Best Karaoke Songs & Tips to Slay the Night

Girls' night out? Family fun time? Hanging with the guys looking to get a date? What is better than going out for a karaoke night?

You’re dressed to impress, the wings are endless, and now you have enough liquid courage to get you up there—but what do you sing?

You can look through the endless song books and think of how the words go to some of your favorite songs, but why do that? With this karaoke guide, you’ll be able to strut up to the stage with confidence, get the crowd pumped, and belt out your best songs with ease!

So, what are the best karaoke songs? We’re glad you asked. Check them out!

Best Slow Karaoke Songs

It doesn't matter if it's a fast or slow song. What matters is if it's the right song for you. The right song means you feel the emotion of the song and so does the crowd. Let's start with some of the best slow songs for karaoke night broken down by gender.

Best Slow Songs for Women to Sing

Sometimes you want to showcase that voice that you have with a slow song. You have to feel out the crowd or audience you are with. If the party is jumping and loud, singing a slow song at that time may not be the best choice. If, however, you can get them moved with a passionate song, then go for it!

Here’s our list of some top easy slow songs for women to sing on karaoke night:

1. "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri
2. "Dangerous Woman" by Ariana Grande
3. "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera
4. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
5. "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood
6. "Need you Now" by Lady Antebellum
7. "Lovely" by Billie Eilish
8. "Un-Break My Heart" by Toni Braxton
9. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
10. "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion

Best Slow Songs for Men to Sing

There’s sometimes a different impact that a song can make based on the gender singing it. That’s not to say that if you’re a woman, you can't sing a particular song that’s sung by a man, or vice versa. However, certain songs capture the emotional aspect of that song when sung by the same gender as the original artist.

Here’s our list of some top slow songs men can sing to bring that swagger to the karaoke stage:

1. "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra
2. "Purple Rain" by Prince
3. "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi
4. "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith
5. "All of Me" by John Legend
6. "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran
7. "Wind of Change" by Scorpions
8. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye
9. "Let Her Go" by Passenger
10. "Closing Time" by Semisonic

Fast-Paced Karaoke Songs

Slow songs are a great way to feel connected with the audience on an emotional level, but what's better than audience participation? There’s no better confidence booster than when you belt out your favorite song and the crowd is roaring with excitement and singing along with you. Here are some of our top karaoke songs for audience participation:

Upbeat Audience Participation Songs

1. "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett
2. "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks
3. "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" by Shania Twain
4. "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls
5. "Jolene" by Dolly Parton
6. "Shake it Off" by Taylor Swift
7. "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice
8. "Love Shack" by The B-52s
9. "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
10. "Lady Marmalade" by various artists

What if You Can’t Sing That Well?

Maybe you can't sing as well as your other friends but you still love the atmosphere—and, of course, the wings smothered in BBQ sauce.

No worries! You don't have to feel embarrassed to go up to the mic with this list of karaoke songs we have put together, especially for those of you who may not have the voice of an angel:

1. "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cindy Lauper
2. "Billy Jean" by Michael Jackson
3. "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey
4. "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus
5. "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi
6. "Dancing Queen" by ABBA
7. "Barbie Girl" by Aqua
8. "Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears
9. "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred
10. "Party in the U.S.A." by Miley Cyrus

Top Karaoke Country Songs

Nothing gets an audience going like a good country song. Put on your cowboy hat and your Wrangler jeans, because you may get people up on their feet for a good round of heal-clicking line dancing! Let's see what country songs are the best for a night of karaoke.

1. "This Kiss" by Faith Hill
2. "Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks
3. "Hurt" by Johnny Cash
4. "Old Town Road" by Lil' Nas X Ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
5. "That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain
6. "I Like It, I Love It" by Tim McGraw
7. "Crazy" by Patsy Cline
8. "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry
9. "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton
10. "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra

Top Karaoke Rock Songs

Sometimes you just have to rock the crowd! More times than not, there’s a lot of group participation with the following rock songs! Pick a few from the list for some head-banging, good karaoke times:

1. "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
2. "White Wedding" by Billy Idol
3. "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks
4. "American Woman" by Lenny Kravitz
5. "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne
6. "Come on Feel the Noise" by Quiet Riot
7. "Cryin" by Aerosmith
8. "Zombie" by The Cranberries
9. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard
10. "Enter Sandman" by Metallica

Duets That Will Make You Both Shine in the Spotlight

Sometimes liquid courage isn’t enough to get you up on stage in front of a large crowd. It can be nerve-racking, to say the least! In these instances, sometimes going up there with a buddy can help take the edge off!

