[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
- S-Rank Difficulty!? A Compilation of Songs with Wide Vocal Ranges
- 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 Alert!] Difficult High-Pitched Songs to Sing (201–210)
Fragments of LoveEvery Little Thing
It was released in 2000 as Every Little Thing’s 16th single.
It was used in a Shiseido “Ma Cherie” commercial.
The lyrics were written by the vocalist, Kaori Mochida, herself.
It reached No.
2 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
The positive lyrics and soaring high notes are wonderful.
Tears Flowing EndlesslyRimi Natsukawa
This is a timeless classic that never loses its luster, with lyrics Ryoko Moriyama wrote in memory of her brother who passed away early, beautifully sung by Rimi Natsukawa.
It’s hard to imitate her voice, but anyone with a high vocal range should be able to sing it with ease.
Please sing it with all your heart.
Gentle CometYOASOBI
This is a single by the Japanese music duo YOASOBI, released digitally on January 20, 2021, and later included on the March 2021 single “Kaibutsu/Yasashii Suisei.” It also served as the ending theme for Season 2 of the Fuji TV anime BEASTARS.
The song features singer ikura’s deft use of mixed voice and falsetto to create a gentle, high-tone vocal performance, with songwriting and production crafted to showcase her voice to the fullest.
Women who are comfortable with high notes will likely earn high praise if they select this song at karaoke and deliver it well.
The vocal melody itself is very approachable, so when you sing it, be careful to keep the high tones from becoming too piercing.
BONSAIimase
Singer-songwriter imase has exploded in popularity since the 2020s.
Many teenage boys, I think, admire his vocals.
Among his songs, the one I especially recommend for its striking high notes is BONSAI.
This pop track, which incorporates elements of Black music, features falsetto reminiscent of the funk of the 1970s.
Groove is also key in this piece, so be sure to give it a try.
Because the sun will rise againGreen Yellow Society
This is Ryokuoushoku Shakai’s fifth single in total, released on April 20, 2022.
It was written as the theme song for Toho’s animated film Crayon Shin-chan: Mononoke Ninja Chinpūden.
It’s an upbeat, energetic, and fun track that really lets you enjoy vocalist Haruko Nagaya’s bright and lively singing.
I can confidently recommend it as a perfect karaoke pick for women who are strong in the high range! As a vocal coach and producer, I could write a lot about technique and things to watch out for when singing this song—but for this joyous tune, I won’t spoil the fun with nitpicking! Don’t worry about small mistakes; sing brightly and have fun!
Biting the second handI wish it could stay midnight forever.
I think this is a song that’s fun to listen to and fun to sing! Zutomayo’s ACA-san has a cute, easy-to-listen-to voice, but when you actually try to sing it, the range is really high whether you use head voice or chest voice.
By the way, in this song the highest note is E5 in the chorus, and it’s amazing that she belts it in chest voice rather than falsetto.
Keeping the pitch steady in the chorus is especially tough! Also, the rhythm is unique, with lots of spots where notes are subtly lengthened or cut short.
When you sing it yourself, you might find parts that don’t quite line up with the rhythm.
Instead of jumping straight into karaoke, it’s a good idea to sing along while listening to the original track!
A bird that cannot flyyuzu
This song is one where Yuzu’s Iwasawa takes the lead vocals, and it’s quite high-pitched.
The A section sits low and is sung almost like spoken word, so it’s relatively easy and calm, but the pitch shoots up right at the start of the B section.
The highest note is C#5 in the chorus, and there are lots of long sustained notes, so it can be tough unless you’re constantly resonating in the head.
For reference, my student also struggled quite a bit from the B section, but once they worked on a head voice that resonates up top, they were able to sing the whole song.
Because it’s a high song, you might focus only on the high notes, but the surprising pitfall is actually the low parts.
It’s easy for the pitch to sag and turn into a throaty sound, so keep your eyebrows raised even as the melody changes—just like Iwasawa does—when you sing.
Aim for Iwasawa’s crystal-clear voice!