she delivers a pretty cool performance here.
In this song, she skillfully switches between a powerful midrange, high tones, and clear high notes using mixed voice.
That means it’s not something you can pull off just by having a high voice; it can be quite challenging.
Do your best to sing it while aiming for proper vocal technique! It’s a mid-tempo rock song with a comfortable groove, so it should be a lot of fun to sing.
affectionYuki Koyanagi
When it comes to Yuki Koyanagi, I think many people think of this song.
It was released in 2000, and she was only 18 at the time.
Her voice is so passionate and powerful, it’s hard to believe she was just 18! It overflows with the earnest feeling of “I want to be with the person I love.” She sings the end of the chorus in a very high register.
How about singing this at karaoke and amazing everyone around you?
primary colorsYOASOBI
A song by the Japanese music duo YOASOBI, released digitally on July 2, 2021.
It was used in NTT Docomo’s “ahamo” commercial.
It’s an upbeat, very catchy track, and choosing it for karaoke will surely liven up the room.
YOASOBI’s vocalist, ikura, has a voice with a lot of high-frequency brightness, and the composition makes abundant use of high tones, so this could be a great showcase for women who are good at singing high notes.
However, the original recording seems to use fairly strong pitch-correction effects on the vocals, so trying to imitate that exactly could end up sounding odd.
It might be better not to sing it in an overly imitative way.
PLAYERSYOASOBI
This song was created to celebrate PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, with a theme centered around gaming.
Listening to it, you can really feel that distinctive YOASOBI style.
The chorus sits around E5, so the range is quite high, but there are constant call-and-response shouts in the backing vocals, which makes it nice because you can catch your breath while singing! That chorus is super cute and makes you want to dance, so it seems like it would hype up a live show too! When you sing it, enunciate clearly so the phrases don’t blur together—doing so will make it easier to hear and easier to sing.
Pay attention to your diction!