If you want one to bring the room to life, the answer is "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys. It kills 100% of the time--everyone will sing along. You can't help it.
"Check, please!"
If you want a fun karaoke night, first song(s) need to be something that will get most everyone singing. Younger crowds: something like Tayor Swift "Shake It Off". Middle age crowds, something like Nirvana or Aerosmith. Older crowds any Beatles #1.
I personally like Cyprus Hill "Jump Around" if you're willing to learn it well enough beforehand as to not butcher the lyrics. I've seen Vanilla "Ice Ice Baby" also get a similar reaction of everyone knowing the song and enjoying it enough to give you kudos for choosing it.
After everyone's over the initial hesitation, go belt all your love songs and power ballads; but get the party started first.
The Champs - Tequila
Funky Town
My go-to’s are:
Blind Melon - No Rain
Fra Lippo Lippi - Light and Shade
Sting - Englishman in New York
Seal - Kiss From A Rose
I was gonna say Kiss From A Rose, but only because nobody would see that shit coming.
Last time I did this, I dedicated (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman to my now ex-wife.
And I’d do it again!
A-ha - Take on me
every time
I have friends who try to convince me to sing, I always tell them "Look, there's only one song I can do and I guarantee they don't have it..."
"Come on man, they have thousands of songs, they have to have it..."
"Fine, if they have it, I'll do it. Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs."
And man, they'll run and look for that song... then they argue...
"I don't think it's a real song!"
"I know it is! I've heard of it!"
The song:
To be fair, that isn't a song its just music, so they were right lol
Puscifer - Conditions of my Parole
I think I've got enough goofy charm to pull off 24 Hour Cinderella... or at least, I will think that after a few drinks.
Anything by Supertramp or Bad Company.
Whenever I'm in a rather Yee-Haw place, and bars are filled with folks wearing camo and baseball caps, my go-to is Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show, it gets people riled up.
Later in the evening, once folks have had a few drinks in them, Take Me Home Country Roads is unquestionably the song to end with.
Halfway through there's a drunk woman and her reluctant husband/boyfriend/male friend/drafted stranger who sings "Picture" by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow.
See also: Friends in Low Places. They played it at a AAA baseball game here and the whole place was chanting it lol.
Train - Hey, Soul Sister
dancing in the moonlight
"Mad World" by Gary Jules.
But really you want to start off with "Take On Me" and "Never Gonna Give You Up".
I mostly only know parody lyrics, so it will go badly no matter what.
Nah, if you can drop the weird Al lyrics without them being on the screen, the crowd will love it.
I know someone who did that who is a REALLY GOOD, like pro level singer. Crowd was delighted when she started singing and they heard how great her voice was. Then they were slightly puzzled when some of the words were different. Then they realized she was singing a parody and they were like WTF. I suppose I'll try it anyway if the occasion comes up .
Here she is singing a Queen--Bohemian Rhapsody / Star Wars crossover parody:
Plush - Stone Temple Pilots. I kill with that one.
Probably a random Russian, Ukrainian or Italian song I know, because I like to sing in these languages.
Horse With No Name. Has a limited vocal range, and the humans will give no love.
I'd probably shoot for Bruno mars and regret it.
Tequila.
Wrong. Try this next time. https://open.spotify.com/track/2ovqH6tbNeNPa2oQ9rGp9N The sequel lol.
Promised Land- Elvis version.
Tequila 😎
Thunderball - Tom Jones
im sliding up to the first woman i see wym
Duality - slipknot
It's gonna depend on my mood.
Currently the mood is Ænima by Tool.
I'm going to sing to one song and one song only...My Humps by The Black-eyed Peas!
I'm probably leaving the bar. But to answer your question...
Radio, Radio by Elvis Costello.
Suffragette city
Orville Peck - C'mon Baby Cry
Every time this plays at my house everyone is belting it out. Nobody can hit the high notes.
"It's the end of the world and I know it!"
That's great!
Mosquito song
"Whip my Hair" by Willow Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmaErg4FUAc
Usually clears out the room before the song is over and I have the stage all to myself the rest of the night.
Lol, I might need to add this to my rotation of fuck this crowd music to play on the touch tunes at a bar. I've cleared a few bars out playing the hulk Hogan theme song, the 30 minute pink Floyd song Echoes, and previously the uncensored 2 live crew song doo wah Diddy.
They took the latter off the whole ass app probably because of me. The song opens with "I met this bitch standing on the block, she'll suck on my dick and I'll buy her a rock." All to the tube of doo wah Diddy. Boomers get all excited about it and then get all salty. They don't make em like they used to.
It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it.
Feelings
Even Flow by Pearl Jam. It's a blast and always gets a laugh when you make it a little goofy. The only hard part is the ~one minute guitar solo. But that's a great time to throw in a "What's up (local city)!? Having a good night!?"
Also it's fun to sort of shout "I know you know the words!" near the start because Eddie Vedder (the lead singer) is difficult to understand.
I'm playing the Doom theme and fighting my way to the exit as I am clearly in hell.
„OMG where’s the door GTFO“
Grounds for Divorce by Elbow.
And then promptly leave, before I get accused of attempted mass murder