Who doesn't love a harmonizing duet? Whether singing with a lover or a friend, check out this list of karaoke songs that will get you and your "other" the recognition that you both deserve:

Best Duet Songs for Karaoke

1. "Shallow" by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
2. "Stay" by Rihanna and Mikky Ekko
3. "It's Your Love" by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
4. "You're the One That I Want" by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
5. "True Colors" by Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick
6. "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" by Meghan Trainor and John Legend
7. "The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
8. "Perfect Duet" by Ed Sheeran and Beyonce
9. "Barbie Girl" by Aqua
10. "Dancing Queen" by ABBA

Ways to Prepare Yourself for the Best and Ultimate Night of Karaoke

Some may just choose, on a whim, to go out with friends for a fun night of karaoke. For others, it may be a weekly or every other day event.

If you think you have what it takes, you can even get more serious and get into competition mode! Whatever your karaoke looks like, we have some tips for getting yourself prepared so you can shine on that stage.

1. Stay Hydrated and Eat Right

We know the drinks are flowing and sometimes that's what helps get you up on that stage; however, drinking enough water, not only the night of but also the day before, will keep your vocal cords hydrated and help out your voice and overall performance.

Eat lots of fruits and veggies. For example, watermelon, cantaloupe, and celery keep the water content high and are great for overall hydration.

2. Pick Songs in Your Vocal Range

Sometimes it is tempting to sing a song that has a lot of different vocal ranges that will wow the crowd. Don't always go for the songs that may please the crowd if it isn't in your vocal range. As amazing as her songs are, don't go for a Whitney Houston song if you aren't able to come anywhere close to hitting those notes. It's okay—not many people can!

Pick songs that are best suited for you and that you’re comfortable singing. If you do this, you will sound good, and the song will flow with ease.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice

We have all heard that line before! Well, the saying is true that if you want to be good at anything, practice makes perfect.

Grab some songs from any of our lists and download them onto your playlist. Listen to them and learn the lyrics.

Have a few songs that you know really well. With practice, you’ll feel better prepared, and when your turn comes around, your confidence will kick in and you’ll slay it. Remember to practice the karaoke-style songs so you can get a feel of how your voice really sounds without the artist's voice in the background.

You can find almost any song like this on YouTube. Here are some hits that are karaoke-style so you can start practicing before you go out.

4. Get Rest

This one may not seem like much of a tip, but a tired voice is not a strong voice. Get as much rest as you can so you can be fully focused and feel your best. It’s important to not only sleep at night but also rest your voice. Be careful whooping and hollering if you’re the next performer.

All these tips may seem a bit excessive if you just want to go and have fun, but you never know where karaoke might take you. Some famous artists such as Mary J. Blige and Taylor Swift were discovered through karaoke! Check out this related article on ABC news.

A Few More Tips for Singing the Best Karaoke Songs

No matter what you sing, do it with confidence, and don't forget to enjoy yourself! Even if you aren't the best singer, you can find a song that works for you.

Remember to check out YouTube for all kinds of hit songs that are already set up in karaoke style so you can find what works best for you and what doesn't. Nothing is worse than thinking you like a song and going up to sing it only to find out that song is too hard to sing!

Don't forget, you have to feel the crowd out. If they’re energized and pumped, then feed off of that energy and pick a song from a genre that matches that energy, such as a rock or other upbeat song. If you feel like the moment calls for a slow and well-sung song, go for it!

Don't forget to relax! Take your deep breaths before and during singing.

Stay hydrated and get your rest the night before and the day of. If you feel like you are ready to compete, check out local competitions in your area. Flyers are normally posted, or check online sources for more information.

The famous artists of today didn't just become famous one day out of nowhere. They more than likely started with showcasing their voices at karaoke night and doing local competitions. Sing from your diaphragm and project your voice. Wake up that drunk in the corner and your inner diva!