Popular Karaoke: Band Rankings [2025]

migratory bird[Alexandros]29rank/position

[Alexandros] – Wataridori (MV)

From the exhilarating intro guitar riff to the driving beat and crystalline vocals, this is a staple of [Alexandros]’s live shows.

The lyrics carry a powerful message filled with inner conflict and aspirations, perfectly balanced with a refreshing, hope-filled sound.

Released in March 2015, the track was featured in the film “Akegarasu.” It’s a song that gives you a strong push when you want to strive toward your goals or take a new step forward—one that lifts your spirits.

single bedSharam Q30rank/position

Sharam Q “Single Bed” (Music Video)

This is a wistful ballad that poignantly sings of lingering feelings for a former lover, a classic that gently teaches the preciousness of love.

As the protagonist looks back on memories left behind on a single bed, they realize that a romance once taken for granted was in fact more valuable than jewels, weaving a moving drama.

Released by Sharam Q in October 1994, the song became a major hit, ranking 24th on the year-end charts.

It was also used as the ending theme for the anime D.

N.

A²: They Were Once a Thing, and included on the album Inferiority Complex.

It’s the perfect track for reminiscing about youthful love while sharing memories with friends.

frecklesJUDY AND MARY31rank/position

Freckles – JUDY AND MARY (Full)

Known as one of JUDY AND MARY’s signature songs, this track was released in February 1996.

It was also used as the theme song for the anime Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story.

YUKI’s clear, soaring vocals and the catchy melody make a strong impression.

While depicting the complex feelings after a heartbreak, the lyrics still convey a positive outlook, which is part of their appeal.

It’s sure to be a hit at year-end and New Year parties’ karaoke! With a tempo that’s easy for all age groups to enjoy, it should be an easy pick for company gatherings as well.

Let’s all sing it out with energy and brighten the start of the new year!

wishsumika32rank/position

sumika / Wish [Music Video]

A four-piece rock band, sumika, whose songs featuring pop-savvy melodies and catchy lyrics are especially popular among the younger generation, releases their ninth single.

Written as the theme song for the TV drama “Ossan’s Love -in the sky-,” it was issued as a double A-side single together with “Higher Ground.” Because the bouncy rhythm of the shuffle beat can make the song hard to sing if you fall behind, be sure to feel the beat with your body as you sing.

With a piano- and strings-focused sound that evokes winter scenery, this bittersweet love song is perfect for karaoke during the year-end and New Year holidays.

catDISH//33rank/position

cat

This song, written and composed by singer-songwriter Aimyon, is the B-side to the single “We Did It” released in August 2017.

When Takumi Kitamura performed an acoustic version on the YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE in March 2020, it sparked renewed buzz, and its total streaming plays surpassed one billion.

The piece portrays lingering attachment and heartache for someone dearly missed, expressing a yearning for a person who has become as free and capricious as a cat.

When you’re worn out from work or relationships, or when memories of a past love resurface, this song is sure to bring you to tears.

Effeminate; overly sentimental; being clingy/whiny (context-dependent)Golden Bomber34rank/position

Golden Bomber “Memeshikute” Music Video

This song candidly portrays the clingy emotions of a heartbroken man and is known as one of Golden Bomber’s signature tracks.

While influenced by Showa-era kayōkyoku, it also carries elements of visual kei, giving it a distinctive appeal.

Released in October 2009 as their seventh single, it won a JASRAC Award in 2014, recognized for having the highest domestic royalty distributions for the 2013 fiscal year.

The song enjoyed widespread popularity, being performed at NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen for four consecutive years from 2012 to 2015.

It’s also a huge hit at karaoke—perfect for getting the crowd going with friends.

It’s a must-add to the repertoire for men of the yutori generation.

TSUNAMISouthern All Stars35rank/position

TSUNAMI

Just hearing the intro, with its strikingly beautiful piano melody, is enough to make a bittersweet emotion well up in your chest—many of you might feel the same.

Released in January 2000, this timeless ballad by Southern All Stars also became widely beloved as the theme song for the popular TV show segment “Mirai Nikki III” on “U-nan no Hontoko!”.

The song achieved an astonishing 2.

936 million sales and won the Grand Prize at the 42nd Japan Record Awards.

Its lyrics, which overlay an uncontainable yearning for a beloved person with the irresistible forces of nature, deeply stir the listener’s heart.

With a melody known across generations, it’s sure to resonate even at karaoke with your boss, gently filling the room with moving emotion.