Ranking of Western Music Artists Popular Among People in Their 50s [2025]

SugarMaroon 571rank/position

Maroon 5 – Sugar (Official Music Video)

Maroon 5’s “Sugar” has become a staple at weddings and the like, so you’ve probably heard it many times! They’re an extremely popular band in Japan and have successfully toured here multiple times.

The melody is relaxed, so it should be easy to sing even if you’re not confident in English.

All I Want for Christmas Is YouMerry Christmas72rank/position

Mariah Carey – All I Want For Christmas Is You (Official Video)

Mariah Carey’s signature song, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Although this piece is often cited as a difficult song, it’s not without singable elements.

The tricky part is mainly the slow-tempo opening; once the beat kicks in and the tempo picks up, the kind of wide-interval vocal runs heard in the intro appear less frequently.

Even so, the overall difficulty remains on the higher side, but given its top-tier recognition and popularity, it’s well worth the challenge.

enter the sandmanMetallica73rank/position

Metallica: Enter Sandman (Official Music Video)

Metallica, a band I personally consider the greatest in metal.

Is there anyone who doesn’t feel their blood stir when they hear this intro? It’s especially memorable for those in their 50s.

Even now that we’re middle-aged, they’re still unbelievably cool—this is a masterpiece among masterpieces.

The moment this song comes on, it’s time to headbang.

Billy JeanMichael Jackson74rank/position

Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (Official Video)

The first single released from Michael Jackson’s classic album Thriller, which has sold 65 million copies worldwide and was recognized by Guinness as the best-selling album in history.

It’s also famous for the music video in which Michael performs the moonwalk.

Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana75rank/position

Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Official Music Video)

With its powerful sound, pleasing guitar tones, and catchy melody, this is a well-crafted song that ticks all three boxes.

It might be difficult to find a singer who can fully capture the song’s true intent, but since it’s a piece that should be sung from the heart, if you belt it out with a full-on “bring it on!” attitude, it’s sure to be a big hit.

WonderwallOasis76rank/position

Oasis – Wonderwall (Official Video)

This song is probably the signature track of Oasis, a band that’s hugely popular in Japan as well.

Because it’s so well-known, it gets everyone excited at karaoke—even people who don’t usually listen to Western music.

The tempo is relaxed and the lyrics are easy to understand, so I think it’s easy to sing.

What Makes You BeautifulOne Direction77rank/position

One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful (Official Video)

A track from One Direction’s 2011 release, included on the album featuring “What Makes You Beautiful.” It’s also a song that won many awards, including Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards in the U.

S.

Although this article recommends songs under the theme of “Western songs that are easy to sing even if you’re not good at singing,” to be honest, I don’t think this particular song really fits that description (lol).

It’s a medium-tempo, very upbeat, easy-to-groove-to track, so I hope you’ll just enjoy singing it without worrying too much about the details, including English pronunciation! Melody-wise, especially the chorus, it’s very simple—mostly just repeating the title—so I do think it’s ultimately easy to sing even for those who aren’t confident singers!