The Top 50 Most Requested Karaoke Songs of 2026

Proud Mary is one of those karaoke classics that never seems to disappear, and there’s a good reason for it. It’s fun, instantly recognisable and gives the singer a chance to put on a proper performance rather than simply standing there and singing.

We see it performed both as a solo and as a duet. When two people take it on, you’ll often have one person handling Ike Turner’s parts before the other steps into the Tina Turner role. Done well, it can be brilliant because the song naturally gives you that back-and-forth performance before everything really kicks into gear.

There is, however, one thing we see all the time with Proud Mary: everyone wants to get to the good bit!

The opening is famously slow and restrained, and singers regularly start anticipating the faster section before it actually arrives. You can almost see them thinking, “Come on, let’s get to Rolling on the River!” But that’s also part of what makes the song work. You have to let that opening breathe because the contrast makes the second half feel so much bigger.

Once the tempo changes, the whole atmosphere changes with it. This is where Proud Mary really earns its place in our Top 50. People start clapping, dancing and joining in, and there’s nearly always someone doing their best Tina Turner impression. You’ll see the arms going backwards and forwards, the dancing gets increasingly enthusiastic and suddenly what started as a fairly slow performance has turned into one of the liveliest moments of the night.

That slow beginning is probably the only reason we’d stop short of giving Proud Mary a full five stars for energy or crowd reaction. Compared with some of the songs higher up our list, it doesn’t hit the audience immediately. You have to wait for it.

But once it gets there, it’s absolutely worth it.

What’s Up? by 4 Non Blondes is one of those songs where you only need to hear the opening few chords before pretty much everyone in the room knows exactly what’s coming. It’s instantly recognisable, incredibly easy for an audience to join in with and has become a genuine karaoke classic.

From our experience, it’s particularly popular with female singers and seems to be one of those dependable songs people come back to again and again. Interestingly, it also tends to attract some really good singers. We’ve heard plenty of brilliant versions of What’s Up? over the years, and we’re genuinely struggling to think of a performance that has completely fallen apart.

Part of that is probably because it’s actually quite a forgiving karaoke song.

Linda Perry’s original vocal is powerful, expressive and deliberately a little rough around the edges. That works massively in your favour at karaoke. You don’t have to deliver an absolutely pristine vocal for the song to work. You can shout parts, lean into the rasp, exaggerate the delivery and generally have a bit of fun with it without making the performance sound wrong.

Then, of course, you get to that chorus.

As soon as the famous “hey-ey-ey” section arrives, you’re almost guaranteed to hear the room joining in. Even people who haven’t shown the slightest interest in singing all evening suddenly seem to know every word. That’s what makes What’s Up? such a dependable crowd pleaser: the audience becomes part of the performance.

The only thing holding it back from appearing much higher in our countdown is the pace. It’s relatively slow and doesn’t create the same immediate burst of energy as some of the songs further up this list. You’re unlikely to suddenly fill a dance floor with it.

But as a proper arms-in-the-air, everyone-singing-together karaoke moment? It’s very difficult to go wrong.

Kingston Town is one of those songs that has stood the test of time. While it probably appeals more to an older generation nowadays, it’s still a karaoke favourite that we see chosen surprisingly often.

One thing that immediately stands out when this song starts is just how good it sounds through a decent PA system. The deep reggae bassline really fills the room and gives the track a lovely warm sound that instantly changes the atmosphere. Even before anyone starts singing, you know exactly what’s coming.

Unlike some of the other songs in our Top 50, though, Kingston Town isn’t really about getting the whole room singing along. Unless your audience already knows the song well, you’re unlikely to hear everyone joining in. It’s much more of a listening song than a participation song.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In the right crowd, particularly where there’s a mix of ages, it can go down brilliantly. We’ve seen plenty of people absolutely nail this song and receive a huge round of applause at the end.

Its reggae rhythm also makes it a fairly comfortable song to sing. There’s no huge vocal range to worry about, no key changes and no massive high notes. If you’ve got good timing and can stay relaxed, it’s actually one of the easier songs to perform confidently.

The slower tempo is ultimately what holds it back in our rankings. Compared to some of the songs higher up the list, it doesn’t create the same level of excitement or audience interaction, but it’s still a genuine karaoke classic that deserves its place in our countdown.

I Want It That Way is probably the first song in our countdown that’s likely to divide opinion. In fact, plenty of people will probably be wondering why it’s only sitting at number 47.

Had we put this list together in 2024 or even 2025, it would almost certainly have been much higher. There was a period where it felt like we heard this song at almost every karaoke event we hosted. It became one of those tracks that everyone wanted to sing.

Fast forward to 2026 and things have changed slightly. It’s still hugely popular, but we’re definitely seeing it chosen less often than we were a year or two ago. That’s the reason it finds itself lower down this year’s rankings.

Don’t let the position fool you though — it’s still an outstanding karaoke song.

In our experience, this song is always at its best when it’s sung as a group. Get four or five mates together and suddenly you’ve got your own version of the Backstreet Boys. The harmonies don’t have to be perfect, the choreography certainly doesn’t have to be perfect and, if we’re being honest, the vocals rarely are either.

But that’s exactly why karaoke works.

This is one of those songs where performance matters far more than technical ability. Whether everyone hits every note is almost beside the point. As long as the singers commit to it, the audience absolutely loves it.

Of course, then comes the chorus.

As soon as everyone hears “Tell me why…” it’s almost impossible not to sing along. It’s one of those moments where the audience naturally joins in without being asked, making it one of the biggest crowd participation songs in our entire Top 50.

It’s also surprisingly versatile. Although originally performed by one of the biggest boy bands of all time, we’ve seen brilliant performances from all-male groups, mixed groups, solo singers and female vocalists too. Great songs don’t really care who’s holding the microphone.

The Gambler is one of the biggest surprises in our Top 50. A few years ago, this was a song we mainly associated with older singers. If someone selected it at karaoke, you could almost predict who was walking towards the microphone.

That has completely changed.

Over the last year or two, we’ve seen more and more younger singers choosing The Gambler, and it’s been going down incredibly well. Country music has enjoyed a huge resurgence in recent years, and this is one of several country songs that feature in our countdown. In fact, you’ll find a few even higher up the list.

Despite being a fairly slow song, it has one huge advantage over many other karaoke choices: everybody knows the chorus.

As soon as you get to “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em…”, you’ll hear people joining in from all over the room. It’s one of those songs that naturally encourages audience participation without the singer having to ask for it.

Vocally, it’s also a comfortable song to perform. There’s no massive range to worry about and the storytelling style means it’s more about confidence and delivery than showing off your vocal ability.

It’s proof that karaoke doesn’t always have to be loud, fast or packed with high notes. Sometimes a well-performed classic can get just as good a reaction as the biggest pop anthem of the night.

Red Light Spells Danger is one of those songs that instantly lifts the energy in the room. While it’s still more commonly chosen by the older generation at our events, it’s a brilliant reminder that not every karaoke favourite has to be a huge modern pop hit.

From the moment the music starts, there’s a real sense of momentum. The fast tempo, punchy brass section and infectious groove make it difficult to stand still. Even if people aren’t singing along, they’re usually clapping, tapping their feet or dancing along to it.

That’s one of the biggest reasons this song works so well at karaoke. It has genuine energy from start to finish and keeps the room engaged throughout.

Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s an easy song to perform though. For male singers especially, Red Light Spells Danger can be surprisingly challenging. Billy Ocean’s vocal sits quite high in places and the quicker pace means you don’t get much opportunity to catch your breath between lines.

Female singers often find the original key a little more comfortable, although the pace still means you need good timing and confidence to keep everything flowing naturally.

When someone really nails this song, it’s fantastic to watch. It’s upbeat, entertaining and feels more like a live performance than simply singing along to a backing track.

