Karaoke songs to sing in January: classic and popular tracks to hype up the party
When you’re unsure where to go during the New Year holidays—after a family or relatives’ gathering, or following a New Year’s party with friends or coworkers—karaoke can be a great option, right?
Here are some perfect songs for the New Year and winter tunes we’d love for you to sing at those get-togethers!
We’ve put together a wide-ranging selection, from winter songs that capture bittersweet emotions to tracks themed around new beginnings—popular hits spanning the Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa eras.
Even if you don’t usually go to karaoke but have plans to join for the sake of the company, be sure to use this as a reference!
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Karaoke songs you’ll want to sing in January: Classic and popular tracks to hype up the karaoke party (11–20)
winter fallL’Arc〜en〜Ciel
This is the eighth single by L’Arc~en~Ciel, a four-piece rock band whose members all take part in songwriting and who captivate listeners in Japan and abroad with their wide-ranging musicality and ever-evolving style.
Chosen as the image song for the TV drama “Chicago Hope 2,” it also marked a turning point for the band as their first single after drummer yukihiro officially joined.
With lyrics and arrangements that evoke snowy plains, it’s a track you’ll want to hear in the cold winter months.
Its brisk, exhilarating tempo makes it a gem of a winter song that’s sure to heat up karaoke sessions even in the dead of January.
Snow Magic FantasySEKAI NO OWARI
This is a song full of warmth that blows away the winter chill, with a pleasantly resonant melody.
Released by SEKAI NO OWARI in January 2014, it was used as the CM song for JR East’s ski travel campaign “JR SKISKI.” It became the band’s first No.
1 across both singles and albums on the Oricon charts, achieving a major hit with over 100,000 copies sold in its first week alone.
The lyrics weave in winter traditions and fantastical scenery, drawing listeners into a story.
Evoking the season while gently coloring the start of a new year, this is a piece you’ll definitely want to sing!
Heroineback number
This is the 11th single by back number, a three-piece rock band whose bittersweet lyrics and the vocals and songs that express them resonate with listeners’ sensibilities, especially among younger generations.
It was used as the theme song for JR East’s “JR SKISKI” commercial and is also known as one of back number’s signature tracks.
The lyrics—sure to make your heart race if you sing them at karaoke with your crush—are quintessential back number.
It’s a song you’ll want to sing at karaoke in January, right in the depths of winter, with an atmosphere that evokes wintry scenes and strikes a chord in your heart.
meringueMacaroni Enpitsu
This is a song by Macaroni Enpitsu, a band formed in 2012 at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Kanagawa Prefecture.
It was also used as the JR SKISKI commercial song from 2020 to 2021, a campaign that has sparked the creation of many winter staples and classics.
The track warms the heart with lyrics about thinking of a loved one amid the winter cold.
The keyboard tones that come in at key moments add a wintry accent to the straightforward band sound.
Kitestorm
A five-member group, Arashi, who continue to be loved by a wide range of listeners even after going on hiatus and have maintained their enduring popularity as a national idol group, released their 58th single with this song.
It also drew attention for being written by singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu and is known as their final release before the hiatus.
The lyrics evoke a kite swimming through the sky on the wind, which many may associate with traditional New Year’s kite-flying.
With its majestic and powerful arrangements that brighten the start of the year, it’s a number you’ll want to sing at karaoke in January.
Tsugaru Strait – Winter SceneSayuri Ishikawa
It’s a classic winter song that even people who don’t usually listen to enka know.
Its popularity is clear from the fact that not only enka singers but artists from many genres have covered it.
The powerful intro, evocative of the cold, rough waves of winter, is also very striking.
Not only the title but also the lyrics feature numerous place names, so anyone familiar with them can trace the journey the song’s protagonist takes.
It’s a piece you’ll want to sing with deep emotion, accompanying the protagonist’s sorrow.
Karaoke songs you’ll want to sing in January: Classic and popular crowd-pleasers (21–30)
White LoversKeisuke Kuwata
When it comes to classic winter songs, this famous ballad by Keisuke Kuwata is a must.
People of all ages love Keisuke Kuwata, so it’s a great song to liven up New Year parties and more.
It makes you feel the winter season while also capturing the bittersweetness of love, and it’s the kind of song that makes you want to sing along.