The Top Tens of Karaoke

When someone asks you what your favorite song to sing is, do you know the answer right away? Many melodists have multiple answers to this broad query, but there is usually that ONE song that pulls at us from inside, from our music filled memory banks that we love to garble with a glee that’s usually reserved for a certain stanza saturated show on television. You can be a private singer/songstress enjoying the sound of your own voice in your car or perhaps the preference of the acoustically beneficial shower. You can be a professional singer hoping to revive an old classic or a local band perking up a bit when their most well-received and therefore most well played piece comes up in the set list, we all have our favorites. This is transparently true for karaoke singers and, let’s not forget, the acutely crucial audience. Of course, your most treasured tune and your fave song to sing can be two decidedly different ditties. For this blog, I have researched the 10 most popular karaoke songs by women, men and just across the board. This information is, of course driven by opinion and not fact and I had to choose one out of many available resources. The results though, were still interesting and made me think, “Hey, why haven’t I tried that one yet?.” TOP TEN KARAOKE SONGS FOR MEN (according to AskMen.com): 1) Born To Be Wild – Steppenwolf 2) Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey 3) Cecilia – Simon & Garfunkel 4) Friends in Low Places – Garth Brooks 5) Sweet Home Alabama – Lynrd Skynrd 6) Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi 7) Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond 8) (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones 9) You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC 10) Born In the USA – Bruce Springsteen     Now, I don’t personally know how accurate this particular list is, but it was the top result of several online searches, so it must be true, right? As for women, most of these hallowed hits seem on the mark:   TOP TEN KARAOKE SONGS FOR WOMEN (according to needlister.com):

1. Before He Cheats – Carrie Underwood
2. Bitch – Meredith Brooks
3. Man! I Feel Like a Woman – Shania Twain
4. Heartbreaker – Pat Benatar
5. Like a Virgin – Madonna
6. Mickey – Toni Basil
7. Since U Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson
8. These Boots Are Made for Walking – Nancy Sinatra
9. Hit me With Your Best Shot – Pat Benetar
10. So What! – P!nk

Now for the big list, the ten most popular karaoke songs, for men, women, children, animals, anyone. This is so subjective that there are bound to be bounteous objections. Like I said, it is just interesting to see what websites have compiled what other people consider to be the most beloved. I found two lists that I could not choose between, and of course, some of the songs overlap, as would be expected. TOP TEN MOST POPULAR KARAOKE SONGS According to starcentral.com:

1. Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
2. Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Bonnie Tyler
3. My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
4. I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
5. I Want It That Way – Backstreet Boys
6. All By Myself – Eric Carmen
7. Dancin’ Queen – Abba
8. Cruisin’ – Huey Lewis
9. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
10. Hit Me Baby One More Time – Britney Spears

TOP TEN MOST POPULAR KARAOKE SONGS According to toptenz.net: 1. Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi 2. Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffet 3. Like A Virgin – Madonna 4. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor 5. Under The Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers 6. YMCA – The Village People 7. Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Bonnie Tyler 8. Summer Nights – ONJ & John Travolta 9. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen 10. There’s A Tear In My Beer – Hank Williams Although I consider myself an aficionado on karaoke, I don’t consider myself an expert just because I write a modest blog on the subject every month. I do, however, attend karaoke shows quite often and thought I’d leave you with what I have found to be the ten most popular songs that are, equally at times attempted, mutilated and/or successfully celebrated on the majority of nights I have been a sometimes participant/sometimes just a fly on the wall. 1) Me and Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin 2) You Oughta Know – Alanis Morissette 3) I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston 4) Amazed – Lonestar 5) Crazy – Patsy Cline 6) Desperado – Eagles 7) Your Song – Elton John/ Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper (Tie) 8) Anything by Madonna 9) Anything by Bon Jovi 10) Proud Mary – Ike Turner Whichever lyrics lure you to the limelight, maybe you’ll look to these lists next time it’s your turn to grab that mic!