Best Karaoke Songs for Men: 42 Picks From Baritone to Tenor

So this list starts with range. If your speaking voice is deep, go to the baritone picks. If you can float up high (or you're feeling brave), the tenor section is where the showstoppers are. Not sure? The "no range needed" songs work for basically any guy, and there's a set of funny picks for when you'd rather get a laugh. Scan the table first, then scroll down for why each song works and where it gets tricky.

How to tell if you're a baritone or a tenor

Quick test: sing along to "Ring of Fire" and then to "Livin' on a Prayer." If Cash feels like home and Bon Jovi's chorus makes you strain, you're in baritone territory, which is where most guys live. If Cash feels a bit low and muddy but you can ride up into Jon's chorus, you're closer to a tenor. Either way, don't pick a song because you love it. Pick it because the chorus sits where your voice is strong, and save the big-note dares for when the crowd's already warmed up.

If your speaking voice is on the deep side and high notes make you nervous, start here. These songs sit low, reward a warm tone, and never ask you to scream.

"Ring of Fire" — Johnny Cash

Cash's whole catalog lives in baritone territory, and this is the one everybody knows. The melody barely moves, the horn riff hypes the room for you, and it's done in under three minutes. My top pick for a low-voiced first-timer.

"Folsom Prison Blues" — Johnny Cash

Low, steady, and driven by that chugging train rhythm, so you're half talking your way through it. Lean into the outlaw attitude and let your chest voice do the work. There's no big note to fear anywhere.

"Hurt" — Johnny Cash

Cash's cover of the Nine Inch Nails song is slow, low and almost spoken, which makes it easy on the voice and hard on the heart. The bar goes dead quiet if you commit to it. Pick it for the confident introvert slot, not the 1 a.m. party slot.

"Fly Me to the Moon" — Frank Sinatra

Sinatra's swing version is the gold standard for smooth baritones. The range is friendly, the medium part is the phrasing, since you have to sit back on the beat like you've got nowhere to be. Nail the swagger and it sounds classy even if your pitch wobbles.

"Can't Help Falling in Love" — Elvis Presley

Slow, simple, and it sits right in the low-to-middle of a man's voice. The long held notes give you time to breathe, and couples will start swaying by the second line. It's the romantic pick that won't expose you.

"Friends in Low Places" — Garth Brooks

The chorus rumbles along at the bottom of your range, and the whole bar joins in by the second time through. The last chorus dips extra low on the title, which is the fun part for a real bass. The single most reliable country karaoke song there is.

"Feeling Good" — Michael Bublé

The verses are low, slow and dramatic, so you get to build a mood before the big band kicks in. The ending asks for one sustained belt, which is the medium part. Great for a baritone who wants a flex that isn't a high-note contest.

"The House of the Rising Sun" — The Animals

The minor-key verses sit low and moody, and the organ line makes the whole thing feel huge. Eric Burdon does push up for the last verse, so save a bit of voice for it. Rock fans in the room will absolutely notice you picked a good one.

"The Sound of Silence" — Disturbed

David Draiman's cover starts in a deep, near-whisper and builds to a full roar, so it shows off a low voice better than almost anything. The hard part is the power at the end, which you have to belt without cracking. When it lands, the room goes nuts.

"Stand by Me" — Ben E. King

The melody hardly moves and sits right in a relaxed male range. The bass line is so famous that the crowd hums it for you, and everyone jumps in on the chorus. Hard to find a safer slow pick.

"Tennessee Whiskey" — Chris Stapleton

The bluesy verses sit comfortably low, but Stapleton stacks runs and gravelly belts on top, and that's where most guys fall apart. Keep it simple, skip the fancy runs and let the groove carry you. The whole bar sways to it either way.

A lot of the best country karaoke sits right in this range too. My list of country karaoke songs has plenty more for low voices, from George Strait to Johnny Cash.

Got some height in your voice, or feeling brave? These are the songs that make a bar go wild when the big notes land. Most of them have a crowd that will cover you if they don't.

