[College Students] Karaoke Popularity Rankings by Generation [2026]

KICK BACKYonezu Kenshi22rank/position

Kenshi Yonezu – KICKBACK

Kenshi Yonezu, a singer-songwriter who continually creates music that exceeds listeners’ expectations and keeps etching his name into J-POP history.

His 13th single, “KICK BACK,” written as the opening theme for the TV anime Chainsaw Man, delivers an impact through arrangements that are delicate yet bold.

Its complex song structure, which links with the anime’s imagery, lets you feel a constant tension that never lets up—even when singing it at karaoke.

Beyond its high difficulty, the driving ensemble will amp up your energy, making it a number we’d love to see university students belt out.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Yes, with pleasure.kocchi no kento23rank/position

Sure thing / Kocchino Kento MV

Rather than gravely lamenting how hard it is to live in modern society, Hai Yorokonde packs in a humorous sensibility and a string of irresistibly catchy, TikTok-ready phrases, making it one of 2024’s defining hits.

The multitalented Kocchino Kento also performed this song at that year’s NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, cementing his nationwide recognition—a fresh memory for many.

While showcasing the vocal prowess he honed through a cappella, the distinctive humor and the melodies and lyrics that stick in your head after a single listen, as mentioned above, make the song a surefire crowd-pleaser at karaoke across generations.

The rapid-fire passages do take some getting used to, but if you struggle to keep up, focus on practicing the tricky parts and memorize them well enough to sing without looking at the lyrics—you may be surprised how smoothly it comes together.

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KOH-1

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Kaiju no Hanabuta (Monster’s Flower Song)Vaundy24rank/position

Monster’s Flower Song / Vaundy: MUSIC VIDEO

Singer-songwriter Vaundy, who showed musical sensibility from a young age and also creates his own artwork.

His song “Kaiju no Hanauta,” featured in Maruha Nichiro’s WILDish series commercial “For Us,” was released as an advance single from his first album strobo and became a hit with over 200 million streams.

The powerful chorus—true to the title—is highly recommended as a karaoke pick for college students.

It’s a pop tune with modern flair that we’d love to see you belt out with friends at karaoke.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Sorry for Being Cute feat. Chu-tan (CV: Saori Hayami)HONEY WORKS25rank/position

Sorry for Being Cute feat. Chuutan (CV: Saori Hayami) / HoneyWorks

This song captivates with its upbeat, catchy melody and relatable lyrics.

Centered on themes of self-affirmation and being true to yourself, it carries a positive message.

Released in November 2022, it became a massive hit on TikTok and also drew attention as a character song for the anime “Heroines Run the Show: The Unpopular Girl and the Secret Job.” The music video surpassed 32 million views in just two months after its release, drawing visual buzz as well.

This track is perfect for college students who want to liven up a karaoke session.

With uplifting lyrics and an easy-to-remember melody, it’s a song everyone can sing together and enjoy with energy.

mixed nutsOfisharu Higedan Dism26rank/position

Official HIGE DANDism – Mixed Nuts [Official Video]

Official HIGE DANDism, a four-piece piano pop band now so popular that their nickname “Higedan” is widely recognized across a broad range of listeners.

Their seventh digital-only single, Mixed Nuts—written as the opening theme for the TV anime SPY×FAMILY—cranks up the energy from the very start with a high-speed running bass line and a noisy guitar sound.

The thrilling melody feels like once you fall behind, there’s no catching up, making it a challenging and rewarding pick for karaoke.

It’s a pop tune I’d recommend to college students for karaoke—belt it out with passion while staying mindful of its complexity.

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Hoshino Takashi

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I’d rather die.Fuji Kaze27rank/position

Fujii Kaze – Shinunoga E-Wa (Not a MV)

This song stands out with lyrics that delicately trace emotional ups and downs and a passionate vocal performance.

It’s a track from the album “HELP EVER HURT NEVER” that showcases Fujii Kaze’s striking individuality.

Since its release in May 2020, it has gradually gained popularity, exploding on social media particularly in 2022.

It drew global attention, even reaching No.

1 on Thailand’s Spotify chart.

The intense yet heartrending feelings—so powerful that just imagining parting from a loved one makes you want to die—truly resonate.

If you’re picking it for karaoke, it’s especially recommended for college students with plenty of romantic experience.

Suzume feat. ToakaRADWIMPS28rank/position

RADWIMPS – Suzume feat. Toaka [Official Lyric Video]

The song “Suzume feat.

Toaka,” released as the theme for the film Suzume, is a grand and beautiful piece that emphasizes its worldbuilding.

Even in 2023, it continues to enjoy enduring popularity, and the key point of this track is, above all, the pitch.

Compared to typical pop music, the arrangement is extremely restrained.

As a result, even slight pitch deviations can ruin it.

However, since techniques like vibrato or ad-libs aren’t used, you could say the difficulty of the vocal line itself is relatively low.

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Ryo

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