Share This Article:SharePinTweetWhen it comes to singing, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, some people can belt out a tune in perfect pitch while others struggle with the simplest of songsWhen you think about it, there are several factors that come into play when determining what makes a song difficult to sing: range, tempo, key signature and vocal tessitura (which is the specific way your voice resonates)This article will focus on the Top 20 hardest songs to sing based on these four criteria
We hope this list helps you find your new favorite song!
“All By Myself” by Eric Carmen 17
“The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel 19
“Back In Black” by AC/DC The song is about a guy who wants to get into the rock and roll world, but he has no money
He feels like “I’m back in black” The lyrics are more than half of the words from this song
They start with “I’ve been too long away,” then sing through some other lines before singing another verse againThis repeated part goes on for two minutes until it finally ends after seven verses and five repetitions around four minutes later
That’s why this has become one of their most popular songs!It was first released only as a single release in 1980 and also appeared on Iron Man II soundtrack
The song was played during iron man’s first flight scene in an alternate ending2
“Dancing Queen” by ABBAAn international hit song famous for its catchy beat and memorable lyrics
1976 by Polar Music International with the B-side “Honey Honey*The song won first prize in the Eurovision Song Contest held in 1977 (hosted by Jacqueline Boyer)3
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody* is a song written by Freddie Mercury and recorded in 1975
It was released as an A-side single with “I’m In Love With My Car,” reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart while it peaked at number nine on The Billboard Hot 100 in 1976The song is a six-minute suite, consisting of several sections without a chorus: an intro, a ballad segment (refrain), an operatic passage (aria), and a heavy metal sectionRolling Stone ranked Bohemian Rhapsody #13 among their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”4
“Hallelujah” by Leonard CohenThis song was written by Cohen and released on his singer-songwriter album Various Positions
It is one of the most popular pieces of music in history, as well as one that has been covered extensively over time (hence its title)Cohen wrote ’Hallelujah” about his relationship with singer Suzanne Elrod, though it was originally written and sung by John Cale on Cohen’s 1984 album Various Positions5
It was the group’s second single from their album Aftermath, and it reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart while also topping several other charts around the world including Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and NorwayThe song is one of few examples where Mick Jagger wrote lyrics as well as music for a track; he attributed this to his recent lack of inspiration at the time6
“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin This song
Led Zeppelin’s best-known and most successful single, is a rock ballad with folk musical motifs
It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page for the band’s untitled fourth studio album (1971)A quiet acoustic guitar intro sets the mood of mystery, but soon heavy electric guitars move in to create one of hard rock music’s most iconic riffsThe lyrics are from Plant’s perspective about travelling through an “otherworldly” realm before arriving at a stairway that brings him back to Earth where he can find salvation7
“Smoke On The Water” by Deep PurpleA song that is played in heavy rotation on classic rock stations
“Smoke On The Water” was released by Deep Purple as a single from their 1972 album Machine HeadWritten primarily by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and vocalist Ian Gillan while the band was touring England at great success during 1971-72, it tells of how they escaped an arson fire in Montreux near Lake Geneva where they were staying to finish recording their new albumIt’s one of the most distinctive songs in hard rock history with its instantly recognizable riff or lick repeated throughout both verses about what sounds like children playing: Diddly Dee…Diddy Wah (or Dickie Dee)8
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” By Simon And Garfun ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ is a song written by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel
released as the title track on their 1970 album Bridge over Troubled WaterThe song was written by Simon and Garfunkel while the two were spending time in England during 1969The music for ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ is composed by musician James Taylor, who had been performing with both artists as a rhythm guitarist on their previous album, Parsley Sage Rosemary And Thyme9
“Eleanor Rigby” by The BeatlesBrief Summary: Eleanor Rigby is a song written by Paul McCartney and released in 1966 that tells the story of Eleanor Rigby, who died aloneIt was also on The Beatles album Revolver, which came out in 1966 as well“Eleanor Rigby” has been covered many times since its release date and is considered to be one of the most iconic songs everParsley Sage Rosemary And Thyme10
“The Impossible Dream” by The Andy Williams It’s easy to understand why “The Impossible Dream” has become one of the most beloved songs in American history
1968 – Andy Williams’ last televised concert from his Christmas Show that yearIn this album recording, made just weeks before he died, you can hear how much love had penetrated every fiber of both singer and listener alike during these final moments together – a consummate perfection as sublimely bittersweet as any moment captured in music or film”11