"Don't Stop Believin'" — Journey

Steve Perry sings much higher than people remember, so the verses sneak up on you. It doesn't matter, because the entire bar screams the chorus. The king of karaoke for a reason.

"Livin' on a Prayer" — Bon Jovi

The verses are fine, the chorus is high, and then the key change jumps it higher still. That key change is the ultimate karaoke dare. Even if you crack on it, the crowd will be too busy singing to notice.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" — Queen

A ballad, an opera section and a head-banger in one song, with Freddie hitting high notes all over it. The crowd takes over the operatic part, so bring friends. Go big or go home.

"Sweet Child o' Mine" — Guns N' Roses

Axl sings way up in his range with a nasal snarl, and that's hard to sustain for six minutes. Air guitar during the intro is mandatory and buys you some goodwill. Pick it if you've got real high notes, not just enthusiasm.

"Purple Rain" — Prince and the Revolution

The verses are slow and comfortable, then the ending climbs into falsetto wails that are all risk and reward. Check your KJ's version, because the full track runs over eight minutes. When the whole bar sways with lighters up, it's worth it.

"Unchained Melody" — The Righteous Brothers

It starts gentle and low, then builds to a big held high note near the end that's one of karaoke's great moments. Bobby Hatfield's voice is a true tenor, so baritones should skip it. Nail it and the room gives you a standing ovation.

"Africa" — Toto

The verses feel easy, then the chorus climbs higher than you'd think. It's deceptively tricky, but everyone knows the chorus and will belt it with you. The crowd reaction makes the risk worth it.

"Creep" — Radiohead

The verses are quiet and low, then the bridge jumps up into a soaring high cry that's the whole point of the song. That quiet-to-loud dynamic is where the magic happens. A mid-voice guy with a decent falsetto can pull it off.

"I Want It That Way" — Backstreet Boys

Yes, a boy band song, and nobody judges. It sits in a light tenor range with a couple of high spots, so it's better split between a few friends. The nostalgia means the whole bar sings the chorus.

"Pour Some Sugar on Me" — Def Leppard

Hair-metal swagger with a high, shouted chorus. The verses are half rhythm, so it's more attitude than notes until the chorus. Wear the energy like a jacket and the crowd yells the title for you.

"Let's Get It On" — Marvin Gaye

Marvin floats between a smooth middle voice and high falsetto cries, which is what makes it feel sexy and what makes it tricky. Keep the ad-libs light and let the groove carry you. The crowd reaction is always great.

"Superstition" — Stevie Wonder

The verses are more groove than melody, riding that famous clavinet riff, but the chorus pushes high and gritty. Swagger matters more than precision. It's a strong pick for a tenor who can hold rhythm.

"My Girl" — The Temptations

David Ruffin's lead sits in a bright tenor range and the melody is gentle and warm. The bassline and the backing vocals do a lot of the heavy lifting, especially if your friends jump in on the harmonies. Short, sweet and loved by everyone.

Want to go smoother? The R&B karaoke songs list has more Marvin, Stevie and friends.

Not sure where your voice sits? Doesn't matter. These are talk-sung, shouted or carried by the crowd, so they work for almost any guy. This is where easy karaoke songs for men live.

"Wonderwall" — Oasis

Talk-singing at its finest. The melody barely moves, and if you can speak in rhythm you can do this song. The whole bar will help on the chorus.

"All Star" — Smash Mouth

More speaking than singing, with a narrow range and a meme-level recognition factor. The crowd sings along out of pure nostalgia. You just need to keep up with the words.

"Hey Ya!" — Outkast

Rhythmic and fun, with a range that stays friendly. The medium part is the pace and a lot of words. The crowd does the call-and-response bits for you, so the energy carries.

"Sweet Caroline" — Neil Diamond

Low vocal demand, massive crowd engagement. The verses sit comfortably low and the room shouts the horn hits right on cue. As close to foolproof as karaoke gets.

