The 100 Best Rock Songs to Sing at Karaoke
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Sing Your Heart Out
Music moves the masses. Here are some great rock songs to sing at karaoke. They're also great tunes for cover bands to play. Whether it's at a wedding, a birthday party, or a bar on a regular night out, people will love the energy and the mood these songs set.
If you're singing karaoke, pick out a song that's in the right key for your voice. For example, "Better Man" might not work well for a female with a high voice. Similarly, Stephen Tyler's vocals don't always go well with a voice that's typically baritone.
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If you're in a cover band, there is no shame in changing the key to fit them to your singer's voice. Also, sometimes going a half step higher helps give the song extra pep to move your crowd. The crowd won't be upset that the key has changed.
100 Rock Songs to Sing at Karaoke (Or Play With Your Cover Band)
- "American Woman"—Lenny Kravitz version (Original by The Guess Who)
- "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"—Jet
- "Been Caught Stealin'"—Jane's Addiction
- "Best of You"—Foo Fighters
- "Better Man"—Pearl Jam
- "Blue on Black"—Kenny Wayne Shepherd
- "Born to Run"—Bruce Springsteen
- "Boys of Summer"—The Ataris version (original by Don Henley)
- "Brown Sugar"—The Rolling Stones
- "Caress Me Down"—Sublime
- "Come on Feel the Noise"—Quiet Riot
- "Come to My Window"—Melissa Etheridge
- "Come Together"—The Beatles (also by Aerosmith)
- "Crazy Train"—Ozzy Osbourne
- "Creep"—Radiohead
- "Cryin'"—Aerosmith
- "Darling Nikki"—Foo Fighters version (original by Prince)
- "Desire"—U2
- "Don't Stop Believin'"—Journey
- "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)"—Aerosmith
- "D'Yer Maker"—Led Zeppelin
- "Everlong"—Foo Fighters
- "Every Rose Has Its Thorn"—Poison
- "Fight for Your Right (To Party)"—The Beastie Boys
- "Friday I'm in Love"—The Cure
- "Give It Away"—Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "Gone Away"—The Offspring
- "Hard to Handle"—Black Crowes
- "Here Without You"—Three Doors Down
- "Hey Jealousy"—Gin Blossoms
- "High and Dry"—Radiohead
- "Higher"—Creed
- "Hotel California"—The Eagles
- "Hysteria"—Def Leppard
- "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"—Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (or you can do it like Britney Spears if you must)
- "I Want You to Want Me"—Cheap Trick
- "I'm the Only One"—Melissa Etheridge
- "In Bloom"—Nirvana
- "In the End"—Linkin Park
- "Iris"—Goo Goo Dolls
- "Jeremy"—Pearl Jam
- "Jessie's Girl"—Rick Springfield
- "Jump"—Van Halen
- "Just What I Needed"—The Cars
- "Katmandu"—Bob Seger
- "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"—Guns 'N Roses
- "Kryptonite"—Three Doors Down
- "Last Resort"—Papa Roach
- "Linger"—The Cranberries
- "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'"—Journey
- "Low"—Cracker
- "More Than a Feelin'"—Boston
- "Mr. Brightside"—The Killers
- "Mustang Sally"—Wilson Pickett
- "Mysterious Ways"—U2
- "Numb"—Linkin Park
- "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll"—Bob Seger
- "One"—U2
- "One Way or Another"—Blondie
- "Panama"—Van Halen
- "Paradise City"—Guns 'N Roses
- "Piece of My Heart"—Janis Joplin version (or Melissa Etheridge/Joss Stone's version. It has been covered by about a dozen other artists.)
- "Plush"—Stone Temple Pilots
- "Pour Some Sugar on Me"—Def Leppard
- "Rebel Yell"—Billy Idol
- "Rock and Roll"—Led Zeppelin
- "Rock and Roll All Night"—Kiss
- "Scar Tissue"—Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "Sedated"—The Ramones
- "Self Esteem"—The Offspring
- "Semi-Charmed Life"—Third Eye Blind
- "Seven Nation Army"—The White Stripes
- "Sharp Dressed Man"—ZZ Top
- "Shook Me All Night Long"—AC/DC
- "Song 2"—Blur
- "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"—U2
- "Summer of '69"—Bryan Adams
- "Smooth Criminal"—Alien Ant Farm version (original by Michael Jackson)
- "Sugar We're Going Down Swinging"—Fallout Boy
- "Sweet Child O' Mine"—Guns 'N Roses
- "Sweet Emotion"—Aerosmith
- "Too Young to Fall in Love"—Motley Crue
- "Two Princes"—Spin Doctors
- "Travelin' Band"—Creedence Clearwater Revival (or Def Leppard)
- "Uprising"—Muse
- "Valerie"—The Zutons (Also check out Amy Winehouse's version)
- "Wanted (Dead or Alive)"—Bon Jovi
- "We Will Rock You"—Queen
- "What I Like About You"—The Romantics
- "What I Got"—Sublime
- "What Would You Say"—Dave Matthews Band
- "White Wedding"—Billy Idol
- "Whole Lotta Love"—Led Zeppelin
- "Wild Horses"—The Rolling Stones
- "Wonderwall"—Oasis
- "Wrong Way"—Sublime
- "You Oughtta Know"—Alanis Morissette
- "You Really Got Me"—Van Halen version (original by The Kinks)
- "Your Love"—The Outfield
- "Zombie"—The Cranberries
Practice Makes Perfect
Now that you are all caught up on these awesome songs, get out there and practice! Sing along with YouTube to practice, or find guitar tablature online. If you're more serious about being professional, check out your local music store and get real sheet music. Alternatively, you can find recordings on karaoke CDs for vocal practice.
Have any more suggestions? Tell us about them in the comments below!