I Want to Sing at Karaoke! A Roundup of Recommended Oldies Classics and Popular Songs
Nostalgic oldies! How about singing a host of classic tunes that resonate in your heart along with memories of those days at karaoke? The Western masterpieces born mainly in the 1950s and ’60s have never faded with time and continue to captivate countless people even today.
In this article, we’ll introduce must-sing oldies for karaoke—from rock ’n’ roll to pop and ballads—beloved across generations.
Oldies often have simple melodies and are easy to sing.
From songs everyone knows to unexpected hidden gems, we’ve got a lineup guaranteed to get the karaoke crowd going!
- A collection of nostalgic hits from the ’70s to 2000s that are perfect for livening up karaoke
- Must-see for men: Songs that look cool if you can sing them at karaoke—numbers that women can’t help but be captivated by.
- Even karaoke beginners can relax! Easy-to-sing songs for men
- When you can’t decide what to sing at karaoke: Easy-to-sing classic hits from the Showa era
- [Karaoke] A roundup of songs that are easy for women to sing!
- Popular songs that are easy to sing at karaoke. Recommended classics and hit songs.
- Easy-to-sing youth songs for karaoke: recommended classics and popular hits
- A lineup of classic hits! Karaoke songs recommended for the yutori generation
- Feel-Good Songs: Belt Them Out at Karaoke! A Roundup of Popular Numbers
- Songs everyone knows across generations. A roundup of karaoke tracks anyone can sing, regardless of age.
- Songs Women Want Men to Sing: Popular Karaoke Picks Chosen by Girls
- Gentle songs you want to sing at karaoke. Recommended classics and popular hits.
- Packed with masterpieces! Karaoke songs recommended for women of the Yutori generation
I want to sing at karaoke! A roundup of recommended oldies classics and popular songs (1–10)
The Loco-MotionLittle Eva
It’s a classic dance tune with an irresistibly bright, exuberant melody! The lyrics invite everyone to line up and dance like a steam train, and combined with Little Eva’s lively vocals, it puts a smile on every listener’s face.
Released as a single in June 1962, it hit No.
1 on the U.S.
charts that August.
Cover versions by Grand Funk Railroad and Kylie Minogue were also big hits, and it was used in the film Inland Empire, so many people across generations have likely heard it.
Sing it with the simple choreography and your room will instantly feel like a ’60s dance party—truly impressive! Add it to your repertoire as a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for livening up any karaoke session.
Please Mr. PostmanThe Marvelettes
It’s a song released in 1961 by the Marvelettes, who were signed to the American label Motown Records.
It is said to express lead singer Gladys Horton’s feelings as she waits for letters from her lover who has gone off to war.
It’s a famous oldies classic, also known for being covered by the Beatles and the Carpenters.
Stand By MeBen E. King
If you want to try a classic Western song at karaoke but aren’t sure what to sing, I recommend Ben E.
King’s timeless masterpiece.
The song expresses deep and pure trust: even if the darkness of night covers the world and hardships shake the earth, there’s nothing to fear as long as a loved one is by your side.
Released in 1961 and included on the album “Don’t Play That Song!,” it became beloved across generations after being chosen as the theme song for the 1986 film Stand by Me.
With its simple, easy-to-remember melody, anyone can sing it comfortably.
How about singing it from the heart on a night when you want to reaffirm the bonds with your friends?
I want to sing at karaoke! Recommended Oldies Classics and Popular Songs (11–20)
Heartbreak HotelElvis Presley
It’s the famously bluesy masterpiece that marked the dawn of the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll.” The song is set in a fictional hotel where wounded souls gather.
Its world of lyrics—singing of hopelessness with no exit at the end of a lonely street—hits hard through the deep echo and Elvis Presley’s plaintive vocals.
There’s even an anecdote that it was inspired by a suicide note printed in a newspaper, which adds to the song’s dark atmosphere.
Released as a single in January 1956, it spent seven weeks at the top of the Billboard charts.
If you sing it at karaoke, I recommend fully becoming the protagonist and delivering it with abundant melancholy.
Precisely because of its simple structure, it’s a piece that truly tests the singer’s expressive power.
Can’t take my eyes off youBoys Town Gang
This song, which the Boys Town Gang rearranged in a disco style in 1982 and which became a big hit in Japan, the UK, and elsewhere, was originally a solo hit in 1967 by the Four Seasons’ Frankie Valli, known for songs like “Sherry.” It’s also extremely popular in Japan’s oldies scene and is considered one of the top five classics.
RunawayDel Shannon
This song is a single released by Del Shannon in February 1961, and it became a hit, topping the U.S.
charts for four consecutive weeks.
There are plenty of highlights, such as modulating from a minor key to a major key in the chorus and showcasing falsetto.
Among oldies, it’s on the more difficult side, but it’s such a lovely song that it’s worth the challenge.
The Japanese version was also a hit.
DianaPaul Anka
This classic song was written and composed by Paul Anka in 1957, and became a hit with his own recording.
“Diana” was also a hit in Japan during the rockabilly boom, with Japanese-language versions released by Keijiro Yamashita and Akira Hirao.
Among oldies, it’s relatively easy to remember and sing, so it’s recommended for beginners.