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Recommended Japanese pop songs for karaoke for men in their 40s

Has karaoke turned into nothing but a work obligation?

Singing with your boss or coworkers is important, but going to belt out your favorite songs with close friends or your partner feels amazing.

That rush you get the first time you sing a favorite song—while saying, “I don’t remember the lyrics at all!”—is the real charm of karaoke, isn’t it?

So this time, we’re introducing popular karaoke songs chosen by people in their 40s!

Recommended Japanese pop karaoke songs for men in their 40s (51–60)

Traveler ~The Longest Journeybakufū suranpu

[MV] Traveler, The Longest Journey (25th Anniversary Version)
Traveler ~The Longest Journeybakufū suranpu

Bakufu Slump has produced many classic songs and remains a band with enduring popularity even today.

Their track “Tabibito yo ~The Longest Journey~” is a comeback hit that revived their fortunes and was loved by many listeners, especially men.

While the vocal delivery has a distinctly masculine style, the song’s range sits comfortably in the mid-to-lower register, making it manageable even for men who struggle with low notes.

It’s also easy to sing even when your throat starts to get tired, so consider adding it to your repertoire.

Like a white cloudsaruganseki

The comedy duo Saruganseki, made up of Hiroiki Ariyoshi and Kazunari Moriwaki.

The song that truly cemented their then idol-like popularity is, of course, Shiroi Yuki no Yō ni (Like White Snow).

As a composition, it’s a very orthodox J-pop number with a very narrow vocal range.

Since the two aren’t professional singers, the vocal lines present no real difficulty.

It’s also a crowd-pleaser at karaoke, so be sure to check it out.

Midnight ShuffleKondō Masahiko

Masahiko Kondo is strongly associated with his success in the ’70s and ’80s, but he actually had hits in the ’90s as well.

One of them is Midnight Shuffle.

If you’re a man in your 40s, chances are you’ve heard it at least once.

While it features a melody that’s uncommon in typical J-pop, the vocal line is quite easy: there are no sections requiring complex pitch movement, and the range is fairly narrow.

It’s a song that suits virtually any voice type, so it’s worth adding to your repertoire.

Pockets full of rainbowsYellow Magic Orchestra

Yellow Magic Orchestra is a music group recognized worldwide.

Needless to say, they are the pioneers who laid the foundation for Japanese techno.

They have many classic tracks, but the one I especially recommend is Pocket ni Niji ga Ippai (Pockets Full of Rainbows).

As you might expect from a group with strong instrumental roots, even though this piece has many vocal parts, the vocals themselves are very understated.

There are no complex vocal lines, and the range is extremely narrow, making it an excellent song in terms of singability.

Recommended Japanese pop karaoke songs for men in their 40s (61–70)

Wandering Love SongNagabuchi Tsuyoshi

People in their early 40s belong to a generation for whom laid-back, Unicorn-style rock was trendy, while those in their late 40s grew up exposed to more masculine rock as well.

Many of you may even have listened to Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi’s songs.

With that in mind, I recommend “Junrenka.” This piece incorporates some folk elements and is arranged primarily in the lower-mid to mid vocal range throughout.

Although a slightly higher phrase appears toward the end of the chorus, it still sits around the mid-high range, so you should hardly encounter any issues from a vocal production standpoint.

B-BlueBOØWY

Among men in their early 50s, many likely listened to BOØWY.

The band left behind numerous memorable rock classics, and among them, the song I especially recommend for its ease of singing is “B-Blue.” While its heart-pounding melody is striking, the vocal range is surprisingly narrow, and the vocal line doesn’t fluctuate much.

It’s a song you can comfortably handle even when your voice is worn out after a second party, so consider adding it to your repertoire.

Surfing JohnnyKuwata Keisuke

Keisuke Kuwata – Surfin' Johnny (Short ver.)
Surfing JohnnyKuwata Keisuke

Just hearing that light, tinkling piano intro instantly brings back memories of those summers… It’s a Heisei-era masterpiece that colored the early 2000s! No explanation needed: “Naminori Johnny,” the smash hit released in 2001 under the solo name of Keisuke Kuwata, vocalist of Southern All Stars, is a karaoke staple and has been sung across generations.

With Kuwata’s signature style in full bloom and a wide vocal range, the melody darts busily between low and high notes, which might feel surprisingly challenging when you actually try to sing it.

At the same time, it’s so catchy you can memorize it right away just by listening.

If you sing it with clear contrast—keeping the soaring parts and the rhythmic parts in mind—you can aim for a high score at karaoke!