Recommended for women in their 50s! A curated selection of classic and popular karaoke hits that will get the crowd going

Return To MyselfHamada Mari

Mari Hamada “Return To Myself”

These days, it’s taken for granted that each TV network commissions an artist to create a theme song for Olympic broadcasts—but that actually started when NHK used Mari Hamada’s “Heart and Soul” as the theme for the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Speaking of Hamada, her hit “Return To Myself” has a lot of high notes and can be tough to tackle, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to sing it effortlessly? It’s a song I’d love for people to try—even if it takes some practice! As a total aside, it’s still hard to get tickets for Mari Hamada’s concerts even now.

Listening to OliviaAnri

Anri / Listening to Olivia [Official Video]

This is a song released by Anri in 1978, written and composed by Ami Ozaki.

It’s a gentle, heartbroken ballad that calls for an emotionally expressive performance.

It remains a karaoke favorite to this day, sung by people of all ages.

The “Olivia” in the title refers to the British singer Olivia Newton-John.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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WOMANAn Ruisu

ANN LEWIS – WOMAN (Official Audio)

Ann Lewis is a female singer-songwriter who gained popularity in the 1980s with an authentic rock sound.

Because of her husky timbre and powerful vocals, many people may have shied away from singing her songs.

That’s why we recommend WOMAN.

While it has a strong rock flavor, the vocal lines are straightforward, with gentle rises and falls in pitch.

Toward the end of the chorus there’s a scale that’s a bit like a vocal ad-lib, but you can gloss over it with dynamics and subtle vibrato—so don’t worry and give it a try.

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Ryo

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A Good Day to Set Out on a JourneyYamaguchi Momoe

Momoe Yamaguchi - Good Day to Set Out on a Journey

This song, Good Day for a Journey, was Momoe Yamaguchi’s first attempt at a piece by Shinji Tanimura after scoring hit after hit with the duo Ryudo Uzaki and Yoko Aki.

In an era without Twitter and the like, it became a huge talking point—by today’s standards, you could call it a mega-hit.

The song was even used in a SoftBank commercial in the Heisei era, so it doesn’t feel all that old.

The lyrics evoke a slightly lonely woman traveling alone—“someone is waiting for me”—perfectly matching Momoe Yamaguchi’s image.

It’s especially recommended for people with lower voices.

Perhaps Momoe Yamaguchi is also the ideal image of a woman for many in their 50s.

Like tonight’s moonElefanto Kashimashi

Like the Moon Tonight / Elephant Kashimashi

It’s a deeply moving masterpiece that powerfully sings of passion for the future while gazing into everyday feelings of emptiness and loneliness.

Set against the backdrop of a city at dusk, it portrays the solitude and struggles of people living in an urban landscape, yet conveys a strong will to keep looking forward and moving on.

The soulful vocals unique to Elephant Kashimashi and the melody that resonates with the heart are beautifully in harmony.

Released in July 1997, the song was used as the theme for the Fuji TV drama “Because the Moon Shines at Night,” and was also included on the album “Run Toward Tomorrow – Moonlit Songs.” In 2017, it was performed in the band’s first appearance on the NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, winning over even more listeners.

It’s a track that will evoke deep empathy when you feel lost in life or spend a night thinking of someone dear.