Pop Karaoke Songs: 34 Picks From Every Era

I pulled these from what actually gets sung at karaoke nights: the new stuff people are streaming, the 2010s anthems everyone knows, the 2000s nostalgia hits and a quick 90s detour. The table gives you the difficulty and length at a glance, and every song has a short note on where the tricky part is.

The songs people are streaming right now, which means the whole room already knows every word. These are the picks KJs hear most on a Friday night.

• "Flowers" — Miley Cyrus — Miley sits low and relaxed for almost the whole thing, so you never have to reach. The chorus is a slow strut, not a belt, and the room tends to sing it back at you like a group pep talk. Great first pick for anyone with a lower voice.
• "As It Was" — Harry Styles — Under three minutes, a narrow melody and a bouncy tempo that carries you along. The only tricky bit is the quick run of words in the verses, so read a line ahead. Nobody gets bored during a Harry song.
• "Levitating" — Dua Lipa — The verses are rhythmic and quick, so the hard part is staying on the beat, not hitting notes. Once the disco chorus kicks in, the room starts moving. Pick it if you'd rather groove than belt.
• "drivers license" — Olivia Rodrigo — The verses are soft and almost spoken, then the bridge suddenly asks for a full-voice belt. Nail that jump and the room goes quiet in the best way. It's a heartbreak song, so it lands best a few drinks into the night.
• "Espresso" — Sabrina Carpenter — The range is friendly, but the phrasing is cheeky and syncopated, so know the rhythm before you go up. The whole bar joins on the title hook. Play up the attitude and it works even if your voice is shaky.
• "Good Luck, Babe!" — Chappell Roan — A big 80s-style power ballad that keeps climbing, capped by a long held note near the end that is genuinely tough. Chappell fans will scream for anyone who goes for it. Save it for when your voice is warmed up.
• "Anti-Hero" — Taylor Swift — It sits in a comfortable middle range and moves at a talky pace, so it's more about delivery than vocals. Swifties in the room will cover you on the chorus. A safe pick if you're nervous.
• "good 4 u" — Olivia Rodrigo — Pop-punk energy in under three minutes. The verses are fast and sarcastic, then the chorus turns into a shout-along that anyone can do. Great for letting off steam with a friend on backup.
• "Birds of a Feather" — Billie Eilish — Soft and breathy in the verses, then it floats up into a light falsetto on the chorus. Keep it gentle rather than pushing and it sounds great. The room sways along to this one.

The decade of the perfect pop chorus. These are the songs every karaoke book has and every crowd knows, which makes them hard to mess up.

• "Shake It Off" — Taylor Swift — The melody barely moves and the spoken bridge is basically a free pass. It's all about bouncing around and having fun. The crowd will be singing louder than you by the second chorus.
• "Call Me Maybe" — Carly Rae Jepsen — One of the easiest singalongs ever written. The range is small, the tempo is easy and everybody knows the chorus. I'd put it first on any nervous friend's list.
• "Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars — The hard part is the rapid-fire, half-spoken verses, which reward swagger over pitch. The breakdown is a built-in moment for the room to shout back. Bring a friend and split the ad-libs.
• "Rolling in the Deep" — Adele — It sits lower than you'd think, which makes it a gift for strong altos, but the chorus is sustained belting with no breaks to breathe. If you have the power, this one earns a huge reaction.
• "Firework" — Katy Perry — The verses are easy, but the chorus sits high and stays there. It's an anthem, so the room will carry you if you commit. Better for higher voices.
• "Happy" — Pharrell Williams — Pharrell sings it in a light, high voice, so lower singers may want to drop it an octave. Otherwise it's pure good vibes and the whole room claps along. A safe pick for work events and birthdays.
• "Dancing On My Own" — Robyn — A sad song you can dance to, which is exactly why it wrecks people at karaoke. The chorus sits in a comfortable spot but repeats a lot, so pace yourself. Pop fans will lose their minds when it comes on.

If you're hunting for karaoke songs from the 2000s, this is where the nostalgia hits hardest. Most of these were karaoke staples before some of today's singers were born.

