Easy-to-sing karaoke songs: Classic picks for women in their 40s

VoyageHamasaki Ayumi

Ayumi Hamasaki / Voyage

Ayumi Hamasaki’s 28th single “Voyage” is striking for its grand, orchestral sound.

Its vocal range spans from mid1F to hiD#, which is fairly wide and, true to her style, sits on the higher side overall.

That said, the melodic movement is relatively gentle, and with a BPM of 90, it shouldn’t be difficult to follow the pitch.

Since high notes occur in succession, if you’re not confident in your upper range, it’s recommended to lower the key by one semitone from the standard key before singing.

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5 seconds before I fall seriously in loveNEW!Hirosue Ryōko

[Official] Ryoko Hirosue “Five Seconds Before I Fall Seriously in Love” (MV) Ryoko Hirosue / Maji de Koi Suru 5 Byou Mae MK5 [1st Single]

The actress Ryoko Hirosue’s classic song “Maji de Koi suru 5-byō Mae.” Released in April 1997 as her debut single, it was used as the CM song for NTT DoCoMo’s pager (“pokebell”) and as the theme for the TV drama “Thursday Horror ’97: Evil Spirit Academy.” Written and composed by Mariya Takeuchi, the song sets the fluttery excitement of just-before-a-romance to a light pop sound.

The vibe of pagers—an emblem of youth culture at the time—matched perfectly with Hirosue’s pure, fresh vocals, resulting in a massive hit that sold around 600,000 copies.

More than technical vocal prowess, its charm lies in bright, natural singing, making it perfect for those who want to enjoy karaoke without pressure.

It’s a happy track that brings back youthful memories and is guaranteed to get friends of the same generation excited together.

Thanks.DREAMS COME TRUE

Thanks.

Among women in their 40s, there are surely many who want to sing DREAMS COME TRUE! While many DCT songs feature repeated high notes, “Thank You.” stays relatively within the mid range.

The overall vocal range is E3–C#5.

It’s more rhythm-focused than high-note-focused.

With a tempo of 127, it’s neither too fast nor too slow, making it easy to sing.

When you sing it, try to keep a conversational, natural feel.

For the occasional high notes, be mindful of the accents—think of attacking each note one by one.

Clearly pronouncing the vowels will also make the high notes easier to hit! The key modulates upward in the latter half, but try not to overthink it and sing it comfortably.

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Kubota Mami

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Silent EveKarashima Midori

Silent Eve

Silent Eve, released in 1990 by Midori Karashima, is a quintessential 90s J-pop ballad.

Boosted by its TV drama tie-in, it remains enduringly popular today.

The song’s vocal range spans from mid1 G# to high C, which is fairly standard, and the melodic leaps aren’t particularly drastic.

However, the overall range sits on the higher side, so depending on your voice type, you might need to use falsetto even in the A and B sections.

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Longing, poignancy, and strength of heartShinohara Ryoko with t.komuro

Ryoko Shinohara with Tetsuya Komuro 'Longing, Heartache, and Strength' OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

This was the fifth single released by Ryoko Shinohara—then a member of Tokyo Performance Doll—produced by music producer Tetsuya Komuro.

The track was used as both the theme song and an insert song for the animated film Street Fighter II: The Movie, and it became the first CD single by a Japanese female solo artist to surpass two million copies sold.

Many women in their 40s today, the generation that grew up with the song, may have been singing it at karaoke back then.

Unlike many of Tetsuya Komuro’s songs with high-pitched melodic lines, this one is easy to sing, making it a solid choice when you’re unsure what to perform at karaoke.

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Hoshino Takashi

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A Little LoveNEW!Pucchimoni

Petit Moni “Chokotto LOVE” Music Video

Petitmoni, a unit symbolizing the golden era of Hello! Project.

Spun off from Morning Musume and formed by Kei Yasuda, Sayaka Ichii, and Maki Goto, their debut single “Chokotto LOVE” was released in November 1999.

Topping the Oricon charts and selling over a million copies, this pop dance tune comically captures the flutter of everyday little romances.

Its rhythmic, light melody is guaranteed to hype up karaoke sessions with women of the same generation.

Mix in the catchy chorus choreography you probably imitated from TV, and have fun singing it together just like back in the day.

Graduationsaitou yuki

Yuki Saito “Graduation” MV

“Sotsugyo,” the classic released in 1985 as Yuki Saito’s debut single.

The song’s vocal range is from mid1 G to hi C#, which falls within the typical range for female vocals.

However, the average pitch sits slightly on the higher side, so some women may find it high when they try singing it.

The BPM itself is relaxed and the phrasing isn’t cramped, so if you adjust the key with hi C# as your reference point, you should be able to sing it without issues.

It’s also recommended to intentionally raise the key and try singing the hi C# in falsetto.

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