Western songs that get the crowd going at karaoke: recommended classics and popular hits

New RomanticsTaylor Swift

Taylor Swift – New Romantics

Taylor Swift is a world-renowned diva and a hugely popular singer in Japan as well.

All of her songs are hits, so you’re guaranteed to get the crowd going if you sing them at karaoke! Her tracks tend to fall clearly into two types—tender ballads and high-energy numbers—and “New Romantics” leans toward the high-energy side.

It’s a really fun song, so try singing it together with everyone.

Hey JudeThe Beatles

The Beatles – Hey Jude

Here is “Hey Jude” by the legendary band The Beatles—no introduction needed.

It’s so incredibly famous that even people who don’t usually listen to Western music are sure to know it.

Classics like this really get the crowd going at karaoke.

It’s a mellow song, but singing it together with everyone is a lot of fun.

I Don’t Want to Miss a ThingAerosmith

Aerosmith – I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing (Official HD Video)

Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” became famous as the theme song for the 1998 film Armageddon.

The movie itself is quite popular, and the song is frequently played on TV and elsewhere, so its name recognition is outstanding.

It’s a slow rock ballad, and it sounds really cool when sung by someone with strong vocals.

Livin’ On A PrayerBon Jovi

Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer

It hit No.

1 in the U.

S.

in 1987.

Following You Give Love a Bad Name, it also reached No.

1 from their breakthrough third album, Slippery When Wet.

The song has that melodic hard rock sound typical of Bon Jovi, but the lyrics feel like a New Jersey version of Showa Kare Susuki.

Jon’s high-pitched shouts are always cool no matter when you hear them.

Just The Way You AreBruno Mars

Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are (Official Music Video)

The song’s title means “I Love You Just the Way You Are” in Japanese.

It’s a song that straightforwardly praises women.

I think any woman would be happy to be complimented on her appearance.

Listening to it gives you a feeling that’s not very common in Japanese music.

The way the song describes the woman’s beauty would definitely make any woman’s heart race and bring a smile to her face.

The FlameCheap Trick

Cheap Trick – The Flame

It hit No.

1 in the U.

S.

in 1988—a song that finally reached the summit in the band’s long history.

It became their first hit since 1979’s “I Want You To Want Me,” but because it was a commercially oriented track provided by outside writers, longtime fans weren’t entirely convinced.

The band themselves later recalled that they weren’t very enthusiastic about it either.

It’s a well-crafted, good song designed to sell, but it may be true that it left fans from the Budokan era a bit disappointed.

AfricaTOTO

Toto – Africa (Official HD Video)

A track released by Toto in 1982.

One of their most famous tracks, it features a chorus with a sweet melody.

It was a hit around the world and reached No.

1 on the charts in the United States and Canada.

It was sampled in Rich Homie Quan’s 2013 track “Reloaded.”