Back to Black is one of Amy Winehouse’s defining songs and remains one of the most popular choices for female singers at our karaoke events. While Amy’s catalogue includes some incredibly challenging tracks, we’d actually say this is one of her more approachable songs to perform.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but compared with some of her other material, it gives singers a little more room to focus on expression rather than worrying about hitting every single vocal flourish.

Unlike many of the songs in our Top 50, Back to Black isn’t really about creating a huge party atmosphere. The audience usually isn’t singing every word back at you, and you’re certainly not going to fill the dance floor with it.

Instead, this is a song that gives the singer a chance to take centre stage.

If you’ve got a strong voice and want to showcase your vocals, this is an excellent choice. Amy Winehouse’s distinctive style allows singers to inject plenty of emotion and personality into the performance without needing to copy her exactly.

Everyone knows the song, which is one of its biggest strengths. Even if the audience isn’t singing along, they’re listening. A great performance of Back to Black almost always gets a fantastic round of applause at the end.

It’s a reminder that not every successful karaoke performance has to involve everyone in the room joining in. Sometimes simply delivering a brilliant vocal is enough.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love is one of Queen’s most underrated karaoke songs. It might not get chosen as often as Bohemian Rhapsody or Don’t Stop Me Now, but when somebody performs it well, it can easily become one of the highlights of the evening.

Unlike some Queen songs, this one actually has a bit of swing to it. It’s upbeat, easy to move around to and has a real rock and roll feel, making it one of the few songs in this part of our countdown that genuinely gets people dancing as well as listening.

Where this song really shines is when the singer treats it as a performance rather than simply reading the lyrics from the screen.

One of our favourite moments is the breakdown section where the music briefly drops away. We’ve seen some brilliant karaoke singers use that opportunity to get the audience clapping along, especially if they’ve got a microphone stand and really commit to the Freddie Mercury stage presence. It’s those little performance touches that can completely lift a karaoke performance.

That said, Crazy Little Thing Called Love isn’t as easy as it first sounds.

Freddie Mercury set an incredibly high standard, and while nobody expects karaoke singers to match him, the vocal still requires good timing, confidence and plenty of charisma. It’s a song that lots of people attempt, but relatively few people completely pull off.

When somebody does get it right, though, it’s absolutely brilliant. It has enough energy to keep the room engaged from beginning to end without relying on huge singalong moments.

Dance the Night Away by The Mavericks is probably one of the more unexpected entries in our Top 50, but if you’ve been to enough karaoke nights around the UK, you’ll know exactly why it’s here.

We see this one chosen surprisingly often, particularly by older male singers. In fact, we’ve noticed a bit of a trend over the years. Singers who would normally reach for an Elvis classic often choose Dance the Night Away when they want something that feels a little more modern without moving too far outside their comfort zone.

And honestly, it usually works.

The song has a brilliant tempo, it’s easy to move around to and those instantly recognisable trumpet stabs always seem to lift the atmosphere. If you’ve ever seen a room full of people pretending to play imaginary trumpets during the instrumental sections, you’ll know exactly what we mean.

Vocally, it’s also a fairly forgiving song. It doesn’t demand an enormous vocal range and its relaxed style makes it a comfortable choice for singers who prefer performing with confidence rather than trying to hit huge high notes.

Where it loses a few points is audience recognition. While plenty of people know the song, younger crowds aren’t always as familiar with it as some of the bigger classics elsewhere in this countdown. That naturally limits the amount of audience participation you’ll get.

Even so, it’s a song that almost always creates smiles. It’s upbeat, feel-good and has just enough energy to keep the room engaged from beginning to end.

Stuck in the Middle with You is another karaoke song that proves how important it is to read the room. It’s remained a popular choice for years, but whether it really lands depends almost entirely on who’s in the audience.

At our events, we tend to see this performed more by the older generation, and when the room is full of people who know the song, it usually goes down really well. It’s familiar, easy to listen to and has a relaxed groove that people instantly recognise.

If the audience is much younger, though, the reaction can be quite different. While many people will still know the song, it doesn’t usually generate the same excitement or singalong moments as some of the bigger classics elsewhere in our Top 50.

One thing we do see quite a lot is singers recreating the famous Reservoir Dogs dance while performing it. If someone fully commits to the performance, complete with microphone stand and a bit of swagger, it nearly always gets a laugh from the audience.

Vocally, it’s also a fairly comfortable song. There’s nothing particularly demanding about the melody, making it a good option for singers who prefer a laid-back performance rather than trying to hit huge notes.

Ultimately, this is a song that’s all about choosing the right moment. Get the audience right and it works brilliantly. Pick the wrong room and it can struggle to create the reaction you’re hoping for.

Stand By Me is one of those karaoke songs that proves choosing when to sing something can be just as important as choosing what to sing.

We’ve seen this song absolutely bring the house down, and we’ve also seen it struggle to get going. The difference usually isn’t the singer—it’s the timing.

Perform it too early in the evening and people often aren’t quite in the mood yet. Leave it until the very end of the night and it can lose its impact amongst the bigger party anthems. Somewhere in the middle, though, when everyone’s relaxed and fully invested in the karaoke, it can create one of the best moments of the evening.

Despite being a slow song with very little outright energy, Stand By Me has something many faster songs don’t: almost universal recognition. Everybody knows it. We’ve genuinely seen rooms of more than 200 people singing every word of the chorus together, despite nobody dancing and the song never really changing pace.

It’s also a wonderfully forgiving song to sing. Whether you’ve got an incredible voice or you’re simply getting up to enjoy yourself, it tends to sound good either way. The melody is comfortable, the lyrics are familiar and the audience almost always wants you to succeed.

For us, the only thing stopping it climbing higher in the rankings is that it isn’t a particularly energetic karaoke choice. If you’re trying to lift the atmosphere with a huge party song, there are better options. But if you want a timeless classic that almost everyone knows, Stand By Me is a fantastic choice.

Sex on Fire is probably one of the biggest fallers in our Top 50 over the last few years. If we’d published this list five years ago, there’s every chance it would have been sitting comfortably inside the top ten.

The song itself hasn’t become any worse. If anything, it has simply suffered from its own success.

There was a period where it felt like every karaoke night featured at least one performance of Sex on Fire. It was everywhere. Bars, clubs, live bands, weddings and karaoke events all seemed to have this song on repeat. Eventually, people started looking for something different.

That doesn’t mean it’s disappeared. Far from it.

When the right crowd is in the room, this song still absolutely delivers. At our events it tends to be chosen far more often by male singers, particularly groups of lads, and it almost always gets a fantastic reaction. There’s something about the huge chorus that encourages everyone to shout along, even if they don’t know every lyric.

It’s also packed with energy. From the opening guitar riff right through to the final chorus, it never really lets up. If you’re looking to inject some rock into the evening, there are still few songs that do it better.

Vocally, it’s a little more challenging than many people expect. Caleb Followill’s gritty, raspy style is surprisingly difficult to recreate, but thankfully karaoke has never been about sounding exactly like the original artist. Throw yourself into the performance and the audience will usually forgive the odd missed note.

Mustang Sally is one of those rare karaoke songs that seems to work with almost every audience. Whether we’re hosting a wedding, birthday party, corporate event or pub karaoke night, it almost always gets a fantastic reaction.

What makes this song so good is its versatility. We’ve seen brilliant solo performances, fantastic duets and even full groups tackling it together. One of our favourite performances featured a lead singer backed by three friends acting as backing singers, complete with synchronised dance moves. It turned what could have been a simple karaoke performance into a proper show.

The audience plays a big part too. Those famous backing vocal responses are almost impossible to resist and, before long, you’ll usually have people all over the room joining in. It’s one of those songs where the crowd naturally becomes part of the performance.

Another reason Mustang Sally ranks so highly for us is that it works equally well for male and female singers. Unlike some songs that suit one voice more than another, this one is incredibly forgiving and gives singers plenty of freedom to make it their own.