“Hallelujah” by Leonard CohenThis is one of the most popular songs in the world
It is ranked as number seven on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs” and has been featured on various television shows, movies, and commercials over the yearsOne possible explanation for its popularity: Cohen was able to make an emotional connection with his audience through simple lyrics that are poetic but not too abstract
He creates this feel-good vibe by writing about a romantic partner who does something nice like feed him breakfast in bed or take off all her clothes just to please himThe song also communicates a sense of longing–the protagonist sings about being lonely even though he knows that love exists and wants it so badly12
“My Way” by Frank Sinatra This song is one of the most recognizable songs in modern music
The song was released in 1969 and it became Sinatra’s signature song, but he never wanted to sing it at all because he felt that his fans would think it meant that his career had come to an endIt is a sad ballad about lost love with lyrics such as “And now these precious days are gone/l’m not afraid anymore”The 1973 version of this song written by Paul Anka has been adapted into Hindi Mandarin Chinese
“Imagine” by John Lennon The song was recorded in 1971
Nine Inch Nails with Johnny Cash and many moreThe lyrics are about imagining the world as it could be if people lived in peace with each other, without any religious or political divisionsLennon said:” Imagine’ is like a greeting to people from me…It’s not telling them what it is I’m imagining; you use your own imagination”14
“I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton)” by Whitney HoustonThe song was first released as a single in 1973 and became one of the world’s best-selling singles for 20 years, selling over 13 million copies worldwide by 2011It is list on Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at number 124—and ranked ninth among “The 25 Most Powerful Country Singers” according to TIME Magazine”Dolly Parton wrote the lyrics to her famous hit “I Will Always Love You”, which she offered up for Houston’s use; Whitney recorded it with producer David Foster in 199115
“Somewhere Out There” by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram The song is a duet with vocals by both Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram
It was written for the 1986 animated feature “An American Tail”The song was released as a single and peaked at number four on the “Billboard Hot 100” It also became a top-ten hit in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand Norway and SwedenThe video for this song features both Ronstadt (singing and playing piano) and Ingram (sitting beside her), along with animated segments from the film which are integrated into their live performance of the tune16
“All By Myself” by Eric CarmenAll by myself is a 1974 single written and composed by Carmen
The song was initially released on his debut album, “Eric Carmen”The lyrics of the song are about a person who has lost someone in their life and needs to find a way to go on without them
It is sung from the perspective of somebody whose lover had been killed in an accident – ‘I feel so alone’ he sings at one point; other lines include: ‘It’s just not fair’He states that he feels as if his whole world is slipping away – he says this through the phrase “All my dreams have vanished” which can be heard near the end of the track when Eric does it with such sorrowful emotion for emphasis17
“Tears In Heaven” by Eric Clapton The song was written about the pain Clapton felt after his son Conor died in 1991
In the lyrics, he sings of how “the beauty we love is always passing by” and that one day they will be able to walk together again with no more tears in heavenIn a video for MTV News when talking about “Tears in Heaven,” Eric said: “I wrote it at my house … I finished writing it on an airplane coming home from Ireland where we had scattered our younger boy’s ashes… It really just started out as this simple little instrumental idea — all these years later what people see now, which is tremendously emotional and very powerful — almost never happened”18
“The Sound of Silence” by Simon and GarfunkelThe Sound of Silence is a song written by Paul Simon and performed with Art Garfunkel
The lyrics are about the consolations, or lack thereof, that one might find in silenceThe lyrics of the song are about how people in silence have problems with loneliness, fear and despair
The singing can be lonely as well as frightening at times – which has made it one of the most popular songs among mental health professionals to help patients deal with depression19
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha FranklinThe song is the second of five songs on side two of her album, “Aretha Now” The title and lyrics refer to a woman’s sense of naturalness in herselfSo often women feel that they must be something other than what society wants them to be in order to find happiness
Franklin sings about how she doesn’t need anyone else but can just look at herself for all the beauty that she needs: “You make me feel like I’m living again”20
“Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn It was written by Marc Cohn, a singer-songwriter and musician from New JerseyHe wrote it while he had been living for some time in Memphis, Tennessee after touring Europe with his rock & roll band The Young Fresh Fellows before starting as a solo artistThe song was originally recorded by The Staple Singers using Cohn’s guitar and vocal arrangements, but the single, released to radio stations on January 19, 1994, was re-recorded with Booker T
& the MGs as session musicians in Memphis at Ardent Studios during December 1993Final ThoughtsSongs are a great way to express yourself and show off your vocal range, but not all songs will be easy for everyoneHave you ever tried to sing one of these songs?
