Pick out the challenging songs that will earn you respect if you can nail them at karaoke!
Have you ever thought, “I’d look so cool if I could get through this song at karaoke,” only to crash and burn halfway through?Songs that are hard to sing hide plenty of tough spots—wide vocal ranges, complex rhythms, and blisteringly fast phrases that barely leave room to breathe.But that’s exactly why the sense of accomplishment when you nail them is second to none.In this article, we introduce a wide variety of challenging songs that are worth taking on at karaoke.If you want to test your limits or are looking for a spark to help you level up your singing, let this guide you to your next song choice!
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A selection of difficult songs that will earn you respect if you can nail them at karaoke! (141–150)
selfish; self-centered; willfulkujira
Kujira is a singer-songwriter also known as a Vocaloid producer.
A male singer renowned for his high notes, he’s gained popularity with sophisticated compositions that draw on his background as a Vocaloid P.
Among his tracks, the one I especially recommend is Wagamama.
This song uses the “Just the Two of Us” progression that’s been showing up incredibly often in recent J-pop, and it features frequent falsetto lines.
It also carries a slightly Black music vibe, so you’ll need a good sense of groove to pull it off.
Give it a try.
99LANA
When it comes to female singer-songwriters representing the Reiwa-era R&B scene, it has to be LANA, without question.
Also known as the sister of LEX, she consistently delivers high-sense tracks with top-tier vocals and a remarkable timbre.
One of her signature songs is “99.” It’s an R&B track with a drum’n’bass feel, but the vocal lines are intricately detailed, and you’ll only notice the high-level techniques throughout once you try singing it yourself.
In particular, she frequently uses the ‘fall’ technique, so unless you’re accustomed to singing Western music, it will be difficult to pull off.
DDDREOL
Reol is a female singer-songwriter who’s popular among young people for her sharp sound and versatile musical style.
Her powerful vocal ability, born from a distinctly cool vocal tone, leaves a strong impression, and her songs are crafted to be high-difficulty pieces that suit that voice perfectly.
Among her works, the one I especially recommend is DDD.
It features a K-pop-like musicality, and its fusion of EDM, hip-hop, and various forms of club music is truly impressive.
The vocal lines are equally challenging to match that style, so if you’re confident in your singing ability, definitely give it a try.
Pick up notoriously difficult songs that will make people take notice if you can nail them at karaoke! (151–160)
sailAina ji Endo
Aina The End, who made waves for possessing singing ability unusual for an idol, is now active as an actress and singer-songwriter, leaving behind many classic songs.
Among her works, the one I especially recommend is Ho.
It’s one of the most technically challenging songs in her catalog.
The most difficult point of this piece is, without a doubt, the husky-voiced shouts.
While many can sing delicately, very few can intentionally deliver a raw, rough-edged performance.
If you’re confident in your vocal skills, be sure to give it a try.
Blue HabitatKitanitatsuya
A single by Tatsuya Kitani, released in July 2023.
It was chosen as the opening theme for the TV anime Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death.
The song features a fast-paced, exhilarating progression and a vocal melody that swings intensely up and down, especially in the chorus, making it a formidable challenge to nail at karaoke! At the very least, being able to smoothly switch your vocal delivery to match the melodic rises and falls, along with having solid rhythm and a strong sense of the beat, can be considered minimum requirements to sing this.
If you’re confident in your singing and vocal control, definitely give it a try!
Six Trillion Years and an Overnight Storykemu
Released in December 2012, this is a classic, notoriously difficult Vocaloid song! It has a Japanese-style flavor, with a very relaxed intro that suddenly speeds up, and it’s packed with lyrics.
You’ll need to be mindful of stamina, lung capacity, and quickness, but it’s highly recommended if you like fast songs! A tip for singing the rapid-fire sections: don’t try to pronounce every single consonant—focus on clearly articulating the vowel sounds that carry the accents.
That makes it easier to lock into the rhythm and sing more lightly.
For fast-tempo songs, above all, you need to memorize the lyrics; otherwise at karaoke you’ll end up just chasing the words and kind of muddling through.
I recommend first being able to hum the melody, then adding the lyrics afterward!
Charlesbarūn
The Vocaloid song “Charles” has become very popular thanks to covers by many singers and artists—are you familiar with it? I always sing it in the original key, but it’s quite difficult! The range is C#3 to C#5, and it’s very high overall, but I especially find the parts in the chorus where the melody jumps up and down to be challenging.
There are also spots near the beginning of the A section where the notes rise.
For those sections, it feels good to produce the sound if you visualize the pitch you want and “hit the target” with your voice like shooting an arrow.
Also, the rhythm in the B section tends to rush, so try to keep the tempo by singing each note carefully.
Most Vocaloid songs are high, but if you’re confident in your high notes, you might be able to sing “Charles” in the original key—so give it a try!