[30s] Karaoke Popularity Rankings by Generation [2025]

AitaiMiliyah Kato43rank/position

Miliyah Kato - “Aitai”

Miliyah Kato’s “Aitai” is such a heart-wrenching song, and her voice matches it perfectly.

If you’re aiming for a perfect score with this track, try to focus on singing each note carefully so the melody doesn’t rush.

Since it’s a relaxed song and you should have plenty of opportunities to breathe, make sure to take a solid breath and pay close attention to the pitch bar for each phrase.

Also, because Miliyah Kato has a unique vocal style, trying to imitate it too much might throw off your rhythm, so I think it’s best to sing it straightforwardly at first.

crimsonX JAPAN44rank/position

X Japan - Kurenai

Now that X Japan has become a band representing Japan, weren’t they the first to bring the genre of heavy metal—previously unfamiliar to many Japanese households—into living rooms across the country? Their songs, which fuse intense rock with elegant classical elements, left many people in their thirties stunned and fervent during their youth.

Their major debut song, “Kurenai,” still electrifies audiences today as one of X Japan’s signature tracks.

Shangri-LaChatmonchy45rank/position

Chatmonchy “Shangri-La” Music Video

Chatmonchy is a girls’ band that gained popularity in the 2000s with a sound rooted in pop rock and indie rock.

If you’re a woman in your 30s who likes Japanese rock, you probably listened to their songs quite a bit.

Among Chatmonchy’s tracks, the one I especially recommend is Shangri-La.

The song’s lowest note is mid2 C and the highest note is hi D#, but the hi D# appears only once, and the main high phrases are built around hi C.

While it is a high-pitched song, the range isn’t wide, so if you lower the key appropriately, it should be quite singable.

SEASONSAyumi Hamasaki46rank/position

Ayumi Hamasaki / SEASONS

This is the 16th single by singer-songwriter Ayumi Hamasaki, who began her career as a model and actress and made her major debut as a solo singer in 1998.

The song was used as the theme for the TV drama “Tenki Yohou no Koibito” (The Weather Forecaster’s Lover) and was released as the third entry in the “Despair Trilogy,” following the previous singles “vogue” and “Far away.” With a distinctive yet translucent vocal melody, it’s the kind of song that people in their 30s—the generation that grew up with it—will feel like singing at karaoke.

It’s one of Ayumi Hamasaki’s signature tracks that sparked a social phenomenon, and we hope you’ll sing it at karaoke while reminiscing about your youth.

Shanghai HoneyORANGE RANGE47rank/position

ORANGE RANGE “Shanghai Honey” MV

Recently, ORANGE RANGE has enjoyed a cross-generational revival hit and is once again drawing public attention.

They’ve produced many classic songs, and for men in their 30s, every track likely holds special memories.

Among their works, one I especially recommend is Shanghai Honey.

Released in 2003, it was composed on a foundation of the then-trending mixture rock.

It carries a somewhat West Coast vibe, characterized by a laid-back yet distinctly dope feel.

A third of pure-hearted feelingsSIAM SHADE48rank/position

A third of pure-hearted feelings

Although they disbanded once in 2002, SHIAM SHADE has captivated fans with several temporary reunions.

This signature song of theirs is widely known as the ending theme for the TV anime Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story.

Its structure is very straightforward: the chorus comes first, followed by verse A and verse B, building excitement.

The beginning of verse A hits the song’s lowest note, D#3, which might be a bit low even for male singers.

Be careful not to let your voice get muffled in this part.

Another challenging aspect of the song is the rhythm.

In the chorus, if you sing it in a typical 4/4 feel, it won’t lock in with the backing drums and will sound flat.

Try singing it with a driving triplet feel instead—you’ll sound much cooler! It may be difficult until you get used to it, but definitely give it a try.

budKobukuro49rank/position

Kobukuro – Tsubomi

Kobukuro’s “Tsubomi” is also quite a masterpiece, so it’s a song I’d love for you to sing whether solo or as a duo.

Since Kobukuro are a duo, the vocal range is fairly wide at A#2–A#4, and Kuroda’s part is quite low, so if you’re singing with two people, taking Kuroda’s part might be a good idea! By the way, when I sang this song I had a male partner; I left all the main melody to him and stuck to the harmony! The harmonies in this song are beautiful, so if you have a partner, definitely try tackling the harmonies too! Overall, try singing it with a calm vibe so it doesn’t become too forceful.