From Showa-era kayōkyoku to pop: songs that sound cool when you can really sing them
Many of you probably want to sing cool, deep tracks at karaoke with style.
In particular, Showa-era kayōkyoku and New Music, as well as early-to-mid Heisei J-POP, are packed with timeless masterpieces that still sound fresh decades after their release—a real treasure trove of cool, mature songs.
It’s precisely because of that universal appeal that these songs continue to be sung by today’s younger generation.
In this article, I’ll introduce plenty of those songs that, if you can pull them off, will give you that sophisticated edge.
I’ve picked selections mainly from Japanese music of the ’70s through the ’90s, with some of the latest J-POP mixed in, so use this as a reference when choosing songs for karaoke!
- Must-see for men: Songs that look cool if you can sing them at karaoke—numbers that women can’t help but be captivated by.
- Cool songs from the Showa era. Masterpieces from Showa that shine with sensuality, passion, and rugged charm.
- A collection of nostalgic hits from the ’70s to 2000s that are perfect for livening up karaoke
- A collection of iconic, cool Showa-era kayōkyoku classics sung by male vocalists
- [Men in Their 50s, Gather Up!] Classic Karaoke Crowd-Pleasers & Easy-to-Sing Hits
- [Classic Showa Kayō Hits] The captivating Showa-era pop songs beloved even by younger generations
- [Songs from the Showa Era] Introducing classic tracks that are easy to sing at karaoke.
- Karaoke songs for men in their 40s: a curated selection of hit tracks women want to hear!
- Karaoke songs recommended for men with low voices or who are good at singing in a low register
- Heisei-era masterpieces: Easy to sing! Carefully selected songs recommended for karaoke choices!
- Songs Women Want Men to Sing: Popular Karaoke Picks Chosen by Girls
- [2026] Songs I Want to Try at Karaoke! A Roundup of Popular Showa-Era Kayōkyoku
- Even karaoke beginners can relax! Easy-to-sing songs for men
From Showa-era kayō to pop: Cool songs to master (41–50)
A long nightMatsuyama Chiharu
A smash hit released in 1981.
One of Chiharu Matsuyama’s signature songs, this classic Showa-era ballad straightforwardly conveys the “ache of a man’s heart.” The overall vocal range spans D3 to D5, and it’s a song most people can handle if they sing the talk-like phrasing in the verses and release fully in the chorus for contrast.
However, since the chorus jumps up into higher notes, be careful not to strain your throat.
Like Matsuyama himself, keeping your eyebrows raised while singing makes the high notes much easier to hit—highly recommended! When you project your voice, don’t hesitate—use instant power and send it far.
Ballad of a SingerSaitō Kazuyoshi
Released in 1997 as Kazuyoshi Saito’s 15th single.
The song was used as the ending theme for TBS’s COUNT DOWN TV, and in 2017 it was also chosen as the theme song for the film Lu Over the Wall.
It’s a cool, understated track that has been covered by many artists, regardless of gender.
Farewell, my loverSakai Masaaki
Masakazu Sakai is famous not only as an actor but also for being able to do just about anything—singing, street performance, and more.
His song “Saraba Koibito” (Farewell, My Lover) is one of his signature hit songs, known for being a long-running success that ranked in the yearly Oricon Top 10 in 1970.
Although it’s a breakup song, the melody is exceptionally sweet and maintains a gentle tone throughout.
If you sing it at karaoke, those qualities can help you project a cool, mature vibe!
Indigo WaltzKubota Toshinobu
If you want to sing some sophisticated R&B, I recommend Indigo Waltz.
This song is one of Toshinobu Kubota’s signature works and was released in 1988.
It features a classic R&B slow-ballad melody, giving it an overall mature vibe—truly the epitome of smooth, “shibui” R&B.
If you sing it at karaoke, its sweetness and depth are sure to catch the attention of the ladies, so give it a try!
Farewell, Ari.Yazawa Eikichi
It was released in 1994 as Eikichi Yazawa’s 36th single.
The song was used as the theme for the drama of the same name, “Ari yo Saraba,” in which Yazawa starred, and it reached No.
4 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
The lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto and the music was composed by Eikichi Yazawa.
It became his second best-selling song.