• "Toxic" — Britney Spears — The melody is breathy and stays mid-range, but the rhythm is tight, so it helps to know it cold. Everyone reacts to those opening strings. Lean into the drama.
• "Since U Been Gone" — Kelly Clarkson — The verses are chill, then the chorus explodes into a high belt that doesn't let up. It's the ultimate breakup release. Go for it and the crowd will yell every word with you.
• "Hey Ya!" — Outkast — The verses come fast and there are a lot of words, but the call-and-response parts get the whole bar involved. Energy matters more than pitch here. A great pick for a group.
• "Complicated" — Avril Lavigne — Mid-range, mid-tempo and almost conversational in the verses. The chorus is catchy without being showy. A comfortable pick for most voices.
• "Party in the U.S.A." — Miley Cyrus — The chorus is one of the loudest singalongs in any bar. The verses sit low and are easy to talk through. Guaranteed good time.
• "Hot n Cold" — Katy Perry — The hard part is the rapid-fire list of opposites in the chorus, which trips people up if they don't know it. Get the rhythm down and it's pure fun. It gets a big nostalgic cheer.
• "Bad Romance" — Lady Gaga — It's long, dramatic and the chorus asks for real power. The nonsense hook at the start is something the whole room joins in on. Save it for when you're warmed up and feeling theatrical.
• "A Thousand Miles" — Vanessa Carlton — The piano intro alone gets a cheer. The chorus climbs a bit higher than you remember, so start easy. Everybody sings the big hook with you.

A quick taste. For the full decade, see the 90s list linked below.

• "Wannabe" — Spice Girls — Short, chaotic and made for a group of friends. The fast rap section is the only real hurdle. Split the parts and it's a guaranteed hit.
• "...Baby One More Time" — Britney Spears — Simple, low-ish melody and a chorus everyone knows. You can go full dramatic without needing big notes. Instant nostalgia.
• "I Want It That Way" — Backstreet Boys — The crowd sings the chorus louder than you ever will. There's a key lift near the end that pushes a bit higher, so save some voice. Perfect for groups.
• "Believe" — Cher — Cher is a contralto, so this sits nicely for low voices. The famous vocal effect can't be copied, so nobody expects you to. Just enjoy the dance beat.

Want the whole decade? Here are the best 90s karaoke songs, and if you want to go back even further, the best 80s karaoke songs.

Two mics, one song, and a shared moment. More pairs in the full duet list.

• "Shallow" — Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper — The first half is gentle and trades verses, then the big wail in the middle is a real challenge. Pull it off together and the room erupts. One of the most requested duets out there.
• "Die with a Smile" — Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — A slow, soulful ballad with high harmonies at the end that need two strong voices. The trade-offs are clear, so it's easy to split. It's become a go-to for couples.
• "Somebody That I Used to Know" — Gotye feat. Kimbra — The first voice starts low and quiet, then climbs to a big chorus; the second voice comes in late with an angry, punchy verse. The contrast is the whole fun. Great if one of you can go low.
• "Just Give Me a Reason" — P!nk feat. Nate Ruess — Two parts that feel like a conversation, meeting in harmony on the chorus. Neither part is extreme, but you both need to hold pitch. Very emotional, in a good way.
• "Señorita" — Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello — Sultry, slow and flirty with light falsetto hooks. It's more about chemistry than vocal power. Pick it if you're singing with someone you're comfortable with.

Need more for two? Here are the best duet karaoke songs, split by pairing.

Most pop is written for high voices, but these sit comfortably down low.

• "Royals" — Lorde — Lorde sings it in a low, cool voice with barely any range. It's all about the attitude and the rhythm of the words. The crowd snaps and claps along.
• "Flowers" — Miley Cyrus — One of the lowest-sitting pop hits of the decade. You can sing the whole thing in a relaxed chest voice. Altos, this one's yours.
• "Believe" — Cher — Cher's low, strong voice makes this a natural fit for altos and baritones singing up. The chorus is where the energy is, not the range. Nobody expects the robot effect.
• "Rolling in the Deep" — Adele — Adele keeps it mostly in the low-middle range, so it suits altos who can belt. The difficulty is stamina, not height. Take a breath before every chorus.
• "Somebody That I Used to Know" — Gotye feat. Kimbra — Gotye's verses start low and quiet, perfect for baritones. The chorus does climb, so you might want a friend on Kimbra's part. It's a great way into pop for lower male voices.

Got a low voice? The karaoke songs for altos list has the vocal range for every pick, so you can find the ones that sit right for you.

Into Korean pop? Check out the K-pop karaoke songs.

Looking for more? Start with the Best Karaoke Songs guide, or try some easy karaoke songs if you're a first-timer.

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