Vocally, it’s also a very comfortable song to perform. You don’t need an enormous range or perfect technique to make it sound good. A confident performance, a bit of personality and a willingness to interact with the audience will usually carry you a long way.

It also has a brilliant groove. While it isn’t the fastest song in our Top 50, there’s enough rhythm to get people dancing and enough audience participation to make the whole room feel involved.

If somebody asked us for one “safe” karaoke song that almost always works, Mustang Sally would be right near the top of that list.

Believe is one of those songs that almost everybody recognises within the first few seconds. It might not be chosen quite as often as it was ten or fifteen years ago, but when somebody puts their name down for it, you know the room is about to have some fun.

Like a few other songs in our countdown, Believe has slipped down the rankings slightly in recent years. Newer chart hits have naturally taken some of its place, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the most reliable dance songs you can choose at karaoke.

One thing we see all the time is singers trying to imitate Cher’s famous vocal style. Whether they actually manage it is another matter, but that’s all part of the fun. In fact, it’s often even funnier when a bloke gets up and fully commits to it. Those performances usually get some of the biggest laughs and loudest cheers of the night.

At our hosted karaoke events, we even have a little tradition of our own. We have live Auto-Tune available on our mixer, and this is the only song where we’ll switch it on for the singer. It always gets a great reaction from the audience and gives the performance that unmistakable Cher sound.

Vocally, it’s not one of the hardest songs on this list, but it still requires confidence. The chorus needs plenty of power and commitment, especially if you’re trying to get the audience dancing with you.

If your goal is simply to get people smiling, dancing and enjoying themselves, Believe is still one of the safest choices around.

Unwritten has had one of the biggest karaoke revivals we’ve seen in recent years. While it isn’t chosen quite as often now as it was a year or two ago, there was a time when it genuinely felt like every karaoke event featured at least one group singing it.

More often than not, it would be a group of friends taking to the stage together, and that’s really where this song shines. It’s positive, uplifting and has one of those choruses that almost everyone feels comfortable joining in with.

Like many songs from the early 2000s, Unwritten found a whole new audience thanks to social media, introducing Natasha Bedingfield’s biggest hit to people who weren’t even born when it was originally released. That helped give the song a huge boost in popularity and turned it into a modern karaoke favourite all over again.

Here in the UK, it seems to go down particularly well. Whether that’s because Natasha Bedingfield is a British artist or simply because the song has become part of popular culture again, we’re not entirely sure—but it consistently gets one of the best reactions of the night.

Vocally, it’s also very approachable. You don’t need an incredible range to sing it well, and the uplifting nature of the song means enthusiasm often matters more than technical perfection.

Even though its popularity has settled down slightly in 2026, it’s still one of the safest modern pop songs you can choose at karaoke.

Can’t Help Falling in Love is one of the greatest love songs ever written. As a song, it’s timeless. As a karaoke song, though, we have a slightly different opinion.

There’s no question that everybody knows it. Whether you’re performing to twenty people or two hundred, almost everyone in the room will recognise those opening notes immediately. The problem is that recognition doesn’t always translate into excitement.

This is a very slow ballad, and because of that, timing becomes absolutely critical. Perform it too late in the evening when people are looking for party anthems and you risk bringing the energy right down. In our experience, it’s simply not the kind of song that lifts a karaoke room.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth singing.

If you’ve genuinely got a strong voice, Can’t Help Falling in Love gives you a brilliant opportunity to showcase your vocals. The performances that tend to get the biggest reaction are the ones where singers fully commit to the Elvis style, capturing the warmth and emotion that made the original so iconic.

For us, though, this is one of those rare songs that’s actually better enjoyed at home than in a busy karaoke venue. It’s beautiful to listen to, but it doesn’t create the atmosphere we personally look for when hosting a karaoke night.

That’s why it ranks much lower in our countdown than many people might expect. It’s not because it’s a bad song—far from it. We simply think there are much stronger choices if your goal is to entertain a room full of karaoke singers.

Suspicious Minds is, in our opinion, the Elvis song you should be choosing for karaoke. Coming straight after Can’t Help Falling in Love in our rankings, it perfectly highlights the difference between a great song and a great karaoke song.

Unlike Elvis’s slower ballads, Suspicious Minds has real momentum. It’s upbeat, instantly recognisable and packed with enough energy to keep the room engaged from beginning to end.

Even the slower breakdown in the middle works brilliantly. Rather than killing the atmosphere, it builds anticipation before the song kicks back in again, giving the audience another chance to get involved.

That said, this isn’t an easy song to pull off.

There’s a reason Elvis Presley became known as The King. His vocal delivery, charisma and stage presence were unlike anyone else’s, and audiences naturally expect a lot when somebody chooses one of his biggest hits. If the singer lacks confidence or struggles with the vocal, the performance can fall flat surprisingly quickly.

On the other hand, when someone really commits to it, Suspicious Minds becomes one of the most entertaining Elvis songs you can perform. We’ve seen singers fully embrace the famous Elvis style, working the room, interacting with the audience and turning it into a proper show rather than simply singing along to the lyrics.

For us, that’s what karaoke is all about. It’s not just about sounding like the original artist—it’s about entertaining the room.

Creep is one of those karaoke songs that can either become the performance of the night or the one everyone quietly forgets about. There really isn’t much middle ground.

Unlike many songs in our countdown, this isn’t a crowd singalong or a party anthem. It’s a performance piece. If you’ve got the voice to carry it, the payoff can be enormous. If you haven’t, we’d genuinely recommend choosing something else.

The song starts quietly enough, but that’s exactly what catches people out. As it builds, the vocal becomes increasingly demanding, culminating in one of the most powerful finales on this entire list. Nail that final chorus and you’ll almost certainly have the room cheering when you finish.

We’ve found that Creep is almost always performed as a solo. It’s not really a group karaoke song and doesn’t lend itself to duets either. It’s all about one singer standing up and delivering an emotional performance.

In our experience, the original key often suits female singers a little more comfortably, while male singers generally have a tougher job recreating Thom Yorke’s raw vocal delivery. That said, when a male singer absolutely nails it, it’s incredibly impressive to watch and often becomes one of the standout performances of the night.

This isn’t a song you’ll choose if your only goal is to get people dancing. It’s a song you choose because you want to perform, connect with the audience and hopefully leave them talking about your performance long after you’ve left the stage.

Young Hearts Run Free is one of those songs that we genuinely think deserves to be sung more often. It already gets a healthy number of requests at our events, but every time someone performs it well, we’re reminded just how good a karaoke song it really is.

What’s particularly interesting is the mix of singers it attracts. We regularly see older singers choosing it, but it’s also become a favourite with people in their 30s, and every now and again you’ll get someone in their 20s absolutely smashing it. Very few disco songs seem to bridge the generations quite like this one.

From the opening beat, the atmosphere changes. It’s classic disco with a driving four-on-the-floor rhythm that naturally gets people moving. Even if nobody leaves their seat, you’ll see feet tapping, heads nodding and people singing along before long.

The chorus is one of the strongest parts of the song. It’s instantly recognisable, incredibly catchy and almost always gets the audience joining in. That’s exactly what you want from a great karaoke track—it makes the room feel involved without the singer having to ask.

Vocally, though, don’t underestimate it.

Young Hearts Run Free asks quite a lot from the singer. There’s plenty of power required throughout, and keeping the energy up from start to finish isn’t easy. In our experience, it’s generally a more comfortable fit for female vocalists, although we’ve heard the occasional male singer absolutely nail it. If you’re going to attempt it, make sure you’ve got the voice to do it justice.

When someone gets everything right, this is one of those songs that completely transforms the room. It’s uplifting, full of energy and leaves people smiling from beginning to end. That’s exactly why it’s one of our highest-rated karaoke songs.

Billie Jean might be the biggest surprise in our entire Top 50.

