[High-pitched warning!] Songs with high notes that are hard to sing
The Japanese music scene is known for having a relatively low emphasis on groove, but an unusually large number of high-pitched songs.
In particular, since Japan has finally started earnestly incorporating overseas music in recent years, the overall level of songs has risen dramatically.
With that in mind, this time we’ve picked out Japanese songs that are on the higher side.
From songs with a wide vocal range, to tracks that have pinpoint high parts, to songs that stay in the high register throughout, we selected from a broad set of perspectives—so be sure to find the tracks that suit you!
- Recommended karaoke songs for male vocalists with high voices
- [Taking on a song with a wide vocal range] An S-class challenge track
- A masterpiece with exhilarating high notes. An enchanting high-tone voice.
- [Feels Great to Listen To!] Popular Songs by Female Artists with Captivating High Notes
- I want to sing songs that use a lot of falsetto—tracks that are also good for practicing falsetto at karaoke.
- Recommended for great singers! A collection of impressive songs if you can sing them
- [If You Can Sing These, You're Amazing!] Cool Karaoke Songs for Women
- Pick out the challenging songs that will earn you respect if you can nail them at karaoke!
- [Karaoke] A roundup of songs that are easy for women to sing!
- Recommended for teenage girls! Easy-to-sing karaoke songs
- [Challenge] A Compilation of Anime Songs with High-Pitched Melodies and High-Tone Vocals
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- Great for karaoke song selection! Recommended easy-to-sing songs for Gen Z women
[High Notes Warning!] Difficult High-Pitched Songs to Sing (251–260)
Endless sorrowHamasaki Ayumi
It was released in 2001 as Ayumi Hamasaki’s 22nd single.
The song was used as the theme for the TBS drama “Mukashi no Otoko,” and it reached number one on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.
The lyrics and composition were handled by Ayumi Hamasaki herself.
Its soaring high notes are particularly memorable.
Promise of RomanceIkuta Rira
This is the fourth digital-only single by Lila Ikuta, a Japanese singer-songwriter who is also active as ikura, the vocalist of the music duo YOASOBI, released on August 14, 2021.
The song we’re introducing here, “Romance no Yakusoku,” is a gentle track with a bright melody, and when Ikuta’s luminous vocals are layered onto the song’s inherently light character, it creates a wonderfully pleasing atmosphere.
Unlike her singing with YOASOBI, which is often processed somewhat mechanically, her solo work lets you enjoy a very human, natural vocal quality—that’s another delightful aspect.
She delivers superb vocal expression, switching among various high-register techniques and vocal placements.
If you can reproduce this as-is at karaoke, you’ll surely become the center of attention.
TImeUtada Hikaru
A digital-only single by Hikaru Utada, released in May 2020.
It was the theme song for the NTV Sunday drama ‘Gourmet Detective Goro Akechi.’ There’s hardly any need to mention at this point how exceptional Utada’s vocal ability is; her use of mixed voice and falsetto to deliver soaring high notes is masterful.
She truly stands among the top female singers in J-R&B.
Precisely for that reason, I’d love to see women who are confident with high notes take on the challenge of singing this track.
The processing on the vocals throughout the song also seems quite advanced, so replicating it exactly in karaoke might be difficult.
The key to this song is whether you can switch smoothly between vocal registers.
ALL MY TRUE LOVESPEED
This is SPEED’s eighth single overall, released in October 1998.
It was chosen as the theme song for TBS’s broadcast of the 1998 Volleyball World Championship.
What’s crucial for singing this track, I believe, is delivering clear, soaring high notes.
That makes it very straightforward for anyone and a great song to showcase your vocal ability.
If you’re confident in your high range, definitely give it a try! When you sing, try to place the sound so it resonates toward the center of your upper palate inside your mouth.
Doing so should produce a voice rich in higher overtones, similar to the original recording, so please give it a go.
Foam liesKANAN
This is a song included on KANAN’s debut album, released after she gained popularity through her activities as a singer.
It expresses complex feelings: the lies my loved one tells are for my sake—and that’s what hurts.
The chorus is tough unless you have a high voice.
If you focus on keeping a cool tone, I think you can bring out the best in the song.
The flowers are cherry blossoms; you are beautiful.ikimonogakari
This is Ikimonogakari’s eighth single, released on January 30, 2008.
The refreshingly bright sound—very characteristic of Ikimonogakari—combined with the title gives the song a spring-like feel.
The group’s vocalist, Kiyoe Yoshioka, is a singer whose charm lies in her glittering, resonant voice filled with rich high overtones, so it’s likely to be one of the best choices in karaoke for women who are strong in the high range.
When you sing it—especially in the chorus—try to place the sound against your upper palate as much as possible.
You’ll likely achieve a sparkling tone similar to hers!
LITMUSRyokushokushakai
A song by Ryokuoushoku Shakai, released on CD on August 25, 2021.
It was reportedly written as the theme song for the TV Asahi Thursday drama “Emergency Interrogation Room.” Haruko Nagaya, the vocalist of Ryokuoushoku Shakai, is a singer known for her captivatingly clear, transparent voice, and that charm is fully showcased in this track as well.
When singing this song at karaoke, if you force your voice, it can ruin the piece, so try to keep your delivery as relaxed as possible.
I think a key to making it sound good is to clearly express the contrast with the slightly more powerful sections in the chorus.