"Mr. Brightside" — The Killers

The verses are fast and wordy, but it's emotional energy over vocal precision. Everyone born in the 80s and 90s will scream along. Get the first verse down and you're set.

"Piano Man" — Billy Joel

Storytelling in a comfortable range with a waltz-time chorus the whole bar knows. The harmonica intro is where you get the room's attention. Perfect near last call.

"Take Me Home, Country Roads" — John Denver

A simple melody with a massive payoff, and the entire bar sings the chorus. It sits well for low and high voices alike. Crosses every genre line in the room.

"Wagon Wheel" — Darius Rucker

Country-folk that everybody knows, in a relaxed range. The chorus is pure crowd magic, so you mostly have to lead the party. Great for a group of friends too.

"Chattahoochee" — Alan Jackson

Upbeat, fun, and the rapid-fire storytelling is talk-singing in disguise. The range is small and the song is over in two and a half minutes. Line dancers might show up.

"Lean on Me" — Bill Withers

Soulful simplicity. The melody walks up and down a few notes and feels intuitive the first time. The chorus is built-in crowd participation.

"Eye of the Tiger" — Survivor

The verses are mostly rhythm and punch, and the chorus is a shout the crowd joins. It climbs a bit at the peaks, but attitude covers a lot. Shadow boxing optional but encouraged.

"Summer of '69" — Bryan Adams

A rock anthem in a comfortable middle range with Bryan Adams's raspy energy. The medium part is keeping the drive up through the bridge. The crowd will happily handle the big nostalgic lines.

If you want even safer picks, check out my full list of easy karaoke songs, sorted from easiest up. And if you'd rather rap than sing, there's a whole list of rap karaoke songs.

When you'd rather get a laugh than a standing ovation. Most of these sit low and lean on attitude, so the joke carries you.

"Baby Got Back" — Sir Mix-a-Lot

The spoken opening gets a roar before the beat drops. The rap is steady rather than fast, but there are a lot of words, so know it before you go up. Commit to the deadpan and the room loses it.

"Ice Ice Baby" — Vanilla Ice

Everyone knows the bassline and the first verse, then most people fall apart. That's the joke and the challenge. If you can keep the flow going past the chorus, you're a legend.

"I'm Too Sexy" — Right Said Fred

Deadpan, low and almost entirely spoken, so any voice can do it. The comedy is all in the runway walk and the straight face. Under three minutes, so the bit never wears thin.

"Achy Breaky Heart" — Billy Ray Cyrus

It's cheesy and everyone knows it, which is what makes it perfect. The range is tiny and the tempo is bouncy. Lean into the camp and somebody will start line dancing.

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" — The Proclaimers

Shouty and stompy, with the whole room joining the wordless bits in the chorus. A thick fake Scottish accent is optional but recommended. Great with a buddy on the other mic.

"Never Gonna Give You Up" — Rick Astley

The rickroll, live. Astley's voice is deep and smooth, so it actually sits nicely for baritones, and the chorus is pure muscle memory. Play it completely straight for maximum effect.

More laughs: my list of funny karaoke songs has novelty numbers, funny duets and tips for committing to the bit.

1. Pick for your range, not your playlist. The song you love in the car might sit way too high. Use the sections above as a shortlist.
2. Ask the KJ about the key. Most karaoke systems can drop a song a couple of steps. Nobody in the crowd will notice, and your voice will thank you.
3. Talk-sing when you're unsure. Cash, Oasis and Smash Mouth all prove you don't need a big voice. Rhythm and confidence carry more than pitch.
4. Get the crowd on your side early. Point the mic at the room on the first chorus. Once they're singing, you're not alone up there.
5. Bring a wingman. A duet or a group song takes the pressure off. The duet karaoke songs list has picks for every pairing.

Looking for more? Head to my big list of the Best Karaoke Songs for picks in every style, or swap lists with your friends at the best karaoke songs for women.

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