With the renewed interest in Michael Jackson this year, a lot of people probably expect to see several of his songs dominating this countdown. In reality, the opposite is true. We actually see very little Michael Jackson performed at karaoke.

There’s one very simple reason for that.

Michael Jackson is incredibly difficult to sing.

Whether it’s the vocal range, the control, the timing, the little ad-libs or simply trying to recreate his unmistakable style, very few singers are prepared to take on one of his songs. It’s not because people don’t love the music. It’s because everybody knows just how high the standard is.

Out of all of his biggest hits, we’d actually say Billie Jean is probably the safest choice for karaoke, and that’s reflected in the number of requests we receive. Even then, it’s still a challenging song that requires confidence from start to finish.

Personally, we’d love to hear more Michael Jackson songs at our events. Tracks like Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, Dirty Diana or Another Part of Me would be incredible to watch if someone had the confidence to tackle them. Unfortunately, they’re even more demanding vocally, which probably explains why they rarely appear on karaoke nights.

The good news is that karaoke has never been about sounding exactly like the original artist. If you fully commit to the performance, throw in a few dance moves and have fun with it, the audience will almost always appreciate the effort. After all, nobody expects you to be Michael Jackson.

That’s exactly why Billie Jean still earns a place in our Top 50. It’s an iconic song, instantly recognisable and always entertaining when somebody is brave enough to take it on.

Does Your Mother Know might not be the first ABBA song people think of, but it’s one of the most enjoyable to perform at karaoke. ABBA have always been a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and this track has everything you’d expect from one of the biggest pop groups of the 1970s.

One thing that makes this song stand out is that it’s one of ABBA’s best-known tracks to feature Björn Ulvaeus on lead vocals. That immediately gives it a different feel from many of the group’s biggest hits and makes it a particularly popular choice for male singers.

The opening grabs people’s attention straight away, and once the song gets going it’s packed with upbeat energy. Like so many ABBA songs, it’s almost impossible not to move along with it, whether you’re on stage or watching from the crowd.

One of our favourite things about this song is watching people realise what the lyrics actually say. Most people know the chorus, but when the verses start appearing on the karaoke screen, you’ll often hear laughter around the room as people suddenly pay much closer attention to the story. The lyrics are playful, a little cheeky and always seem to get a reaction.

Vocally, it’s also one of the more forgiving songs in our countdown. You don’t need an enormous range to perform it well, and because it’s so upbeat, confidence and enthusiasm often matter more than technical perfection.

Like most ABBA songs, it naturally encourages audience participation. People clap along, sing the chorus and generally enjoy themselves from beginning to end. That’s exactly what makes it such a reliable karaoke choice.

Flowers exploded onto the music scene when it was released and quickly became one of the biggest karaoke songs of the year. For a while, it felt like every event had at least one person putting their name down to sing it.

What’s been really interesting is how the audience has changed over the last few years. When the song first came out, it was mostly younger singers choosing it. Fast forward to 2026, and we actually see it performed much more often by older singers. It seems to have found a much wider audience as time has gone on.

In our experience, Flowers is overwhelmingly chosen by female singers. The lyrics about independence, confidence and moving on after a relationship clearly strike a chord, making it a popular choice for girls’ nights out and group celebrations.

Vocally, it’s also a very approachable song. Miley Cyrus keeps things relatively restrained for much of the track, meaning most confident singers can perform it without needing an enormous vocal range. It’s much more about attitude and confidence than technical ability.

The only thing holding it back slightly is the atmosphere it creates. Compared to some of the bigger party anthems higher up our countdown, Flowers is a little more laid back. It doesn’t naturally encourage huge singalongs or audience interaction, and because of that it can sometimes feel more like a performance than a shared karaoke moment.

That said, it’s still a modern pop classic that consistently gets a warm reception and remains one of Miley Cyrus’ strongest karaoke songs.

Freed From Desire proves that you don’t need complicated lyrics to create one of the best karaoke songs ever made. In fact, that’s probably one of the reasons it’s so popular.

Like many classic dance tracks, the verses are fairly repetitive, but nobody is choosing this song for the verses. Everyone is waiting for that iconic chorus, and when it arrives, the whole room usually joins in without needing any encouragement.

At our events, this song is surprisingly popular with male singers. Although Gala originally recorded it, it’s often groups of lads who put their names down for it. To be completely honest, they’re rarely interested in singing every lyric perfectly—they’re simply counting down the seconds until everyone in the room is shouting “Na-na-na-na-na…” at the top of their lungs.

That’s exactly why it works so well. It’s less of a vocal performance and more of a shared experience between the singer and the audience.

Another reason this song has stood the test of time in the UK is its association with football chants. Even people who couldn’t tell you who originally recorded it almost always recognise the melody, making it one of the easiest songs in our Top 50 to get an instant reaction.

It’s also incredibly versatile. Younger audiences love it because it’s become a modern sporting anthem, while older generations remember it from its original club days during the late 1990s. Very few dance songs manage to bridge generations quite as successfully.

If your goal is simply to inject energy into the room, it’s difficult to think of many songs that do the job better than Freed From Desire.

I Wanna Dance With Somebody is one of those songs that appears at almost every karaoke event we host. Whether it’s a public karaoke night, a wedding or a private party, somebody will almost always put their name down to sing it.

In our experience, it’s overwhelmingly performed by women. It’s a huge favourite for girls’ nights out and works brilliantly whether it’s sung by one confident vocalist or a whole group sharing a couple of microphones.

The amazing thing about this song is that everyone knows it’s incredibly difficult to sing… yet nobody seems to care.

Whitney Houston was one of the greatest vocalists of all time, and this song demands huge power, incredible control and plenty of stamina. We’ve hosted thousands of karaoke events over the years and, honestly, we’ve never heard anyone truly replicate Whitney’s original performance.

Thankfully, that’s not what makes this song such a great karaoke choice.

People don’t sing I Wanna Dance With Somebody to prove they can out-sing Whitney Houston. They sing it because it’s fun, uplifting and packed with infectious energy. From the opening notes, people are already dancing, clapping and waiting for that enormous chorus to arrive.

It’s also one of those songs where the audience naturally joins in. Even if the singer misses a few notes, the atmosphere carries the performance because everyone in the room already knows the words and wants to be part of it.

That’s exactly why this remains one of the most reliable karaoke songs you’ll ever find.

Don’t Look Back in Anger isn’t just a karaoke song—it’s an event. If you’ve ever been to a busy karaoke night in the UK, you’ll know exactly what happens when those opening piano notes begin.

The secret to this song isn’t the vocal. It’s the timing.

Play it too early in the evening and it won’t have the same impact. Save it until later, when everyone’s had a few drinks and the whole room is fully invested in the karaoke, and it becomes something genuinely special. We’ve seen entire venues with hundreds of people singing every word of the chorus together, arms around each other, creating one of those moments that people remember long after the night’s over.

In our experience, this is still very much a favourite with male singers, although everyone joins in once the chorus arrives. Whether you’re performing solo or with a group of mates, the audience almost always ends up doing half the work for you.

Like many songs on this list, Don’t Look Back in Anger had a period where it felt slightly overplayed. It was everywhere for years, and naturally people started looking for something different. In 2026, though, we’ve noticed it making a real comeback. With Oasis returning to the stage this year, there’s been renewed interest in their music, and this song has worked its way firmly back into karaoke playlists across the UK.

Vocally, it’s one of the more forgiving Oasis songs. You don’t need to sound like Noel Gallagher for it to work. The emotion, familiarity and audience participation carry the performance, making it one of the safest rock songs you can choose.

If you’re looking for one of those unforgettable end-of-night karaoke moments, few songs deliver quite like this one.

Brown Eyed Girl is one of those karaoke songs that’s completely dependent on the room you’re performing in. Get the timing right and it’ll become one of the biggest singalongs of the evening. Get it wrong and it can struggle to make the same impact.

