I want to sing at karaoke! The latest Japanese songs for men

Lost itemTatsuya Kitani

Lost item

Compared to his high notes, Tatsuya Kitani gives a stronger impression with his lower range, doesn’t he? He has a signature song called “Ao no Sumika,” but in fact, the new song “Nakushimono” has a narrower range and might be easier for low-voice male singers to sing in chest voice.

There are a few higher parts in the chorus, but falsetto works just fine there.

Just note that the last chorus modulates and goes up by a whole step.

If you can get through that section when you sing, you’ll be golden—so add some momentum and let your voice out!

reincarnationYuri

reincarnation

Yuri’s high-energy “Rinne Tensei” has an awesome band-driven vibe that makes your body move on its own! Since the intro sits in the low-to-mid range, it should be relatively easy for low-voiced male singers to handle.

However, the tempo is on the faster side, so if you try singing before memorizing the lyrics, you might fall behind—better to listen closely and get it in your ears first.

The range rises in the latter half, but if you keep your body grooving and project with momentum, your voice will follow.

Don’t be afraid—have fun with it!

THIS IS MY HOMETOWNKobukuro

Kobukuro “THIS IS MY HOMETOWN”

It’s a warm song from Kobukuro, imbued with deep feelings for Osaka, where the duo was formed, and for the members’ hometowns.

The acoustic tones, reminiscent of their street-performing days, blend with the duo’s beautiful harmonies to gently envelop the listener’s heart.

The lyrics depict landscapes that remain in one’s heart even after leaving home as an adult, as well as unchanging bonds with old friends—many listeners will likely find their own memories resurfacing.

This track is included as the lead song on the mini-album “THIS IS MY HOMETOWN.” It’s a moving piece you’ll want to listen to when you want to reconnect with your roots.

What We Got ~A Miracle Is You~King&Prince

King & Prince “What We Got ~A Miracle With You~” MV Short Clip

King & Prince’s “What We Got ~Kiseki wa Kimi to~” with Mickey Mouse dancing is so cute, isn’t it? It seems this song is part of a project for Mickey’s 100th anniversary! Listening to the whole track, the actual harmonies only appear midway through the B-melody, while the chorus is in unison.

The chorus repeats the same phrase and is very easy to follow, so I think it’s great to add your own harmonies! Singing in unison is fun, but adding harmonies here and there changes the vibe in a fun way.

For the record, I would sing an upper harmony on the parts of the chorus that are in Japanese! Try different approaches and find what feels right for you!

PlanetaryPenthouse

Penthouse – Planetary［Official Audio］

With Shintaro Namioka and Maho Oshima as a male–female twin-vocal band, this is a super groovy, cool track that blends R&B, city pop/soul, and jazz elements.

If you try to harmonize on Maho’s parts, it can be pretty tough unless your breathing and timing match theirs perfectly, so I recommend listening repeatedly and practicing along! Especially from the second verse on, there are lots of overlapping lines and harmonies.

The live footage makes it easy to understand, so be sure to watch it and study!

GET BACKyuzu

Yuzu “GET BACK” Music Video

Speaking of Yuzu, it’s all about Iwasawa’s beautiful high harmonies on top and Kitagawa’s steady lower harmonies, right? Everyone’s probably thought at least once, “I want to try harmonizing to a Yuzu song!” Yuzu’s harmonies are relatively easy to pick out, so they’re satisfying to listen to and make a great entry point to try.

In GET BACK, Kitagawa comes in with the lower part right from the start—it sounds so cool! There are also call-and-response sections unique to the duo, and in the chorus they switch between unison and harmony, making it a really fun song to sing as a pair! Lower harmonies can be hard to hear and tricky at first, but try practicing with resources like YouTube.

Bitter VacationMrs. GREEN APPLE

Mrs. GREEN APPLE “Bitter Vacation” Official Music Video

When it comes to Mrs.

GREEN APPLE’s songs, many people probably think of melodies with a wide vocal range backed by vocalist Motoki Omori’s overwhelming singing ability, and may have given up on trying them at karaoke because they seem difficult.

For those people, I recommend the song Bitter Vacation, released in November 2024.

Among Mrs.

GREEN APPLE’s tracks, its melody line is relatively low in pitch and not overly complex, making it the kind of song you can sing comfortably along to its lively rhythm.

There are moments where a touch of irregular meter slips in, but once you get used to it, it’s not that hard—so be sure to add it to your karaoke repertoire.