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 challenging songs that will earn you respect if you can nail them at karaoke! (41–50)
ANTENNAMrs. GREEN APPLE
The lead track from Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s fifth album, ANTENNA, released in July 2023.
It serves as the Japan national team’s support song for Fuji TV’s World Cup Volleyball 2023.
The song features a melody with complex rises and falls, paired with vocals that skillfully switch techniques in response—making it a highly rewarding challenge for advanced karaoke singers.
Be sure to sing it in a way that preserves the original’s sense of uplift and exhilarating speed!
broad daylightKing Gnu
This was King Gru’s second single, released digitally in February 2019.
It also served as the theme song for the NTV Saturday drama “Innocence: Wrongful Conviction Lawyer.” To sing this track well at karaoke, you’ll need solid technique to properly switch among various high tones using falsetto, mixed voice, and chest voice.
The original recording includes quite a few heavily processed sections, so while it’s unrealistic to reproduce those effects live at karaoke, smooth transitions between different vocal timbres are key.
For the falsetto passages that stand out in particular, try to avoid tightening your throat and aim for a soft, relaxed tone.
Blue and SummerMrs. GREEN APPLE
Personally, I think this is arguably the most difficult song by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE.
It goes down easy when you listen, so you might assume it’s straightforward to sing, but when my vocal students actually try it, many end up lost in pitch because the tempo is fast.
The song itself is a summer staple where exhilaration and wistfulness intersect.
In karaoke, it’s a rewarding challenge that tests a comprehensive set of skills: range, tempo, and expressiveness.
“Ao to Natsu” gives the impression that there are many songs within one track, with the first and second verses having distinctly different vibes.
The range is, of course, wide—D#3 to E5—and the intensity ramps up toward the end with a flurry of high notes.
Momentum matters, but choosing where to switch to head voice is also key.
Tackle it melody by melody, clearing each part as you go.
Let’s practice as summer approaches!
HeavenMrs. GREEN APPLE
Mrs.
GREEN APPLE’s new song “Heaven.” When it comes to Mrs.
GREEN APPLE, Motoki Omori’s high-tone voice is arguably the most striking feature, and this track makes full use of his upper register throughout.
In addition to extremely high mixed voice and falsetto, the song even opens with a very low phrase.
The low part is brief, but the overall vocal range of the piece is exceptionally wide, making it no exaggeration to call this an extraordinarily difficult song.
A world where the sun does not riseAimer
This song, which is also the theme for “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, Chapter 1: Akaza’s Return,” spans a vocal range of around E3 to E5, making it quite challenging to sing on a first try.
When I first heard it, Aimer’s somewhat English-like diction made me think, “Is this a Western song?” but it’s solidly in Japanese.
The A section is sung phrase by phrase in the lower register, but from around the B section it gradually becomes more emotional.
There are plenty of high notes, but rather than belting them in chest voice, using a strong head-voice approach brings out both the poignancy and the power, fitting the song’s atmosphere.
From low to high notes, try singing with your eyebrows slightly raised throughout to help keep your pitch stable!
Become a flowerRyokushokushakai
This is the eighth CD single by the Japanese pop-rock band Ryokuoushoku Shakai, released in December 2023.
The song was written as the opening theme for the Nippon TV anime “The Apothecary Diaries,” and its theme is said to be ‘a flower blooming in the shade.’ Haruko Nagaya, the vocalist of Ryokuoushoku Shakai, is a singer known for her bright, powerful, and resonant high-tone voice, and her vocal appeal shines through fully even in this fast-paced, thrilling track.
If you can master this song beautifully, you’ll surely become the center of attention around you! The key to singing it well is how crisply you can keep the rhythm and how expansively and powerfully you can deliver those high tones.
If you’re confident in your singing, definitely give it a try.
When you sing, be careful not to get thrown off where the rhythm shifts slightly at the end of the chorus.
TAKE IT BACKDa-iCE
Da-iCE is a boys group that enjoys overwhelming support from young people thanks to their phenomenal performances.
When it comes to Da-iCE, their standout feature is undoubtedly their superb high tones.
In particular, their mixed voice is on an entirely different level of refinement.
The track “TAKE IT BACK” showcases the essence of Da-iCE’s mixed voice, featuring notably high mixed notes throughout the song.
Rather than being just any mixed voice, it’s a powerful, full-volume mixed voice with real impact, so pulling it off requires considerable vocal ability.