At our events, it’s usually older singers who choose this one, although we’re starting to see more younger performers picking it up as well. It’s one of those timeless songs that seems to get rediscovered every few years, helping it stay relevant across different generations.

Where the song really comes alive is during the famous “Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-tee-da” section. Even people who don’t remember every verse suddenly find themselves singing along, and that’s often the moment that lifts the whole performance.

Timing is absolutely everything, though. We wouldn’t recommend opening the night with it. It works much better later on, once everyone’s had a few drinks, the atmosphere has relaxed and people are happy to join in. That’s when the audience really starts carrying the song alongside the singer.

Vocally, it’s one of the easiest songs in our countdown. You don’t need a huge range or perfect technique to perform it well, making it a great choice for singers who simply want to get up and enjoy themselves without worrying about difficult notes.

For us, that’s also why it sits around the middle of our rankings. It’s a very good karaoke song, but unlike some of the true five-star anthems higher up the list, its success depends heavily on the audience and the timing of the performance.

This is probably our most controversial opinion in the entire Top 50.

We know Zombie is hugely popular, and we’re well aware that plenty of people will disagree with us. Personally though, we’ve never been massive fans of it as a karaoke song.

That’s not because it’s a bad song. Far from it. It’s one of the defining rock songs of the 1990s and still receives loads of requests at our events. The problem, for us, is that it’s a very slow burn. Depending on the crowd, it can either become one of the biggest moments of the night… or completely kill the atmosphere.

We’ve genuinely seen both happen.

Sometimes the chorus arrives, the entire room joins in and it sounds incredible. Other times, the performance never really gets going and the audience struggles to connect with it. It’s one of the most unpredictable songs we hear at karaoke, which is why we’d describe it as a real Marmite choice.

One reason it remains so popular is that it’s actually quite forgiving to sing. The verses don’t demand an enormous vocal range, and the famous sustained notes in the chorus are much easier than many people expect. That gives singers the confidence to tackle what sounds like a much more difficult song.

We’ve seen fantastic performances from both men and women, so it’s certainly not restricted to one style of singer. We just think there are stronger songs elsewhere in this countdown if your main goal is to lift the room and keep the energy high.

Pink Pony Club has exploded onto the karaoke scene. Although the song has been around for a few years, it feels like it’s everywhere in 2026, and it’s quickly become one of the most requested modern songs at our events.

What’s remarkable is just how quickly it became a karaoke favourite. Most songs take years to establish themselves, but Pink Pony Club seemed to skip that process entirely. Almost overnight, it became one of those songs you could guarantee hearing at every karaoke night.

The song begins fairly gently, but don’t let that fool you. As soon as the chorus arrives, the atmosphere completely changes. You’ll usually find the room singing along before the person holding the microphone has even finished the first chorus.

At our events it’s overwhelmingly popular with women, particularly groups of friends sharing the stage together. That said, we’re also seeing more and more men embracing it as well, and those performances often get some of the biggest cheers of the night simply because everyone can see how much fun they’re having.

Vocally, it’s a nice balance. There’s enough challenge to make it interesting without feeling intimidating, which probably explains why so many people are willing to have a go. Whether you’re singing solo or with a group, it’s a song that naturally encourages confidence and audience interaction.

More than anything, Pink Pony Club is just pure fun. It’s emotional, uplifting and packed with the kind of chorus that turns an ordinary karaoke performance into a room-wide celebration.

Jolene is one of those songs that proves you don’t need huge production or a massive chorus to become a karaoke classic. The moment those opening guitar notes begin, almost everyone in the room knows exactly what’s coming next.

At our events, this is overwhelmingly performed by women. That’s not to say men shouldn’t sing it—we’d actually love to see more of them give it a go—but in reality it’s almost always female singers who put their names down for this one.

One of the biggest reasons for its rise in popularity is the recent resurgence of country music. A few years ago, Jolene wasn’t nearly as common at karaoke. Fast forward to 2026 and, with country enjoying a huge revival thanks to artists old and new finding fresh audiences, Dolly Parton’s biggest hit feels more relevant than ever.

Vocally, it’s a very approachable song. You don’t need an enormous range to perform it well, and because the melody is so recognisable, singers often feel more confident tackling it than some of the bigger vocal showcase songs on this list.

Where it loses a few points for us is the atmosphere. Although it’s instantly recognisable, it’s not the kind of song that gets an entire room singing together. In our experience, the audience participation tends to come mostly from the women in the crowd, while a lot of the men simply sit back and enjoy the performance rather than joining in.

That doesn’t stop it being a fantastic karaoke choice. It’s simply a different type of performance—more about telling a story than getting everybody on the dance floor.

Teenage Dirtbag is one of those songs that instantly transports a lot of us back to our teenage years. As someone in my mid-30s, this was one of the defining songs of my youth, and it’s brilliant to see it still packing out karaoke nights more than twenty-five years later.

What makes this song so much fun is that nobody takes it too seriously. In fact, they shouldn’t. Karaoke is about having a laugh, putting on a performance and enjoying yourself, and Teenage Dirtbag delivers all of that in abundance.

One of the funniest moments always comes when the male singer reaches the famous line about “I’ve got two tickets to Iron Maiden…” before switching into the female vocal. It doesn’t matter whether they try to hit the notes perfectly or deliberately exaggerate it for laughs—either way, it almost always gets a great reaction from the room.

The chorus is another huge reason for its popularity. Almost everyone knows the words, meaning the audience naturally joins in from the first time it comes around. It’s one of those songs where the singer and the crowd become part of the same performance, which is exactly what great karaoke is all about.

Unlike some songs in this countdown, Teenage Dirtbag works at almost any point during the evening. Early on, it gets people smiling. Later in the night, it becomes a massive singalong. There really isn’t a bad time to perform it.

Whether it’s sung by one confident performer or a group of friends sharing microphones, this song never seems to lose its charm. Every generation that discovers it seems to fall in love with it all over again.

Bohemian Rhapsody probably doesn’t need much of an introduction. It’s widely regarded as one of the greatest songs ever written, and it’s been a karaoke favourite for decades. But here’s where our opinion might surprise a few people…

Just because it’s an incredible song doesn’t automatically make it the perfect karaoke song.

The biggest factor with Bohemian Rhapsody is timing. We would never recommend singing it early in the evening. This is a song that belongs towards the end of the night, when everyone’s fully invested, the atmosphere is electric and the crowd is ready to join in.

It also demands commitment. At just under six minutes long, it’s one of the longest songs in our Top 50. If you’re going to perform it properly, you need the stamina to carry it all the way through. If you’re simply having a laugh with a group of friends, that’s a different story—and honestly, that’s often when it’s at its best.

The famous operatic section is where the magic happens. Whether you’re performing solo or sharing microphones with friends, everyone wants to take a different line. Watching a group dramatically point at each other while shouting “Galileo!” never seems to get old and almost always gets the audience involved.

Of course, this is still Freddie Mercury we’re talking about. Nobody expects you to match one of the greatest vocalists in history, but it’s worth remembering that this is one of the most demanding songs in karaoke. If you’re attempting it on your own, confidence is just as important as vocal ability.

When everything comes together, few songs create a bigger moment. When it doesn’t… well, six minutes can suddenly feel like a very long time. That’s exactly why we think it’s a brilliant karaoke song, but not quite the automatic five-star choice that many people might expect.

Before He Cheats has always been a popular karaoke song, but over the last couple of years it’s become even bigger thanks to the huge resurgence in country music. Songs that might once have felt quite niche are now becoming regular features at karaoke nights across the UK, and Carrie Underwood’s biggest hit is one of the best examples.

Although it’s usually performed by women, this is rarely a quiet solo performance. More often than not, you’ll find groups of friends singing every word together, especially once a few drinks have been involved. It’s one of those songs that people don’t just sing—they perform it.

The storytelling is what makes it so entertaining. As the lyrics unfold, you’ll often see singers pointing at their friends, acting out the famous lines and fully embracing the drama. It always gets a laugh from the audience and creates the kind of atmosphere that’s perfect for karaoke.

