Choosing the right karaoke song can make or break a performance.
Finding something that fits your vocal range and leaves the crowd wanting more is key to picking a good song. Whether at a solo mic on stage in a sparsely populated bar, or in the living room with our closest friends, here are The Journal staff’s go-to karaoke songs.
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My go-to karaoke song has to be “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift—Taylor’s Version, of course. While much of Swift’s discography is a karaoke staple, you can never go wrong with the classics.
Whether you’re belting out alone or harmonizing with a group of friends, “You Belong With Me” is guaranteed to be a blast. The best part of queuing up this song is everyone knows the lyrics—yes, you’ll even have the self-proclaimed “non-Swifties” singing along to the chorus. If you’re someone who hasn’t been blessed with the voice of an angel, fear not—the crowd is sure to drown out your slightly squeaky high notes, and you’ll be crowned karaoke legend.
—Violetta Zeitlinger Fontana, Business, Science, & Technology Editor
My favourite karaoke song is “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood—it’s the ultimate song to belt out with your besties at Tumble Tuesday. It’s so good, even country –music haters love it. It’s a perfect breakup anthem, but also a great girl-boss anthem. The lyrics are fun and sassy. Everything about it is perfect. Plus, it makes me want to key someone’s car—I’m kidding, kind of.
—Layla Artzy, Staff Writer
Making someone pick their go-to karaoke song is comparable to asking a parent who their favourite child is—they have an answer, they just can’t say it out loud. They can’t say it because it’s not acceptable, which is why they usually opt for the classic: “I love all my children equally.”
When it comes to karaoke, my socially acceptable song is “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles. Not only is it a classic, but it’s also simple and silly. No matter when it’s sung—at the beginning, middle, or end of the night—it always has the exact same effect on the crowd.
Now, my not-so-socially acceptable song is definitely “My Shot” from the 2015 Broadway musical, Hamilton. No elaboration needed.
—Allie Moustakis, Senior Lifestyle Editor
My go-to karaoke song must be “I Try” by Macy Gray. It was a fixture on the playlist that played on a loop at one of my first jobs in high school. As one of the catchier tunes on the mix, one of my best friends and I would wait around for it to come on each shift. It soon became a fixture when driving around in her green 1994 Ford Tempo, and we’d belt it out together when driving through County backroads.
—Cassidy McMackon, Editor in Chief
My go-to karaoke song is “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz. The first time I heard this song was when China Anne McClain sang it on Disney’s A.N.T Farm. I instantly fell in love with the song, and it’s been my go-to since then.
It has super catchy lyrics and a lively beat. I have never failed to rouse the crowd with this song because most people know it, and its infectious energy never fails to get the crowd pumped. I also really love this song because it brings back nostalgic memories of my childhood.
—Oluwamisimi Oluwole, BIPOC Advisory Board
Tags
Disney, karaoke, Music, Taylor Swift
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