[Karaoke] Classic and Popular Ballad Songs You’ll Want to Sing at Karaoke

DancerFukkun:)Tatsuki Fukuda
Primarily active in Tokyo, I have experience as a backup dancer for artists, a music video dancer, and a commercial dancer. I continue to work as a dancer while also engaging in article production. After discovering Michael Jackson in junior high school, I began dancing in my second year of high school. Since starting dance, in addition to the J-Pop and Japanese rock I had been listening to, I began exploring Western R&B, rap, alternative music, and other tracks commonly used for dance. In elementary school, I spent three years in a choir, and because I love singing, I often go to karaoke for fun. These days, I enjoy a wide range of music, from Japanese rock and rap to K-pop.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICKeisuke Hane
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. After working at a music studio and in wedding sound engineering, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with various instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in middle school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on personal music activities and professional experience, produces daily articles, including song introductions, features on music festivals around Japan, and live reports. Enjoys a wide range of music, from domestic and international rock to, more recently, a broad spectrum of J-pop.

We’re introducing classic and popular ballad songs that are perfect for karaoke!

If you’re looking to sing ballads at karaoke, we’ve gathered a list of popular picks just for you.

When you sing ballads at karaoke, putting your emotions into the performance or choosing highly relatable songs can create a different kind of excitement than upbeat tracks.

It’s also fun to talk about the lyrics and what the song is trying to convey.

In this article, we’ll showcase popular karaoke ballads—from timeless classics to the latest hits.

Find the perfect song for you and give it a try!

Ballad Songs You Want to Sing at Karaoke: Best Rankings [1st–20th] (21–30)

Ballad of a SingerKazuyoshi Saito

Kazuyoshi Saito – Ballad of a Singer (2008 Ver.) [Music Video]

Ballad of a Singer by Kazuyoshi Saito

It’s a song that makes you want to sing while thinking of someone special on those long autumn nights when you somehow crave human warmth.

It’s one of singer-songwriter Kazuyoshi Saito’s signature tracks, depicting the love of a clumsy protagonist who can only convey his true feelings through song.

The lyrics, which carry straightforward emotions that are hard to say in everyday life, are beautiful and hit you right in the heart.

Released in November 1997 as his 15th single, the song is well-known for being covered by many artists and for being chosen as the theme song for the 2017 animated film Lu Over the Wall.

With the warm tones of the acoustic guitar and Saito’s gentle vocals resonating deeply, it’s also a great choice to sing with all your heart at karaoke.

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rendezvousShy Taupe

rendezvous

Rendezvous chai taupe

A languid, sweet vocal that seeps into the heart—this track is perfect for long autumn nights.

Created by Shytopes, a three-piece rock band from Kyoto, it paints a romantic picture of the heartache of a breakup.

The image of the protagonist dashing out into the rain despite knowing they’ll never meet again is truly wrenching.

Lyrics that sing of the void left in everyday life by a lover’s absence resonate with the reflective air of autumn.

Upon its release in April 2023, the song spread rapidly across social media, surpassing 100 million streams by November of the same year.

It was later included on the album “Hors d’oeuvre.” At karaoke, why not let your emotions ride the bittersweet melody and deliver it with a gentle, soulful touch?

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A world without youmetropolitan knowledge

A world without you

A world without you, Toshiki

A love song marked by a beautifully resonant falsetto right from the opening line.

Toshiki is a singer-songwriter known for a distinctive vocal production and phrasing, and this song he posted on TikTok in July 2022 drew widespread attention.

The world the song weaves—combining translucent vocals with lyrics that express a straightforward, aching love—is truly lovely.

Though sentimental, it somehow warms the heart, perhaps because it subtly conveys gratitude toward the person with whom irreplaceable time was shared.

Try singing it as if gently speaking to someone, with kindness in your voice.

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mutualHakubi

Hakubi – Aitagai [MV]

Mutually, Hakubi

Hakubi is a three-piece band from Kyoto formed around the concept of “music that stays by your side in the middle of the night.” Aitagai is their first song to directly confront the theme of romance.

Its lyrics capture the heartache of the ordinary no longer being ordinary, and the realization of what’s precious only after it’s gone—so sing it with emotion.

While the lyrics are written from a male perspective, the music video portrays the shifting emotions of a woman, making it a mid-tempo track that both men and women can relate to and sing along with.

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AsterSaucy Dog

Saucy Dog “Shion” Music Video

Shion Saucy Dog

A love song written as the theme for the animated film To Me, The One Who Loved You, released in October 2022.

The story follows two boys who can travel between parallel worlds, each falling in love with the same girl in their respective worlds, and the heartrending lyrics strike a chord.

The flower meaning of shion (Aster), which is also the title, is “I won’t forget you.” Sing with a straightforward belief in a single, true love—gently, yet powerfully.

Listeners will surely find themselves empathizing.

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Live.Mr.Children

Mr.Children “Live” MUSIC VIDEO

Live, Mr.Children

A song by the four-piece rock band Mr.

Children, who have consistently led the J-POP scene since the 1990s.

Featured on the best-of album “Mr.

Children 2015-2021 & NOW,” released to commemorate their 30th major-label debut anniversary, this ballad was written as the theme song for the film “Kingdom II: To the Far Lands.” While the melody soars ever higher and can be challenging to sing at first sight, the overall vocal range isn’t wide, so it becomes quite singable if you set it to a key that suits you.

It’s a song with a message that resonates especially in today’s era—one that would captivate listeners’ attention if performed at karaoke.

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Tracing That Dream (Ballad Ver.)YOASOBI

YOASOBI “Tracing That Dream (Ballade Ver.)” – Collaboration Special Movie with the Smartphone Film ‘Drops of Dreams and Star Flowers’

Tracing That Dream (Ballade Ver.) by YOASOBI

A digital-only single by the music duo YOASOBI, who have continued to dominate the J-POP scene since the massive hit of their debut single, “Yoru ni Kakeru.” This is a ballad version of their second single, created based on Sota Ishiki’s novel “Yume no Shizuku to Hoshi no Hana,” and it was used as the song for Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s CalorieMate commercial.

The overall high key raises the difficulty, so adjusting to a key that suits your voice is necessary; however, the relaxed tempo makes it recommended even for those who find the original version hard to sing.

It’s a ballad that remains easy to sing at karaoke, allowing you to feel the beauty of the melody even with a different arrangement.

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