Even people who aren’t holding the microphone usually end up joining in. The chorus is instantly recognisable, and by the time the song reaches its biggest moments, you’ll often hear groups around the room singing every word back at the stage.

Vocally, it’s not the easiest country song on this list, but it’s also nowhere near as intimidating as some of the powerhouse vocal performances we’ve already covered. As long as you’ve got plenty of confidence and commit to the story, you’ll almost certainly get a great reaction.

For us, this is another example of country music proving that it’s no longer a niche genre at karaoke. It’s become a genuine crowd favourite and one that continues to grow in popularity every year.

Some people might be surprised to see Dreams sitting inside our Top 20. After all, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours album is packed with songs that many would argue are even better suited to karaoke.

That’s the important thing to remember about this countdown. It isn’t based on our favourite songs—it’s based on years of real karaoke data from thousands of performances at our events. Whether we’d personally rank it this highly or not, Dreams is one of the songs people consistently choose.

There are probably a couple of reasons for that. Firstly, it’s one of Fleetwood Mac’s more approachable songs to sing. You don’t need an enormous vocal range, and the melody is comfortable enough that most singers can perform it with confidence.

The second reason is undoubtedly its resurgence in popularity. The now-famous viral video of Nathan Apodaca skateboarding while drinking cranberry juice and listening to Dreams introduced the song to millions of younger listeners, giving Fleetwood Mac an entirely new generation of fans. That renewed popularity is something we’ve definitely noticed at karaoke over the last few years.

Timing is absolutely crucial, though. We actually think this is one of the best opening songs of the evening. It eases people into the karaoke, sounds great in a relaxed room and gives confident singers a chance to settle in. Later in the night, however, it can lose the room. Once people are looking for huge singalongs and high-energy performances, Dreams simply doesn’t have enough momentum to compete.

That doesn’t stop it being a fantastic song. It’s timeless, instantly recognisable and incredibly easy to listen to. Just make sure you choose the right moment to perform it.

Man! I Feel Like a Woman! is one of those rare songs that has never really gone out of fashion. While country music has exploded in popularity again over the last few years, this Shania Twain classic never needed a revival—it was already a karaoke favourite long before country became cool again.

In fact, it’s one of the most consistently requested songs we see. Whether we’re hosting a wedding, a birthday party or a public karaoke night, this song almost always finds its way onto the playlist.

The moment that opening guitar riff kicks in, people know exactly what’s coming. Before anyone has even sung a word, you’ll often hear cheers from around the room as people realise what’s about to happen.

Although it’s most commonly performed by women, it works just as well with a group of friends sharing microphones. The famous “Man! I feel like a woman!” line is one of those moments that everybody joins in with, even if they haven’t sung another lyric all evening.

Vocally, it’s also much more forgiving than many people expect. You don’t need the powerhouse vocals of Whitney Houston or Freddie Mercury to pull this off. Confidence, attitude and enjoying yourself are far more important than hitting every single note perfectly.

That’s exactly why it continues to stand the test of time. It’s fun, energetic and guaranteed to put smiles on people’s faces. More than twenty-five years after its release, it’s still one of the safest choices you can make at karaoke.

Shallow is, without doubt, one of the greatest modern karaoke duets. Ever since A Star Is Born was released, it’s become a regular feature at our events, and it’s easy to see why. The song is emotional, instantly recognisable and gives two singers a real opportunity to perform together rather than simply sharing a microphone.

One of the biggest reasons for its success is that so many people have seen the film. The story behind the song adds extra emotion to the performance, and the audience already knows exactly what’s coming when those opening guitar chords begin.

That said, this duet definitely isn’t an even playing field.

If you’re singing Bradley Cooper’s part, you’ve actually got a fairly comfortable ride. His vocals are understated and conversational, making them accessible for most singers. Lady Gaga’s part, however, is a completely different story. Once she takes over, the song becomes a serious vocal challenge packed with huge notes and powerful belting that very few people can truly master.

When you find the right pair of singers, though, it’s absolutely magical. We’ve seen couples, friends and even complete strangers perform this together, and when both singers commit to it, it can be one of the standout performances of the entire evening.

Because it’s a slower song, we’d avoid leaving it until the final hour of karaoke when people are looking for high-energy anthems. Earlier in the evening, however, it works beautifully and gives the audience a chance to appreciate a genuinely great performance.

Mamma Mia really doesn’t need an introduction. If you’ve ever been to a karaoke night, chances are you’ve heard this song at least once. In fact, we’d go as far as saying that every karaoke event eventually turns into an ABBA event.

ABBA have become a genre in their own right when it comes to karaoke. Their songs are loved by virtually every generation, and Mamma Mia has remained one of their most consistently requested tracks for decades.

At our events, this song has almost always been inside the Top 20. In fact, there was a time when it regularly featured in our Top 10. While another ABBA classic has since overtaken it in popularity, Mamma Mia remains one of the safest song choices you can make.

One of the reasons it works so well is its versatility. It sounds brilliant as a solo performance, but it’s arguably even better when performed by a group of friends. With so many recognisable hooks and harmonies, it’s almost impossible for the audience not to join in.

Unlike some of ABBA’s slower songs, this one gets the room moving almost immediately. It has great energy from start to finish, making it suitable for almost any point during the evening. Whether it’s early on to get people warmed up or later in the night when everyone is singing together, Mamma Mia rarely disappoints.

It’s simply one of those timeless karaoke songs that never seems to go out of fashion.

Don’t Stop Believin’ is one of those songs that simply belongs at karaoke. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a pub, at a wedding or hosting a private party—when those opening piano notes begin, people instantly know what’s coming.

Like several songs in our Top 20, timing is everything. We’d strongly recommend saving this until the later part of the evening. Early on, it can feel a little slow as it builds, but once everyone’s had a few drinks and the atmosphere is in full swing, it becomes one of the biggest singalongs you’ll hear all night.

The intro is surprisingly gentle, but don’t let that fool you. As the song builds, the energy keeps growing until the entire room is singing at the top of their lungs. That’s what makes it such a fantastic karaoke choice.

Vocally, though, don’t underestimate it. If you’re a woman, you’ll probably find the song a little more forgiving. For the lads… good luck! Steve Perry was an exceptional singer with an incredible range, and trying to match those soaring vocals isn’t easy. We’ve heard plenty of brave attempts over the years, and while very few singers truly nail it, the audience rarely minds because they’re too busy singing along themselves.

It works brilliantly as both a solo performance and a group effort. In fact, groups often have an advantage because everyone can share the workload while creating an even bigger atmosphere.

If you’re looking for one of those unforgettable end-of-night karaoke moments, Don’t Stop Believin’ is almost guaranteed to deliver.

My Girl is probably the biggest surprise in our entire Top 20.

I’ll be completely honest—if you’d asked me to predict this list before looking at the data from our karaoke systems, I don’t think I’d have placed it anywhere near this high. Yet here it is, proving once again why we’ve based this countdown on real performances rather than personal opinion.

Looking back, it actually makes perfect sense.

Whenever I’ve seen My Girl performed, it’s almost always earlier in the evening. It’s rarely the song that people save for the grand finale, which is probably why I’d overlooked just how often it’s requested. It’s not designed to bring the house down—it’s designed to get people comfortable with the microphone.

One of the biggest reasons for its popularity is how familiar it is. Almost everyone knows the melody and, more importantly, most people already know the lyrics. That might not sound like a big deal, but it’s one of the best pieces of advice I can give anyone who’s new to karaoke.

If you don’t know what to sing, pick a song you already know by heart.

People often assume karaoke is simply reading words from a screen, but it’s surprisingly difficult to read lyrics and sing them in time if you’ve never done it before. Choosing a song you already know lets you focus on your performance instead of staring at the monitor trying to work out what’s coming next.