You might be surprised how difficult it is!Share your favorite hard song with us on Facebook or Twitter and don’t forget to subscribe for more fun posts like this one!
The best way to improve your singing skills is to keep challenging yourself
And what better challenge than to sing a tune that might be slightly out of your comfort zone?
To help you spice up your vocal practice routine, in today’s article, we’re bringing you a list of the hardest songs to sing
And spoiler alert – these tunes are by no means for beginners, and they require a wide vocal range and advanced techniques
But if you’re a seasoned singer, they might be exactly what you need
“My All” by Mariah CareyHardest Songs to Sing – Final Thoughts
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is widely regarded as one of the most difficult songs to sing
But it’s also considered one of the greatest songs of all time
So if you’re confident enough to give it a try, adding “Bohemian Rhapsody” to your repertoire will certainly make you a more complete singer
And if you want to sing it at the next karaoke night, we suggest practicing it first – there are some parts of the song that might surprise you, even if you know the song by heart
2 “Chandelier” by Sia
2 “Chandelier” by Sia
And if you’re looking for a hard song to sing for female singers, look no further
And when it comes to its difficulty, the song has a lot of high notes, and it requires you to have incredible control of your voice
Besides being technically difficult, “Chandelier” is also very emotional and intense, so you’ll have to pour your heart into it too
So this song might be a perfect choice for you if you want to work on your expression
Beyoncé is hands down one of the best vocalists in the music industry
Her vocal abilities are incredible, as well as her vocal range – her voice spans a little less than 4 octaves
But Beyoncé also knows how to add emotion to her performance, and “Listen” is a perfect example of that
Released in 2006, “Listen” remains one of Beyoncé’s most beautiful ballads
And it’s an ideal song for advanced singers, especially for those who want to practice transitioning from low to high notes
And this is arguably one of the best female songs with high notes
Mariah Carey has an impressive five-octave vocal range
And “Emotions” is one of her most popular tunes from the 90s
So if you’re looking for a challenging song that will test your singing skills, you’ve found your tune
And if you’re looking for male karaoke songs that will impress everyone, this one’s for you
“Dream On” is a power ballad by Aerosmith from their 1973 debut album, and the song remains one of their greatest hits
The song is also proof of Steven Tyler’s incredible vocal abilities
All in all, “Dream On” is by far one of the hardest songs for male singers, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try – just make sure you warm up your voice properly first
And the same goes for “Hurt” by Christina Aguilera – you shouldn’t sing this song without a proper warm-up
Aguilera hits some extremely high notes in this song, and she showcases incredible control of her voice
Singing this song also requires an enormous amount of breath
That said, if you want to work on improving your voice and enhancing your breath control, “Hurt” is an excellent choice
7 “All By Myself” by Celine Dion
7 “All By Myself” by Celine Dion
“All By Myself” by Celine Dion might be overplayed, but it’s still worth considering if you’re looking for difficult songs to practice
After all, Celine Dion is one of the best female vocalists in the industry, and some of her songs became all-time classics
Therefore, adding “All by Myself” to your singing repertoire might not be a bad idea
But maybe you shouldn’t sing it in a karaoke bar – unless you’re sure there are enough Celine Dion fans in the audience
8 “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
“Rolling in the Deep” by Adele is also quite popular, to put it mildly
We all know Adele’s classic by heart, from start to finish
But “Rolling in the Deep” is one of the overplayed radio hits that are actually good, and singing it will never get old
Many Adele songs are fairly difficult to sing, but “Rolling in the Deep” is definitely on the top – nothing can beat that crescendo
“Titanium” is another song characterized by Sia’s incredible voice
It’s one of those songs with high notes, and it’s very enjoyable to sing
But if you’re up for a challenge, this might be a great choice, even as a karaoke song
“You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban is hands down one of the most popular talent show songs
And it’s also a popular karaoke tune
On the contrary – the song requires a wide male vocal range, good control of the voice, and the ability to hold notes for a long time
“Loving You” by Minnie Riperton
“Loving You” by Minnie Riperton
If you prefer old, soulful tunes, we suggest singing “Loving You” by Minnie Riperton
Released in 1974, “Loving You” won the hearts of people around the world
Plus, it’s a real challenge to sing it well
Besides singing in a higher register, Minnie Riperton does wonders with enunciating lyrics and belting out complex tones, including some whistle tones
When thinking about powerful female vocal songs, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” by Jennifer Holiday comes to mind
It’s a love song from the famous Broadway musical Dreamgirls
