For those confident in their singing ability: Challenging songs to try at karaoke!
How do people practice songs that are hard to sing at karaoke? Not being able to hit the high notes, running out of breath, not keeping the rhythm… Even with those worries, don’t you ever think, “It would be so cool if I could nail that difficult song perfectly!”? The truth is, the tougher the song, the more likely it is that you can sing it surprisingly well once you get the hang of a few tricks.
In this article, we’ll introduce the traits of challenging songs you’ll want to try at karaoke, along with techniques to help you sing them well.
Let’s master that song you admire—together!
- S-Rank Difficulty!? A Compilation of Songs with Wide Vocal Ranges
- [High-pitched warning!] Songs with high notes that are hard to sing
- [For Men] Cool, Popular Songs That Impress at Karaoke
- [For Men] Tough Karaoke Songs: A collection of tracks that look cool if you can sing them!
- [If You Can Sing These, You're Amazing!] Cool Karaoke Songs for Women
- Recommended for great singers! A collection of impressive songs if you can sing them
- [Sing this and you’ll steal the spotlight!] Difficult Songs to Sing at Karaoke [Women’s Edition]
- [Challenge] A compilation of Vocaloid songs that are difficult to sing
- Karaoke songs popular with women that they want men to sing
- [Karaoke] Songs That Make It Easy to Score High | From Classics to the Newest Hits
- Even karaoke beginners can relax! Easy-to-sing songs for men
- [I want to sing out loud] Songs that feel great to belt and are fun for karaoke
- Recommended karaoke songs for male vocalists with high voices
[For those confident in their vocal abilities] Difficult songs to tackle at karaoke! (91–100)
TATOOOfficial HIGE DANDism
It’s Official Hige Dandism’s 10th digital-only single, released in April 2023.
It was reportedly written as the theme song for the TBS Friday drama “Pending Train: 8:23, Tomorrow With You.” For people singing this song at karaoke, the key point is, above all, how faithfully you can reproduce vocalist Satoshi Fujihara’s taut, expansive high tones.
Try to sing without constricting your throat as much as possible.
If you aim your voice toward the upper palate, you’ll get a tone rich in sparkling high overtones like his, so give it a try.
Also, be careful not to let the slightly bouncy rhythm flatten out.
Flamequeen bee
This is the fifth single by the Japanese four-piece rock band QUEEN BEE (Ziyoou-vachi), released on January 30, 2019.
It was used as the opening theme for the first cour of the 2019 TV anime Dororo.
Even on a quick listen, the song clearly contains many elements that make it far from straightforward to sing.
There are numerous sections delivered in an ultra-high tone using falsetto, as well as many parts that are performed almost like rap or spoken lines, giving the entire track a daunting, hard-to-conquer feel.
Precisely because of that, mastering this song will surely bring you many rewards—so by all means, give it a try!
Because the sun will rise againGreen Yellow Society
It’s Ryokuoushoku Shakai’s fifth single, released on April 20, 2022.
It was written as the theme song for the Toho-distributed animated film Crayon Shin-chan: Mononoke Ninja Chinpūden.
At first listen, it comes across as an upbeat, catchy pop song, but if you dig deeper into the track, you’ll notice that the melody—especially in the chorus—features wide leaps in pitch throughout.
Many people may find it quite a challenge for casual karaoke.
It might be a good idea to thoroughly review the original song—especially the high sections—and make a singing plan in advance, such as deciding what kind of vocal placement to use and where.
Be sure to keep your delivery bright and energetic from start to finish!
selfish; self-centered; willfulwhale
Kujira is a singer-songwriter also known as a Vocaloid producer.
A male singer renowned for his high notes, he’s gained popularity with sophisticated compositions that draw on his background as a Vocaloid P.
Among his tracks, the one I especially recommend is Wagamama.
This song uses the “Just the Two of Us” progression that’s been showing up incredibly often in recent J-pop, and it features frequent falsetto lines.
It also carries a slightly Black music vibe, so you’ll need a good sense of groove to pull it off.
Give it a try.
AmbivalentUru
Uru is a female singer-songwriter known for her soft, distinctive vocal tone.
She’s recognized for a variety of styles, from rock-tinged J-pop to classic mainstream J-pop, and she’s especially popular among listeners in their teens and twenties.
Among her works, a standout recommendation is Ambivalent.
While the vocal line itself isn’t particularly difficult, trying to replicate her whispery voice immediately raises the level of difficulty.
If you’re aiming for a high level of polish, practice producing sustained long tones in a breathy, whisper-like voice that uses plenty of breath.
GAME OVERSIRUP
Singer-songwriter SIRUP is active on the R&B scene.
He skillfully adapts authentic R&B into a Japanese style, and his outstanding musicality has earned high praise even from hardcore R&B aficionados.
Among SIRUP’s tracks, the one I especially recommend is “GAME OVER.” The most challenging aspect of this song is, without a doubt, the falsetto.
Falsetto appears throughout the track, and on top of that you also have to add ad-libs, making it quite difficult.
KarenaiBonbero
Hip-hop is increasingly becoming a central presence in the mainstream.
Among the new generation of rappers, there are artists with skills that would have been unimaginable in Japanese rap until now.
One of the most skillful rappers representing this new generation is Bonbero.
His track “Karenai” features a complex and rapid-fire flow that could be considered the cutting edge of contemporary Japanese rap.
It’s a highly challenging piece of hip-hop, so definitely give it a try.