That’s exactly why My Girl continues to perform so well in our data. It’s familiar, comfortable to sing and a great confidence-builder for anyone stepping up to the microphone for the first time.

My Way is one of those songs that has earned legendary status, and unlike many of the slower songs in this countdown, it seems to work almost anywhere in the running order. We’ve seen it performed at the beginning of the night, in the middle of the evening and right at the end, and somehow it nearly always gets a great reaction.

In our experience, this song tends to resonate particularly well when there’s an older crowd in the room. Frank Sinatra’s music has stood the test of time, and My Way remains one of those songs that almost everybody recognises, even if they don’t know every lyric.

Vocally, it’s actually more approachable than many people think. Frank Sinatra’s brilliance wasn’t about impossible high notes or huge vocal runs—it was about tone, timing and delivering every lyric with confidence. That’s why you’ll often hear people attempting to capture that unmistakable Sinatra style. Some get surprisingly close, but nobody will ever quite recreate what Old Blue Eyes brought to the song.

One thing we really like about My Way is that it rewards confident performers. You don’t need to dance around the stage or encourage audience participation every few seconds. Sometimes simply standing at the microphone and delivering the song with conviction is enough to completely hold the room.

That said, it’s still a slower performance. While it’s a fantastic song, it doesn’t create the huge singalongs or party atmosphere that many of the higher-ranked entries in this countdown do. That’s the main reason we’ve given it three stars rather than four or five.

If you’re looking to showcase your stage presence rather than get everyone dancing, My Way remains one of the very best choices available.

Choosin’ Texas is probably the biggest surprise in our Top 20, and it’s also one of the clearest examples of why we’ve based this countdown on real karaoke data rather than personal favourites.

I’ll be honest—Ella Langley isn’t an artist I’d have expected to feature this highly. But the numbers don’t lie. This song has become incredibly popular at our events, particularly with younger audiences, and it’s earned its place in this countdown.

Every time we’ve seen Choosin’ Texas performed, it’s gone down brilliantly. It has that modern country sound that’s absolutely booming right now, and younger crowds seem to know every word.

Most of our experience with this song comes from private events rather than public karaoke nights. That’s worth mentioning because private parties often have groups of friends with very similar music tastes. If one person requests modern country, there’s a good chance everyone else in the room enjoys it too, which naturally creates a fantastic atmosphere.

Would the reaction be exactly the same at every public karaoke night? Perhaps not. Public events usually have a much broader mix of musical tastes. Even so, every performance we’ve hosted has been extremely well received, which tells us this song has genuine staying power rather than being a passing trend.

More than anything, Choosin’ Texas highlights just how influential country music has become. Looking through our rankings, it’s impossible to ignore how many country songs have climbed over the last few years. That’s a trend we simply weren’t seeing five or ten years ago.

We’ve officially reached the Top 10. If you grew up in the UK, then Wonderwall needs absolutely no introduction. It’s one of those songs that’s practically built into British culture. Whether it’s pubs, festivals, house parties or karaoke nights, you’ve almost certainly heard it hundreds of times.

I’ll be honest… I can’t stand it.

Hosting karaoke week in, week out means I’ve probably heard Wonderwall more times than I’d ever care to count. I’ve heard incredible singers perform it, I’ve heard some absolutely dreadful versions, and yet people continue requesting it at almost every event.

That’s my personal opinion, though—and this countdown isn’t about my favourite songs. It’s about what people actually sing, and the data couldn’t be clearer. Wonderwall has earned its place inside the Top 10.

The reason is obvious. It’s easy to sing, almost everybody knows the lyrics and the audience will happily join in from the very first verse. In many ways, it’s the UK’s answer to Sweet Caroline. You don’t need an amazing voice because the crowd naturally becomes part of the performance.

It’s also one of the safest karaoke choices you can make. If someone is struggling to decide what to sing, Wonderwall is usually a reliable option because there’s very little pressure. Most people already know the words without looking at the screen, allowing them to focus on entertaining the audience rather than worrying about missing their cue.

Would I personally choose to sing it? Probably not. Would I recommend it as a karaoke song? Absolutely. Sometimes the best karaoke songs aren’t your favourites—they’re simply the ones that bring people together, and Wonderwall does exactly that.

Take Me Home, Country Roads has become one of the biggest singalong songs you’ll hear at karaoke. While we’re focusing on John Denver’s original version here, it’s worth mentioning that the more recent dance remix has also helped introduce the song to an entirely new generation.

That’s one of the reasons this song has remained so popular. Older audiences remember it as a country classic, while younger singers have discovered it through films, social media and the huge resurgence of country music over the last few years.

One film that certainly helped give the song another boost was Kingsman: The Golden Circle, where it featured prominently. Combined with the current country revival, it’s easy to see why Country Roads has become a karaoke staple once again.

The best thing about this song is how effortlessly it brings a room together. It doesn’t matter whether you’re performing on your own or with a group of friends—by the first chorus, there’s a good chance the audience will already be singing along with you.

Unlike some slower country songs, Country Roads has enough momentum to work almost anywhere during the evening. We’ve seen it performed in the middle of the night, early in the evening and towards the end of karaoke sessions, and it almost always gets a fantastic response.

It’s also a very approachable song to sing. You don’t need a huge vocal range, and because so many people already know the lyrics, the audience naturally becomes part of the performance. That’s exactly what makes great karaoke.

Wannabe is karaoke chaos in the best possible way. If you’ve ever hosted a karaoke night, you’ll know exactly what’s about to happen the moment those opening lyrics begin. Suddenly, there’s a group of girls making their way to the stage, each one unofficially claiming to be a different Spice Girl.

It’s one of the greatest group karaoke songs ever written. Whether it’s a birthday party, wedding reception, hen do or a night out with friends, Wannabe never seems to disappoint. It isn’t about flawless vocals—it’s about having as much fun as possible.

The song has everything you could want from a karaoke classic. A huge chorus that everyone knows, loads of energy from start to finish and even Mel B’s famous fast-talking section, which almost always ends in laughter when somebody inevitably gets tongue-tied trying to keep up.

That’s actually one of the reasons this song works so well. Nobody expects perfection. If anything, the funniest performances are often the ones where everyone completely loses track of the lyrics before bursting into laughter and carrying on anyway. That’s the spirit of karaoke.

Although it’s best known as a girls’ anthem, we’ve seen mixed groups and even groups of lads tackle it over the years. The audience never seems to mind. Once the chorus arrives, the whole room joins in regardless.

Nearly thirty years after its release, Wannabe remains one of the safest five-star karaoke choices you can make. It guarantees smiles, gets people dancing and reminds everyone that karaoke is supposed to be fun.

Dancing Queen is the ultimate ABBA karaoke song. We mentioned earlier in the countdown that another ABBA classic would appear higher up the list, and here it is. While Mamma Mia is an incredible karaoke choice, Dancing Queen is the song that almost everybody waits for.

It’s also ABBA’s biggest hit, and judging by our karaoke data, it’s comfortably their most requested song too. Decades after its release, it still fills dance floors and gets entire rooms singing from the very first line.

One of the most impressive things about Dancing Queen is how universal it is. It doesn’t matter whether you’re eighteen or eighty, almost everyone knows the words. Unlike some songs that naturally appeal more to one audience than another, this one genuinely brings generations together.

Despite its reputation as a huge disco anthem, the tempo is actually more relaxed than many people realise. That makes it surprisingly easy to sing while still feeling energetic enough to get people dancing. It’s a combination very few songs manage to achieve.

Whether it’s a solo performance, a group of friends sharing microphones or an entire wedding party singing every word together, Dancing Queen never seems to disappoint. Even the people who insist they don’t like ABBA usually find themselves joining in by the chorus.

The success of the Mamma Mia! stage musical and films introduced ABBA’s music to an entirely new generation, ensuring songs like Dancing Queen remain just as popular today as they were nearly fifty years ago.

