Moving masterpieces and popular songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke
Have you ever been moved by a song you heard someone sing at karaoke?
From bittersweet love songs to anthems that cheer you on in life, to tracks that tell stories that resonate deeply—many songs can leave a lasting impression.
Of course, sometimes it’s the singer’s skill that makes it moving, but in this article, we’ll introduce a wealth of timeless songs that can move listeners no matter who’s singing them.
It’s a flood of emotionally powerful songs—so moving you might cry—when you think about the messages in the lyrics and the stories behind them!
Be sure to try singing them yourself and move everyone around you.
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Touching masterpieces and popular songs you’ll want to sing at karaoke (11–20)
dogwood (flowering dogwood)Yo Hitoto
If you deliver it tenderly at karaoke, it’s sure to create a moving mood in an instant.
Released in 2004, this was Yo Hitoto’s fifth single.
Written based on an email from a friend who was in New York at the time of the September 11 attacks, the song beautifully sings of a pure heart thinking of a loved one and wishing for that person’s everlasting happiness.
A gentle medium-tempo ballad—perfect for a breather.
It was used as the theme song for Nippon TV’s “Tuesday Suspense Theater,” among many other tie-ins.
On the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart, it charted for 125 consecutive weeks, logging a total of 136 weeks on the charts, and it recorded a long-running hit in karaoke rankings with 90 consecutive weeks in the Top 5.
In other words, it’s a classic!
smileIkimonogakari
This is a heartwarming song themed around smiles.
Released in July 2013, it was used as the theme song for the film “Pokémon the Movie.” While it shares a common theme with Ikimonogakari’s other song “Arigatou,” this work focuses on the cyclical nature of time and the repetition of happiness, portraying these ideas from a unique perspective.
It achieved musical success, including placing in the Oricon Top 10 for two consecutive weeks.
Centered on the bonds with someone precious and the strength to protect that person’s smile, it’s a perfect choice for karaoke if you want to move the people around you.
AnswerLila Ikuta
It’s one of those timeless songs that makes you stop and listen whenever someone sings it.
Written and composed by Lila Ikuta, the piece honestly expresses anxieties and inner conflicts about the future while serving as an anthem for everyone who takes on a challenge.
Released digitally in March 2021, it was also featured in a commercial for Tokio Marine Nichido Anshin Life.
Included on Lila Ikuta’s first album, “Sketch,” the song’s simple ensemble and gentle vocals offer comfort and encouragement to many listeners.
Celebrating the importance of continuing to strive toward one’s dreams and hopes, it’s sure to move the hearts of those who hear it when sung at karaoke.
StoryAI
It carries a powerful message: if we don’t cherish the time we spend with our loved ones in this very moment, we might not be able to see them tomorrow.
It’s a moving song that anyone—regardless of gender—can sing at karaoke.
In recent years, the English version of this track was also featured in the Disney film Big Hero 6.
There’s no doubt that many people were brought to tears by its powerful lyrics.
As a widely loved ballad, if you can sing it well, it’s sure to get the crowd going.
SoranjiMrs. GREEN APPLE
A song celebrating the preciousness of life and the power of hope has been born.
Released by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE in November 2022, this track was created as the theme song for the film “From Siberia With Love.” With its beautiful strings and mystical chorus, the piece resonates deeply with listeners.
The lyrics convey the importance of holding on to hope even in the face of hardship and cherishing the small joys of everyday life, prompting us to reflect on the meaning of living.
It’s a perfect choice not only for karaoke but also as an uplifting song for yourself or someone you care about.
Give it a listen when you feel lost in life or want to encourage someone.
As a personSUPER BEAVER
It’s a song by SUPER BEAVER whose straightforward message—embracing human weakness and contradictions in their entirety and shouting “I want to live cool”—really hits home.
The track is included on their album ‘27,’ released in June 2016.
It even became the opening theme for a drama starring Mayu Matsuoka, though it’s surprising it was never released as a single.
The lyrics lay bare the regrets and distrust we all carry, yet convey a determination to keep believing and loving anyway.
If you could shout your convictions like this, it would feel amazing.
When you want to share that fiery feeling with friends, picking this at karaoke will instantly heat up the room.
It’s a fight song for you who, even if clumsy, want to live honestly and straight.
Moving, must-sing karaoke classics and popular songs (21–30)
rendezvousShy Taupe
Dreaming of an impossible reunion with a lost lover, they break into a run through the rain.
It’s a song by Shytoop that evokes a bittersweet yet romantic scene.
Listening to it, the protagonist’s pain comes through so vividly that it’s hard to imagine anyone not having their own restless memories of love stirred up.
The lyrics, which capture everyday feelings of loss through distinctive metaphors, pair perfectly with vocalist So Sasaki’s sweet, languid voice.
Released in April 2023, the track resonated widely on social media and has surpassed 300 million total streams.
It was later included on the album “Hors d’oeuvre.” If you sing it with feeling at karaoke while nursing the pain of a broken heart, your friends will likely be drawn into its poignant world before they know it.