[For Men] Want to Hype Up the Karaoke? A Roundup of Recommended High-Energy J-Pop/Rock

Someday, in a world of nothingnessMacaroni Enpitsu

Macaroni Empitsu “Someday, In a World With Nothing” MV

In addition to general rock, Macaroni Empitsu is a band with a wide musical range, from psychedelic to hard rock.

For men who like Japanese rock, you could say they’re an extremely popular band.

Among their songs, the one I especially recommend is Itsuka Nani mo Nai Sekai de.

Although the song sits in an easy-to-sing range of mid1 A to hi A, it still builds excitement properly, and in the chorus you can let out a big voice with a near-shouted feel.

The scat-like section at the end of the chorus starts with a shout, so it’s good to aim for a slightly more vigorous, rough vocal style.

SufferOkazaki Taiiku

Okazaki Taiiku “Suffer” Music Video

Male singer-songwriter Taiiku Okazaki, who has gained popularity with his unique lyrics and catchy melodies.

He’s also highly popular among male listeners and has produced many classic songs, but among them, “Suffer” is especially recommended.

For an Okazaki song, it’s unusual in that it’s rooted in punk rock, featuring melodies that lean toward hardcore punk within the punk genre.

Assuming you sing it full-throttle with some shouts mixed in, it’s a perfect pick for karaoke among male friends.

KICK BACKKenshi Yonezu

Kenshi Yonezu – KICKBACK

For men in their teens and twenties, Kenshi Yonezu is a go-to artist.

He has a wide musical range, but if you’re looking for something that really gets the crowd going, KICK BACK is perfect.

Released as the theme song for the popular anime Chainsaw Man, it’s memorable for its impactful chorus and delivers an exceptional hype despite its slightly fast tempo.

Above all, the near-scream vocal line right before the final chorus—paired with the music video’s scene of being run over by a truck—has made it especially popular.

YAH YAH YAHCHAGE and ASKA

[MV] YAH YAH YAH / CHAGE and ASKA

If you’re looking for songs that get middle-aged and older crowds hyped at karaoke, you can’t skip CHAGE and ASKA’s signature hit “YAH YAH YAH”! Anyone from that generation is sure to know it, so it’ll liven up karaoke with any group.

Plus, plenty of younger people know it too—that’s another reason this song is a great pick.

Make sure everyone belts out the chorus together!

Mighty Long FallONE OK ROCK

ONE OK ROCK – Mighty Long Fall [Official Music Video]

Mighty Long Fall by ONE OK ROCK, which drew attention as the theme song for the film Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno.

Although the English lyrics are striking, the song is surprisingly arranged with a singable vocal line.

The range is fairly wide, from mid1F# to hiC#, but since the highest note is hiC# in both falsetto and chest voice, it’s easy to adjust the key by using that as a reference point.

There are many shouts and the pitch movement is quite dynamic, but as long as you have a solid grasp of your own vocal range, it’s not an overly difficult song—so consider adding it to your repertoire.

crimsonX JAPAN

X Japan - Kurenai

This is a song by X JAPAN, a visual kei rock band that sparked a major movement.

It was released in 1989 as their major-label debut single.

The way it builds from a quiet intro into a fast, energetic band sound is really cool, isn’t it? Just listening to the music gets you pumped.

Aim to emulate Toshi’s powerful vocal shouts!

astronomical observationBUMP OF CHICKEN

BUMP OF CHICKEN “Stargazing”

If you want an easy-to-sing, crowd-pleasing karaoke song, BUMP OF CHICKEN’s “Tentai Kansoku” is a top recommendation.

Many of their songs have keys and melodies that suit the average male vocal range, so you can sing them comfortably without strain.

Aim for a cool, understated delivery to capture the right vibe!