Angels is one of those songs that almost every karaoke host knows is coming at some point during the night. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a wedding, birthday party or public karaoke event—someone is going to request Robbie Williams’ biggest hit.

In fact, it’s one of the few songs where we regularly receive multiple requests on the same night. It’s not unusual for three different people or groups to ask to sing Angels, leaving us with the difficult job of deciding who gets there first. More often than not, they end up performing it together, and honestly, that’s usually when the song works best.

Although it’s a slower song, the chorus is absolutely massive. Almost everyone in the room knows the words, and by the time it arrives you’ll usually have arms around shoulders, phones in the air and the entire crowd singing together. Those are the moments people remember long after the karaoke has finished.

Timing is important, though. We definitely wouldn’t recommend opening the night with Angels. It’s much better suited to the middle or final part of the evening, when the atmosphere has built and people are ready for those big emotional singalong moments.

Vocally, it’s also more forgiving than many people expect. Robbie Williams has a distinctive voice, but you don’t need to sound exactly like him to make this song work. Deliver it with confidence, let the audience help with the chorus and you’ll almost always get a fantastic reaction.

It’s one of those songs I’ve heard every single week for years, and despite that, it still manages to create special moments. That’s the sign of a true karaoke classic.

We’ve reached the Top 5. At first glance, Man I Need by Olivia Dean might look slightly out of place sitting alongside songs that have been karaoke favourites for decades. But that’s exactly what makes this countdown so interesting. This isn’t a list built on nostalgia—it’s built on what people are actually singing in 2026.

For a relatively new song to climb this high is incredibly impressive. Every event we’ve hosted over the last year has seen more and more people choosing it, particularly younger audiences. It has quietly become one of the biggest modern karaoke songs around.

That said, I still think it’s a different type of karaoke song to the classics surrounding it in this countdown.

Man I Need is a slow burner. It’s emotional, beautifully written and genuinely one of my favourite modern songs. As a song, I absolutely love it. As a karaoke song, though, I think it still needs a little more time before it reaches true legendary status.

Timing is everything with this one. I’d almost always recommend performing it earlier in the evening while people are still settling into karaoke. Towards the end of the night, when everyone is waiting for huge singalongs and party anthems, I think this song can struggle to compete.

That doesn’t take anything away from Olivia Dean. In fact, the opposite is true. The fact that such a recent release has already reached number five in our rankings shows just how quickly it’s become a modern favourite. I genuinely wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes one of the defining karaoke songs of the next decade.

We’ve reached the Top 4, and if you’ve been to a British karaoke night in the last decade, you already knew this song was going to appear. Mr. Brightside has become far more than just a hit single—it’s a cultural phenomenon.

I’ll be honest, I’m actually quite pleased it’s slipped down the rankings a little over the last couple of years. There was a time when it felt like every single karaoke night featured multiple performances of it. Hosting events week after week, you can only hear the same song so many times before you start hoping someone picks something different!

That said, this countdown isn’t based on what I’m tired of hearing. It’s based on what people genuinely love singing, and Mr. Brightside is still one of the biggest karaoke songs in the country.

It’s particularly popular with groups of lads, but honestly, everyone joins in. The song has become part of British pub culture, festival culture and nights out in general. It’s one of those tracks that creates an instant connection between complete strangers. The moment the opening guitar starts, people know exactly what’s coming.

I think one of the reasons it remains so popular is because of all the videos you see online. Whether it’s packed festivals, football crowds or pubs full of people screaming every word back at the band, everyone seems to want to recreate those same moments when they step up to the karaoke microphone.

Vocally, it’s also much more forgiving than people realise. You don’t need a huge vocal range, and because the audience already knows every lyric, they’ll happily help carry the performance from beginning to end.

Even after hearing it thousands of times, I still can’t deny it deserves its place this high in the rankings. It’s an absolute karaoke monster.

We’ve reached the Top 3, and yes, there’s one final country song. If you’re surprised to see country music represented so heavily throughout this countdown, it simply reflects what people are actually singing in 2026. Few songs demonstrate that better than Tennessee Whiskey.

It’s a slow burner, but what a song it is. Even people who don’t normally listen to country music know this one, and that’s a huge achievement for any artist. Chris Stapleton’s version has become one of the defining songs of the last decade and continues to be one of the biggest requests we receive.

There’s just one problem…

It’s incredibly difficult to sing.

Chris Stapleton has one of the finest voices in modern music, and the famous vocal run during the line “You’re as warm as a glass of brandy” catches out almost everyone who attempts it. I’ve genuinely only seen one person absolutely nail that moment at karaoke, and when they did, the entire room erupted. It was one of those performances people were still talking about long after the night had finished.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a go. Karaoke has never been about sounding exactly like the original artist. But if you can get anywhere close to Stapleton’s vocal delivery, you’ll have the audience completely hooked.

Unlike many of the other songs in our Top 10, Tennessee Whiskey isn’t about creating a massive singalong. It’s about stopping conversations, drawing everyone’s attention to the stage and letting a great singer have their moment. That’s why it works so well.

It’s a wonderful song, but because of the vocal demands, we’d save it for singers who are genuinely confident in their ability. If that’s you, this can easily become one of the standout performances of the night.

If karaoke had an official national anthem, there’s a very good chance it would be Sweet Caroline. It’s one of those incredibly rare songs that absolutely everyone knows, regardless of age, music taste or whether they even like karaoke.

The magic of Sweet Caroline isn’t actually the singer—it’s the audience. The moment Neil Diamond pauses, everyone instinctively fills the gaps with the famous “bum, bum, bum.” Here in the UK, that usually turns into thousands of people shouting “SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD!” at the top of their lungs. It’s impossible not to join in.

That’s exactly why this song has become such a karaoke phenomenon. The audience isn’t just watching the performance—they’re part of it. Even people sitting quietly in the corner somehow end up singing along before the chorus is over.

Year after year, Sweet Caroline finds itself battling for the number one spot in our karaoke rankings. Sometimes it wins, sometimes it comes second, but it never falls far from the top. It’s simply one of the most dependable karaoke songs ever written.

Vocally, it’s also very forgiving. You don’t need an incredible singing voice to pull it off because the crowd naturally carries so much of the performance. That’s one of the reasons it’s become such a favourite at weddings, birthdays, sporting events and public karaoke nights alike.

If your goal is to get an entire room singing together, there are very few songs that can match what Sweet Caroline delivers.

After thousands of karaoke performances and analysing all of our 2026 data, one song stands above everything else.

Valerie by Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse is officially our number one karaoke song of 2026.

The amazing thing is that this song isn’t new. It’s been around for years, yet somehow it never seems to lose popularity. Every single year it sits comfortably inside the Top 10, and this year it’s climbed all the way to the top.

Personally, I actually prefer the original version by The Zutons. Believe it or not, we still get people requesting that version too. The funny part is watching the audience’s reaction. As soon as the original starts playing, you can almost see people looking around thinking, “What’s this strange version?” when, in reality, they’re listening to the original recording. As someone who loves music, that always makes me laugh.

There’s no denying what Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse created, though. They transformed an already brilliant indie song into what is, in my opinion, the perfect karaoke record. The faster groove, the punchier drums and Amy’s unmistakable vocal delivery give the song an energy that works brilliantly in almost every venue.

What really makes Valerie special is that it works for absolutely everyone. Men sing it. Women sing it. Solo singers perform it brilliantly, while groups can turn it into a huge party. It works at weddings, birthdays, public karaoke nights and almost every private event we host.

Unlike some of the other songs in our Top 10, there’s never really a bad time to perform Valerie. Early in the evening it gets people warmed up. In the middle of the night it keeps the atmosphere going. Near the end, it still fills the dance floor. Very few songs are that versatile.

After hosting karaoke for thousands of people over the years, if someone asked me to recommend just one song that gives you the best chance of having an amazing performance, this would probably be it.