It's no wonder Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" is one of the most popular songs for karaoke; the words are inspirational, encouraging even the most awful singer to believe in his talents, or lack thereof. Released on the band's 1981 album, "Escape," "Don't Stop Believin'" features "a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world" and "a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit," setting the stage for anyone, man or woman, to get up on stage and sing out its lyrics. The payoff doesn't come until the end, when the song's chorus finally appears, building anticipation as to whether the singer will be able to hit the high notes and "hold on to that feeling."
Hair metal bands were well-known for crafting anthems with high-pitched vocals, and Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" takes the cake for its over-the-top chorus, which nearly dares its listener to attempt to hit the high notes. The New Jersey rock band released "Livin' on a Prayer" on its 1986 album, "Slippery When Wet." Its lyrics tell the story of two working-class kids: Tommy the dockworker and Gina the waitress. The song strikes a chord with the Everyman. Add in the fact that hit songwriter Desmond Child co-wrote it and it makes sense that "Livin' on a Prayer" is one of the most popular songs for karaoke.
Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" is one of the most popular songs for karaoke due to the song's operatic elements and multiple movements, which defies typical pop structure and song length. With references to killing a man, 120 vocal tracks and, in the words of singer/songwriter Freddie Mercury, "random rhyming nonsense," "Bohemian Rhapsody" is an epic song, challenging karaoke singers to tackle its complex arrangement and wide vocal range. Released in 1975, "Bohemian Rhapsody" only reached number 9 on the U.S. charts, but it has been referred to as one of the greatest songs of all time, making it a typical choice for a karaoke song.