Lovely karaoke song

[Karaoke] Songs That Make It Easy to Score High | From Classics to the Newest Hits

Vocal coachMami Kubota
After working as a voice trainer at a studio for seven years, I went independent in 2025. To date, I’ve taught more than 300 students. Honestly, I started teaching out of simple curiosity (lol). When I was job hunting, I stumbled across a listing for a “vocal instructor,” thought, “What is this?!” and applied on impulse. That’s how I became a teacher with zero prior knowledge—so I went through more training than anyone and studied a lot on my own. When I started teaching what I’d learned to my students, their responses were really positive, and that’s when I felt a real sense of purpose. As a teacher, I absolutely love those moments when I’m growing together with my students. As for my musical activities, I’ve been playing bass in a wind ensemble since high school and still do. I’ve also performed live in a band as a singing bassist, and sometimes I’m invited to sing as a vocalist only. Through vocal training, I want to keep using my voice and stay healthy and beautiful for years to come!
Former vocal coach specializing in Western musicRyo
Under the theme of “vocal skills that stand up on the world stage,” I have experience teaching as an online vocal coach specializing in Western music, and I usually listen to genres like nuevo flamenco, bolero, canzone, and R&B. In my teens, I questioned the idea that “foreign music equals English,” and started exploring songs from around the world. My commentary is characterized by a unique perspective shaped by listening to music of every genre, in every language, from every country. I mainly cover world music, so be sure to check it out!

The skills required for Japanese music from a while back and those for today’s J-pop have changed significantly.

Since a relaxed singing style is now the mainstream, techniques like delicate pitch control and a clear, airy falsetto are becoming essential.

This time, we’ve picked songs that match modern trends while still letting anyone aim for high karaoke scores without strain.

You’ll also find easy-to-understand explanations from a former and current vocal coach, so be sure to check it out to the end!

For women (ages 11–20)

The Future Projection IIDREAMS COME TRUE

DREAMS COME TRUE – Future Prediction Map II ~VERSION '07~ (from Live from DWL 2015 Live Ver.)

Future Projection II DREAMS COME TRUE

This is a song included as the 10th and final track on Dreams Come True (DREAMS COME TRUE/Dorikamu)’s second album, “LOVE GOES ON…,” released in 1989.

Although it was not released as a single, it is considered one of DCT’s signature songs.

Miwa Yoshida of DCT is often praised as a highly skilled vocalist, and some people might think, “Can you really aim for a high score with a DCT song?” But fear not! This song has a very straightforward melody, the pitch is easy to catch, and the vocal range used is set so that most women can sing it without strain.

If the original key is tough, transposing the key should easily solve the problem.

Since Miwa Yoshida’s singing style is quite distinctive, I’d say—speaking with a vocal director’s mindset—“Don’t try to imitate her exactly!” However, if you’re aiming for a high score at karaoke, it’s better to carefully study how she uses dynamics and phrasing in her performance.

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White LoveSPEED

White Love – SPEED (Full)

White LoveSPEED

This is SPEED’s fifth single, released in October 1997.

It was a massive hit, selling a total of 2 million copies.

True to the 90s J-pop classics, where being popular at karaoke was practically essential for a hit, it features a very easy-to-remember and singable melody.

The Japanese lyrics fit the music beautifully as well, so if you sing it carefully, it should be relatively easy to score high.

And if you can nail those high notes head-on without switching to falsetto and let them soar straight through, that’s the best!

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MarigoldAimyon

Aimyon – Marigold [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

Marigold Aimyon

It’s Aimyon’s fifth single, released in August 2018.

Some women may find the low notes a bit challenging to sing, but if you can get past that, you should be able to aim for a high score with this song.

Also, the way the lyrics fit the melody is quite unique, so you may need to memorize where to breathe and sing accordingly.

Staying faithful to the original—such as how the rests are placed—is also key to getting a high score, so be sure to learn that well.

And don’t forget to sing the high notes with power!

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Love isMiliyah Kato

MILIYAH Kato “Love is…”

Love is Miliyah Kato

This is Miliyah Kato’s 10th single, released in June 2007.

At first listen, many people might feel it seems quite difficult to sing, but the underlying chord progression is the classic “canon progression” often used in ballads—in fact, the arrangement is more like placing a vocal line over Pachelbel’s Canon.

So if you tackle it without hesitation, you should be fine.

When you reach the high notes near the end of the chorus, be mindful not to let the falsetto burst out too sharply; try to sing as gently as possible and give it a go.

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For women (21–30)

rainbow-coloredAyaka

Ayaka / “Nijiiro” (Theme song for the NHK morning drama series “Hanako to Anne”) Music Video (Short Ver.)

Nijiiro Ayaka

It’s Ayaka’s 13th single, released first digitally in April 2014 and then on CD in June of the same year.

When you think of Ayaka, you probably think of a powerhouse vocalist, so many people might hesitate to sing her songs at karaoke.

But Nijiiro has a very friendly, easy-to-remember melody, so if you don’t focus too much on imitating her vocal style, I think it’s not that hard to score high.

Try singing it while keeping the song’s light, brisk feel and being careful not to make it too heavy.

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User ManualKana Nishino

User Manual – Kana Nishino (Full)

KANA NISHINO - “Torisetsu” (User Manual)

Kana Nishino’s 27th single, released in September 2015.

It was also the theme song for the film “No Longer Heroine.” By now, it’s probably become one of the standard songs sung at weddings.

I bet many people have performed it as entertainment at friends’ wedding receptions, too.

It’s a super cute melody that really makes the most of Kana Nishino’s persona—she’s never claimed to be a so-called “powerhouse” vocalist—so it’s exceptionally easy to sing even at karaoke.

If your delivery gets too heavy, it can spoil the vibe, so try to keep it light, bright, and cute throughout! That said, if you’re confident in your singing, it could also be fun to lean into your vocal ability and really show it off.

Precisely because the melody is simple, there are lots of ways to enjoy the song beyond just aiming for a high score!

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In conclusion

To score high in karaoke, rhythm and pitch are more important than anything else.

In live vocals, even dropping a semitone can be accepted as a stylistic choice, but in karaoke scoring it will lead to a big deduction.

If you’re aiming for a high score, listen to the song thoroughly and drill the vocal line into your head.

With the rise of Western pop and K-pop, there are more high-difficulty songs these days, but at the same time, there are also more songs where it’s easier to fudge mistakes.

At Ragu Music, we update lists of easy-to-sing songs daily, so if you’re looking for tracks where you can get away with little slips, be sure to check out our other articles!