Top English-Language Songs That Hype Up Karaoke [Male] [2026]

Power of LoveHuey Lewis & The News15rank/position

Huey Lewis and the News – Power of Love (Official Video)

A huge hit by Huey Lewis and the News that was used in the movie Back to the Future and in car commercials.

Huey Lewis’s husky vocals are super cool.

In fact, Huey Lewis apparently made a cameo appearance in Back to the Future.

Nail the chorus line, “Don’t need no credit card to ride this train,” with style!

Counting StarsOneRepublic16rank/position

OneRepublic – Counting Stars

Haven’t been getting much sleep lately? If that’s you, why not try learning “Counting Stars,” a stylish, rock-tinged track by OneRepublic.

With its bit of a shouty edge, this song demands solid vocal skills, but it’s a great pick for those who love a challenge.

Shake It OffTaylor Swift17rank/position

Taylor Swift – Shake It Off

Although it’s a song by a female artist, it can be fun when sung by a man and might even work as a little cheer-up song.

Why not learn Taylor Swift’s smash hit “Shake It Off” and have a great time singing it at karaoke? It could also be fun to sing it as a group.

The lyrics have lots of repetition, so they should be easy to remember.

Take On Mea-ha18rank/position

a-ha – Take On Me (Official Video) [4K]

The moment that incredibly famous intro rings out, it’s an absolute classic that gets you pumped up—even if you weren’t around to experience it in real time! Many people surely remember its innovative music video from the MTV-dominated 1980s, which went on to influence later generations.

As mentioned, “Take On Me,” one of the signature songs by Norway’s proud trio a-ha, is such a massive hit that everyone’s heard it at least once, so it’s guaranteed to liven up any karaoke session.

It’s tough to replicate Morten Harket’s beautiful high notes, but try adjusting the key and give it a shot!

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Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana19rank/position

Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Official Music Video)

Released in September 1991, this track is a historic number that ignited the grunge movement on a global scale.

Its quiet-verse-to-explosive-chorus “quiet–loud” structure shocked the music scene at the time.

Lead singer Kurt Cobain said he set out to “write the ultimate pop song,” and the simple yet powerful guitar riff and lyrics portraying youthful apathy and alienation resonated with countless listeners.

It won two awards at the MTV Video Music Awards and peaked at No.

6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

With an instantly recognizable intro and a chorus that makes you want to shout, it’s a karaoke staple that unites the entire room.

Sweet Child O’ MineGuns N’ Roses20rank/position

Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine (Official Music Video)

Many people in their 50s today were surely inspired by Guns to aim to be singers or pick up a guitar.

Their historic, classic debut album, Appetite for Destruction, released in 1987, is full of great songs, but the masterpiece Sweet Child O’ Mine—known for topping the Billboard chart and later being covered by Sheryl Crow, who won a Grammy for it—is a staple of karaoke.

Its melody is easy to remember, and Axl Rose’s signature high-pitched shouts aren’t as intense as in some of their other tracks, so it seems relatively singable.

By the way, Slash’s intro riff is now the stuff of legend, but it’s funny that he himself didn’t consider it all that serious at the time.

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It’s My LifeBon Jovi21rank/position

Bon Jovi – It’s My Life (Official Music Video)

Live your own life, not someone else’s—live it to the fullest! The American rock band’s classic “It’s My Life” inspires that feeling.

At karaoke, it might look cool to sing it in a rock style while imitating the husky tone of the vocalist.