Overwhelm with vocal sustain! Songs with long tones that make you want to sing them at karaoke
Ever find yourself thinking, “I want to belt it out and feel amazing at karaoke!” or “How do they sustain their voice like that for so long?” Long tones—sustaining your breath while letting your voice resonate beautifully—are one of the elements that can seriously elevate how a song is received.
If you want to refine your expressiveness or sing with emotion and feel great doing it, you’re probably looking for songs that feature long tones and are perfect for practice.
Here are some songs where long tones really stand out—ones that will make you want to sing along.
Overwhelm them with vocal sustain! Long-tone songs you'll want to sing at karaoke (1–10)
I am the strongest.Ado
This is a song from the film One Piece Film: Red, written, composed, and arranged by Mrs.
GREEN APPLE.
Released digitally in June 2022 as performed by Ado in character as Uta, it’s an insert song characterized by confidently powerful lyrics and a refreshing pop sound.
The sustained notes in the chorus really shine, and if you can lock in the pitch, the extended note at the end of the bridge should feel great to sing.
Parts that are sung in falsetto can feel even better if you can hit them in chest voice, so chest-voice singing is recommended.
Crimson Lotus FlowerLiSA
The opening theme of the TV anime “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc, with lyrics written by LiSA herself.
It’s a rock number that conveys both strength and poignancy.
Since many people know the song, it’s sure to get the crowd going at karaoke—highly recommended.
The key long-tone showcase is the expansive chest voice in the chorus.
If you cut this short, it loses impact, so focus on diaphragmatic breathing and sustain it firmly to the end.
If you project your voice as if aiming into the distance, you’ll find it feels great to sing.
Clock StrikesONE OK ROCK
A representative, fast-paced rock number included on their sixth album, “Jinsei x Boku =,” released on March 6, 2013.
It boasts high popularity, with its music video surpassing 100 million views, and is characterized by lyrics that blend poignancy and positivity along with a piano melody.
Early ONE OK ROCK songs feature many Japanese lyrics, so they’re recommended even for those who aren’t comfortable with English.
The long-tone highlights of this song are right before the final chorus and in the final chorus itself.
Be sure to watch the live performance on YouTube! Since Taka’s chest voice is very solid, try placing a hand on your chest and singing while feeling the resonance there.
moonlightOnitsuka Chihiro
Onitsuka’s biggest hit.
Chosen as the theme song for the drama “TRICK,” it became a long-running success with its tense piano and strings and lyrics about liberation from oppression.
An eternal classic, its music video surpassed 100 million views in 2025.
When you actually listen, there are some falsetto elements in the first half, but it builds toward the end, so singing it in chest voice would still land powerfully.
Sing carefully, but hold the sustained notes where needed to create strong dynamics!
365 daysMr.Children
A gem of a love song included on the 16th album “SENSE,” released in December 2010.
It portrays the bittersweet yet strong feeling of thinking about someone, and it also garnered attention as the theme song for NTT East and West commercials.
Spanning over five and a half minutes, it’s a grand, beautiful ballad full of love, and Sakurai’s signature long tones are wonderfully soothing to listen to.
The overall vocal range is A#2–C5, rising toward the chorus, with a distinctive long tone before the chorus and a raspy voice in the chorus itself.
Sing in a relaxed manner to avoid unnecessary tension.
Last SongOfisharu Higedan Dism
A wistful yet beautiful ballad, written and composed by vocalist Satoshi Fujihara, it’s a masterpiece highlighted by piano and strings that evokes farewells and final moments with someone precious.
With an overall vocal range of E3 to C5, it’s not among the highest in Higedan’s catalog, making it fairly approachable for male singers.
The tempo is relatively relaxed, so the general image is to sing with sustained, elongated lines.
Be sure to support firmly with your diaphragm so your voice doesn’t waver, and focus on delivering a straight, steady tone.
CallingB’z
A 1997 single that served as the theme song for the drama Glass Mask starring Yumi Adachi.
It was a million-seller and a masterpiece that took over seven months to produce, fusing two different styles: ballad and rock.
The sustained notes in the rock part are really cool and memorable.
Inaba’s ability to switch between ballad and rock is incredibly impressive, so I think it’s a song that would really liven up a karaoke session.
When you sing it, keep your core engaged and focus on diaphragmatic breathing so your voice doesn’t waver, and project straight.
For the high notes, belting them out will definitely make it feel great to sing.