So if you’re looking for a difficult karaoke or audition song, you can give this song a try
Just be ready for some serious vocal gymnastics
“My Way” by Frank Sinatra
“My Way” by Frank Sinatra
“My Way” by Frank Sinatra
“My Way” by Frank Sinatra is a timeless classic
It seems like the charm of Frank Sinatra’s music will never fade, and the magical “My Way” is perfect proof
However, don’t sing this song if you’re confident in your vocal abilities
That crescendo in the end is exceptionally hard to master
Let’s go back to this century with Demi Lovato’s 2015 power ballad
“Stone Cold” is one of the hardest female songs to sing because it swings between an F3 on the low end and a belted G#5 on the high end
And that’s challenging even for experienced singers
That said, if you’re looking for difficult songs to sing, you should add “Stone Cold” to your list
“It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by REM
“It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by REM
With an upbeat tempo and super-fast lyrics, this popular REM tune is considered one of the hardest songs to sing
But “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” is also very catchy and fun to sing
Therefore, it’s a great karaoke song, especially for baritone male singers
You’ll just have to put all your effort into getting all the lyrics right
“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston
“I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston
“I Will Always Love You” is undeniably one of the best songs to show off your voice
It’s a classic hit from the 1990s that has remained popular to this day
Many singers use this song to work on their singing skills, especially because it has a bunch of high notes
Moreover, singing this song well requires you to have good articulation and phrasing
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” is also a tough song to tackle
Aretha Franklin was an incredible singer, and the command of her voice allowed her to sing a variety of genres
Nevertheless, people mostly associate her with songs such as “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” – her unforgettable hit from the 60s
The song is challenging to sing because of the vocal control and the range it requires
Journey is one of the most popular rock bands of the 70s and the 80s, and “Faithfully” is arguably one of their most recognizable songs
And thanks to its wide vocal range, it’s regarded as one of the hardest male songs to sing
Nevertheless, it’s a great tune to sing, especially at a karaoke bar
Another rock tune you might enjoy singing if you’re a skilled singer is “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi
This song is one of Bon Jovi’s greatest hits, and it’s generally one of the most famous rock songs of the 1980s
So if you’re ready to put on a show in front of your audience, “Livin’ on a Prayer” is a safe choice
If you want to perform an Adele song that hasn’t been sung that much (yet), you can opt for “To Be Loved” from her latest album
The lyrics are rather simple but very touching, and Adele’s vocal performance is top-notch, as always
Melodies are also beautiful and easy to memorize, but you’ll have to struggle with some high notes
Ariana Grande has impressive vocal skills, and her songs are always a real challenge to sing
And when it comes to her hard-to-sing pop songs, “Dangerous Woman” is one of the most popular ones
The song is empowering, captivating, and emotionally intense
But you’ll need to practice a lot to master it
“Love On Top” by Beyoncé has a reputation for being an extremely difficult song to sing for a good reason
But if you want to practice your vocal runs, you should give it a try
Also, “Love On Top” is an upbeat feel-good song, so (if your vocal range allows you) it’s very fun to sing
And if you want to add some dance moves to your performance, even better
“Alive” by Sia at first seems like a slow, gentle tune, but then it transforms into a mid-tempo power ballad
We already mentioned Sia’s incredible vocals, and this song is another proof of her talent
So if you’re looking for a new vocal challenge, singing “Alive” will meet your needs
“I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith
“I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith
“I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” is one of Aerosmith’s biggest hits, and it can still be frequently heard in karaoke bars
So if you’re looking for a hard karaoke song to sing, you can’t go wrong with this rock classic
Just make sure you’re ready for it, especially for those screams at the end
“My All” by Mariah Carey
Is there a better way to wrap it up than with a queen of vocally challenging songs?
Mariah Carey’s vocal skills are undeniable, and her song “My All” is arguably one of the hardest songs to sing ever
Singing this song requires you to have great voice control and the ability to hit some high notes
Nevertheless, you should add this sentimental tune to your repertoire, especially if you want to work on extending your vocal range
Hardest Songs to Sing – Final Thoughts
And that’s it for our hardest songs to sing
Something is challenging in all of the songs we mentioned today – whether it’s a fast tempo, high notes, or a complex melody
But that just means that practicing these tunes will allow you to work on your singing skills and help you grow as an artist
You may also like: Easy Songs to Sing