Best Karaoke Songs for a Party

Karaoke songs that always work

A good karaoke song is not the one you sing best. It is the one the room can join in with by the second line, because that is what stops it being a performance and makes it a party.

Here are the songs that reliably work in a British living room or function room, grouped by how brave you're feeling.

We don't sell music - we make cards, pin badges and prints in house, printed in the UK. So this is a straight guide to the songs, and the card that goes with the day.

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Easy songs for someone who can't sing

  • Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond. Three notes and a crowd that does most of it for you.
  • Wonderwall - Oasis. Nobody expects it to be in tune.
  • Angels - Robbie Williams.
  • Don't Stop Believin' - Journey, if you have a group to hide in.
  • Mr Brightside - The Killers. Technically hard, socially impossible to fail.
  • Love Shack - The B-52s. Mostly shouting.

Duets

  • Summer Nights - Grease.
  • Islands In The Stream - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
  • Shallow - Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, if one of you can actually sing.
  • You're The One That I Want - Grease.
  • Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

Group anthems for the end of the night

  • Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen. Long, but everyone stays.
  • Living On A Prayer - Bon Jovi.
  • Dancing Queen - Abba.
  • I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor.
  • Hey Jude - The Beatles, as the closer.

Songs to avoid

  • Anything by Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey unless you genuinely can.
  • Rap tracks with fast verses - the screen moves faster than you think.
  • Album tracks nobody knows. Karaoke is a group activity disguised as a solo one.
  • Anything over six minutes, early in the night.
  • Sad ballads before 10pm.

How to run a karaoke night at home

  • Use a TV and a YouTube karaoke channel - you don't need a machine.
  • Two microphones, always. Nobody wants to go up alone first.
  • Start with a group song rather than a solo, to break the ice.
  • Keep a written running order so the same three people don't take the whole night.
  • Finish on a big singalong while people still have the energy for it.

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Party bits for the night

Banners, confetti and decorations.

Cloud Cake Toppers (6pcs) Cloud Cake Toppers (6pcs) £3.87 Oh Baby Baby Shower Cupcake Toppers (Pack of 12) Oh Baby Baby Shower Cupcake Toppers (Pack of 12) £3.87 Let's Pawty Dog Cake Topper Let's Pawty Dog Cake Topper £3.87 Daisy Cake Toppers (20pcs) Daisy Cake Toppers (20pcs) £3.87 Pink Heart Confetti (300PCS) Pink Heart Confetti (300PCS) £3.95 Rude That You're Leaving Banner Rude That You're Leaving Banner £3.45 Happy Birthday Table Confetti (200PCS) Happy Birthday Table Confetti (200PCS) £4.00 Gold Glittery Star Table Confetti (50PCS) Gold Glittery Star Table Confetti (50PCS) £2.45

How to write it so it lands

  • Check the lyrics of the karaoke version - some are the uncensored album cut.
  • Set the volume so the backing track is louder than the singer. It helps everyone.
  • Have a hard finish time agreed with the neighbours or the venue.
  • Record one song, not all of them. People relax more if the camera isn't always up.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best karaoke song for someone who can't sing?

Sweet Caroline. It has a tiny vocal range, the crowd sings the loudest parts, and nobody is listening to you by the first chorus.

Do you need a karaoke machine?

No. A TV, a YouTube karaoke channel and two cheap microphones cover a house party perfectly well.

How do you get people to start singing?

Open with a group song that everyone knows, hand out two microphones, and make sure the first person up is not the best singer in the room.

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