Challenge yourself with difficult songs at karaoke! Tracks that will earn you praise if you can sing them well
Even when you think, “I want to try this song at karaoke!”, once you actually give it a shot you sometimes run into unexpected hurdles—like a range that’s too wide or rhythms that are too complex.
What technical elements make certain songs difficult to sing? In this article, we’re featuring high-difficulty tracks that are especially rewarding to tackle at karaoke.
We also touch on which parts are challenging and what kind of vocal approach is required, so if you want to expand your expressive range as a singer, be sure to check it out!
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- [For Men] Tough Karaoke Songs: A collection of tracks that look cool if you can sing them!
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- [Challenge] A compilation of Vocaloid songs that are difficult to sing
- [For Men] Masterpiece Enka Songs with High Difficulty
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- Karaoke songs popular with women that they want men to sing
- [Karaoke] Songs That Make It Easy to Score High | From Classics to the Newest Hits
- Even karaoke beginners can relax! Easy-to-sing songs for men
Tackling tough songs at karaoke! Tracks that will earn you praise if you can pull them off (41–50)
terminusmafumafu
Mafumafu is famous for his high-tone voice, but of course there are also songs where his masculine low register resonates.
The overall vocal range of the song is A#2–A#5, and he sings using pitches that aren’t often used either low or high.
The jumps are extreme, and you may have no idea how to produce something like A#5, but above all, make sure not to strain your throat from the low notes upward.
Be sure to consciously keep your facial muscles lifted—that’s a given! Start by using your breath very gently and softly.
You might feel short of breath, but get used to the song by using breathy whispering or consonants like the H-sounds.
Utakata LullabyAdo
It’s one of the insert songs from the movie ONE PIECE FILM RED and the only rap track! When I first heard “Utakata Lullaby,” I was shocked and thought, “Can a human even sing this?” But thinking about it now, since the song was provided by FAKE TYPE., it all makes sense—“That’s why it’s so rap-heavy!” (lol).
The songs from the ONE PIECE FILM RED series were incredibly popular, and so many students chose them in lessons! In particular, this “Utakata Lullaby” was a song where we looked over the lyrics again and again and had lots of discussions with students like, “This part isn’t sung, this part is.” There are tons of ultra-fast rap sections, and if you listen closely, there are parts that have lyrics but aren’t actually sung.
Once you notice that, it’s easier to lock into the rhythm, making it a fun song to sing! If you gave up because you couldn’t sing it before, try challenging it again!
giftRADWIMPS
RADWIMPS’s “Tamamono,” chosen as the theme song for NHK’s morning drama series Anpan that has been airing since March 2025, is a track packed with an astonishing density of information in its roughly 4 minutes and 50 seconds—so much so that a single listen isn’t enough to grasp its full picture.
It weaves in elements reminiscent of Showa-era pop, rhythmically rapped vocals laced with falsetto, and even sections that feel like children’s songs.
The restless, fast-evolving arrangement gives the impression that the band has reached a new level.
That said, it’s obvious the song would be extremely difficult to sing at karaoke.
The vocal range is wide, the rhythm is tricky, and if you don’t memorize the structure precisely, you’ll be left behind.
So until you get a handle on the whole piece, it’s best to listen to it repeatedly.
CITRUSDa-iCE
Da-iCE’s “CITRUS” shot to fame as a high-tone song! I bet many of you, regardless of gender, have tried singing it.
The overall range of the song is F3–D5, which makes it a more comfortable key for women.
Da-iCE singing in such a high register is something many men look up to! The verses (A and B sections) sit in a relatively calm range, but the tricky part is how the chorus suddenly jumps up into the high notes.
When you’re hitting tones this high, if you can’t switch cleanly into head voice, you’ll strain your throat.
Keep the resonance focused in your head at all times—doing so naturally lifts your facial muscles, so don’t forget to stay mindful of that! You’ll also need explosive power, so project your voice as if you’re aiming far into the distance.
The final chorus modulates and goes even higher, so it’s okay to sing out more than you think you need!
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.
hundreds of millions of light-yearsOmoinotake
It’s the theme song for TBS’s Tuesday drama “Eye Love You,” and it really felt like a huge hit in 2024! There aren’t many songs that keep the high notes going like this one.
I had lots of students who tried “Ikuoku Kounen,” and even those good at high notes really struggled to sing the whole thing.
Compared to other Omoinotake songs, the higher range is indeed broader, with an overall range of D3 to F#5.
There’s a lot to focus on—core engagement, support, breath usage, quick responsiveness, resonance placement, and more—but if you push with chest voice from the start, you’ll definitely wreck your throat.
It might be better to first practice singing it in head voice.
In fact, head voice uses more air, so once you do it correctly, it can be quite tiring.
I also recommend humming so that you feel vibrations in your brow and head the whole time!
Red HotELLEGARDEN
A pop-punk masterpiece packed with youthful restlessness and a sense of speed, released in April 2005! The overall vocal range is fairly narrow, from G3 to G#4, and since all the lyrics are in English, you might worry about pronunciation—but first, focus on learning the song with an emphasis on rhythm.
The tempo is fast, so timing your breaths is also very important.
Singing in English will probably get you more hyped, so it might be good to power through with momentum and emotion! Try keeping the rhythm with your body and tackle it with a strong sense of accent.