It’s official: as strange as it is, most Americans, whether old or young, sober or, well, not so sober, love karaoke. A form of entertainment that has been around since the 1970s in Asia, karaoke is a great way to start or end a night, and the options of songs to choose to sing range from slow, emotional ballads to 80s hair metal and everything in between. Rather than listing out the obvious favorites, like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” or Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville,” we’ve decided to take a different approach, because as veteran karaoke-goers, we’ve noticed a few trends. So, in honor of National Karaoke Week, which occurs the last week of April, here is a list of five no-fail categories of karaoke songs to get the crowd going, either at a bar or in your apartment.
Old school hits
You could always play it safe, take it way back and stick with the oldies. This timeless category includes tunes from Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Louis Armstrong and many more. “What a Wonderful World” is a touching one to start with, or the catchy “Love Me Do.” Or how about serenading your audience to the sweet sounds of “Hound Dog” or “Jailhouse Rock”? And anyone who’s ever seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off will appreciate singing along to the feel good 1963 hit “Danke Schoen.”
Everyone loves the 80s
It’s true. As soon as the first power ballad chords from Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”, “Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses or Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” play over the speakers, a palpable sense of nostalgia settles over the crowd and everyone just wants to rock out. Whether you grew up listening to those songs on the radio or are just fondly recalling your frattier years, you can’t go wrong with any ‘80s hair metal or power ballad hit.
Silly pop songs that you secretly enjoy
You know the ones. These are songs that everyone loves to hate, songs that you might not, in a million years, reveal that you know every single word to, and possibly some accompanying dance moves, until you realize there are about 50 other people in a crowded bar singing and dancing along with you. A good one to start off with is Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” a spicy hit that borders on obnoxiousness yet always remains a crowd pleaser. Another choice karaoke song is “The Sign” by Ace of Base. And you can’t go wrong with anything from the Spice Girls.
Girl power anthems
Chances are, somewhere out there, there’s a girl that’s getting over a breakup, and she might just be consoling herself at karaoke hour at the local bar. That’s why girl power ballads are always a great choice for karaoke. Whether or not you’re a member of the fairer sex, everyone can relate to feelings of anger, despair, heartache and the resulting empowerment that comes from getting over lost love. So throw on some Alanis Morissette (just about anything from Jagged Little Pill is a winner) or No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom-era hit “Don’t Speak,” which vocalist Gwen Stefani wrote while ending a seven-year relationship.
It Takes Two
While duets can be tough, especially when you’re not as convinced of your partner’s vocal prowess as you are of your own, they often provide some of the most rewarding karaoke experiences. There are a few songs that you can’t go wrong with, especially “Love Shack” by the B-52s. Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe” is a really easy one to master, and “You’re The One That I Want” from Grease is another favorite. If you’ve got a sense of humor and the stage presence to pull it off, try “A Whole New World” from the movie Aladdin.
Photo credit: iStockphoto/izusek