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!
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- [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 ability] Difficult songs to challenge at karaoke! (21–30)
Chaos reaches its peakNEW!UNISON SQUARE GARDEN
UNISON SQUARE GARDEN is a band that enjoys immense popularity in the anisong scene.
If you like anime, you’ve probably heard their songs at least once.
Among their tracks, the one I especially recommend as a challenging piece is “Chaos ga Kiwamaru” (“Chaos Reaches Its Peak”).
This song covers a wide vocal range from mid1E to hiC, and, true to UNISON SQUARE GARDEN’s style, features intense pitch shifts up and down.
Except for the part at the end of the chorus, most of it is built around high tones, making it a demanding song in terms of vocal stamina.
Episode XAdo
Ado, a vocalist widely supported by many generations—especially young people—continues to create buzz with every release.
Her track “Episode X” drew particular attention in the singer community for its high level of difficulty.
The song not only features falsetto but also showcases Ado’s signature shouts throughout.
It’s not just about singing powerfully; certain parts require delicate delivery, making it a piece that demands a wide range of vocal techniques.
chantAdo
It’s the official theme song of Universal Studios Japan’s Halloween event—the one that became famous for the zombie dance! It’s an extremely challenging song packed with high-pitched shouts, low, spoken parts, and rap-like sections.
I learned it together with my students during lessons, too! Of course, once you can sing it well, it’s incredibly fun and satisfying! Some of the lyrics use difficult words, so I recommend listening to the original and memorizing them carefully one by one.
The tempo is very fast and you have to keep singing one line after another, but if you push too hard, you can wreck your throat, and if you hold back too much, it loses impact.
If you use your breath well and project your falsetto strongly, you can sing with a cool, powerful tone! Also, since it’s a dance track, once you feel more comfortable, try moving your body or swaying as you sing—you’ll lock into the rhythm, your voice will come out more easily, and it’ll be easier to add accents!
poofNEW!King Gnu
King Gnu is a band that has gained popularity for its highly original musicality.
While they have many tastefully crafted songs, they’re also known for having plenty of difficult ones.
Among their catalog, the track I especially recommend is Doron.
Known as the theme song for the film “Stolen Identity 2,” it has a gritty atmosphere and a fairly wide vocal range from mid1 A# to hi A#.
On top of that, the melodic leaps up and down are quite intense, but the most challenging parts are the chorus and the C section.
When the chorus and C section hit, the tempo jumps up all at once, leaving few breathing points; combined with the sharp rises and falls in pitch, it makes nailing the intonation extremely difficult.
PropositionNEW!RADWIMPS
The RADWIMPS song “Meidai,” known as the theme for the popular news program news zero.
Their recent tracks tend to have dramatic pitch leaps, and this one is no exception, featuring a succession of phrases that require intense rises and falls in pitch.
The vocal range here is quite wide, from mid1 C to hi A#, and since there isn’t much leeway either lower or higher, you’ll need to break through the range barrier on your own.
The pitch movement in the chorus—where the energy peaks—is relatively gentle, so the chorus shouldn’t be an issue; however, there are very few breathing points, so make sure to study the vocal line in advance.
Fantastic MagicNEW!TK from Ling tosite sigure
A band known for many difficult high-tone phrases, TK from Ling tosite sigure.
While all of their works could be considered challenging, the one I especially recommend as a particularly tough piece is Fantastic Magic.
The hardest point of this song is, without a doubt, the chorus.
The range is mid1E to hiG#, which is still better compared to unravel, but almost the entire chorus sits at hiE or above.
Since the chorus is composed almost entirely of high-tone vocals, by the time you finish singing, the strain on your temples and throat will be immense—but I encourage you to give it a try.
Love song foreverNEW!Vaundy
Singer-songwriter Vaundy is known for his wide-ranging musical style.
His track “Zutto Love Song,” released in August 2025, has garnered fervent support from fans.
The song leans toward a rock sound with a hint of Showa-era flavor, featuring distinctly Japanese phrases reminiscent of kayōkyoku.
While the piece isn’t consistently difficult throughout, the B-melody includes a section with pronounced pitch jumps, so you’ll need to be careful not to go off pitch there.
That said, the B-melody itself is very catchy and easy to sing, so if you’re confident in your pitch sense, be sure to give it a try.