13 Cheesy Ballads I Want to Sing at Karaoke Tonight

Grab the mic and descend into gooey nostalgia.

Let me start by saying that I’m not much of a singer.

I can kind of carry a tune in a crooner-with-limited-range sort of way, depending on the song. But I’m not and never will be the person in a crowded room who will wow you with their vocal chops.

And yet, I have a real soft spot for karaoke nights, especially the ones that pile the cheese on nice and thick. There’s something about hearing a power ballad under the hot lights of a local bar stage that makes me feel like music is, at least for one night, genuinely bringing people together.

This post is dedicated to some of those songs that I would happily attempt butcher in public. No irony picks here, either. These are all real, big hits, the kind that ask you commit fully or not bother stepping up to sing them at all.

A little too loud, a little too earnest maybe, but absolutely sensational at karaoke, given the right kind of performance.

But first, the usual gratuitous pre-formatted attempt at bumping up my subscription numbers:

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In no particular order, let’s begin:

1. “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” by Céline Dion (1996)

Let’s be real: no one, and I mean no one, plays it to the back of the room quite like Céline Dion.

Of all the showstopping ballads she’s released during her decades-long career, none hit the theatricality sweet spot as precisely as “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” From that long, brooding intro to that second verse, with that iconic “baby, baby” bridge into the chorus, it can feel like you’re reliving every dramatic moment you’ve ever had.

Its length is part of the challenge. This one isn’t for the faint of heart. But, if you’re up to it and can finish strong, it might just make you a karaoke legend.

2. “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” by Whitney Houston (1987)

Admittedly, “I Will Always Love You” is the popular and easy route to take here. But, instead of walking such well-trodden ground, I’ll throw it back even earlier in Whitney Houston’s career and dig out this 1987 for any karaoke night, any time.

One reason is its deceptive smoothness. Enough high-flying moments to showcase your best gospel vocals, but balanced with the soft-focus verse treatment she was so incredible at in her prime. Nail the phrasing, and even the less capable can fake their way through a late-80s Whitney classic.

3. “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal (1994)

Sincere question: Does anyone know what these lyrics really mean? Perhaps more importantly, do lyrics have to mean anything for a song to become a karaoke banger?

Not when you have Seal, one of the many slept-on 1990s R&B talents, delivering a vocal that has this much impassioned lift. I don’t even think you’d need perfect pitch to handle this one. Just a crisp black button-down, an air of mystery, and swag to spare. You’ll do fine up there.

Funny side note: Seal has admitted time and again that he was somewhat embarrassed by the songwriting for a long time. But, after nabbing Grammys and 8 million in record sales for it, I think he’s come around.

4. “I Want to Know What Love Is” by Foreigner (1984)

You know what the band, and Lom Gramm most of all, gets right here? Pacing.

Some ballads, even a handful of popular ones, will hurtle to the skyscraping chorus portions without building up suitable tension. “I Want to Know What Love Is” takes its time. It lets you get those singalong juices flowing before the first earworm refrain.

Once the song’s in the home stretch (I’m talking about when the choir kicks in), there’s a good chance you will have turned the night into communal karaoke. Who among us hasn’t had a shared emotional experience under the guise of 80s nostalgia, after all?

5. “I’ll Be There for You” by Bon Jovi (1988)

Along similar lines but certainly less known is this deep-ish cut from Bon Jovi’s New Jersey album. By 1988, the Garden State superstars had released their fair share of hair metal power ballads, but none are as liable to put you in a warm, gooey cheese coma like “I’ll Be There for You.”

What makes this song work so well, particularly as a karaoke number, is contrast. The verses dial the theatrics down to a low simmer, which allows both singer and audience to catch their breath and reset for another swoon once the next chorus explodes. It’s earnest nearly to a fault, but that’s part of its charm. You shouldn’t underplay this one. Full arena mode or bust, friends.

6. “Hopelessly Devoted to You” by Olivia Newton-John (1978)

Okay, let me explain.

This song used to be one that I’d trot out at karaoke nights specifically because it was cheesy beyond belief. Every time I’d get up there and start singing it, people would look at me like there was something seriously wrong. They couldn’t quite figure out what, but they knew what they were seeing wasn’t normal behavior.

So there’s that. Plus, as far as movie soundtracks go, you could do a lot worse than Grease for karaoke night fodder. “Greased Lightning,” “Beauty School Dropout,” and on and on. Based on my experience DJing weddings, you’d be surprised how many listeners you’ll get up and singing along with you if it comes from that soundtrack.

7. “Who’s Crying Now” by Journey (1981)

Again, a bit of a swerve, but, to my mind, not that big of one.

“Don’t Stop Believing” is overplayed and overdone to the point of being not that interesting a pick. Songs like “Faithfully” and “Open Arms” are also suitable for karaoke night, but neither of those gives you the emotional modulation you get from “Who’s Crying Now.”

Part of what made me choose this Journey single over others is how controlled Steve Perry’s vocals are. They come out of the gate with authority in that first verse, but when the chorus hits, he doesn’t try to blow the back of your head clean off. Instead, he lets the words breathe, resulting in one of the most satisfying payoffs at the end of a Journey song ever.

8. “Babe” by Styx (1979)

A soft rock gem from the late-1970s, right before Styx reinvented themselves as purveyors of synth-pop and quasi-new wave, “Babe” works because of how tender and pleading it is. It’s openhearted in a way that could sound almost unfashionable at this point in time, but, in the context of a karaoke night, it gives everyone involved the opportunity to lean into the sentiment.

On top of that, you have these gorgeous harmonies that, on the demo at least, Dennis DeYoung sang by himself, without the backing of his bandmates. He’s the standout here, tickling the Rhodes with such ease that you buy him completely as this lovesick good guy in the lead role. If we have any Styx fans, let me know where you stand on his vocal stylings in the comments.

9. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler (1983)

If you go on stage during karaoke night to sing this song, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the art form, I salute you.

It has literally everything going for it as a power ballad. Key changes, intense melodrama, and an instrumental that turns part of the song into the best kind of controlled chaos. In other words, you can’t get up there and half-sing or half-perform this one. You either go all in or you sit back down. End of story.

But, for those courageous enough to commit to the bit, it’s a karaoke night rite of passage that should put you in everyone’s good books. By the final chorus, that room will be in the palm of your hand.

10. “The Glory of Love” by Peter Cetera (1986)

Does your musical palette crave Chicago, but covered in even more ooey-gooey queso? Then may I suggest Peter Cetera’s closing ballad from the cinematic masterpiece that is Karate Kid II, “Glory of Love.”

If you’ve watched enough 80s movies and heard enough of those credit-sequence showstoppers, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting from this song before you even hear it. Big tidal waves of openhearted proclamations, clear melodies, and absolutely zero irony to be found anywhere.

Instead, Cetera (he had already left Chicago over conflicts regarding solo album recording and touring) sells every syllable as if the fate of the central relationship depended on it. At karaoke, that dynamic works wonders.

11. “Alone” by Heart (1987)

About a half-dozen Heart songs were in the running to make this list, spanning three decades and multiple crossover efforts. But, push comes to shove, it’s got to be “Alone.” Ann Wilson’s vocals build and build until it’s literally impossible to hold back anymore, as her famous climactic note will attest to.

Interestingly, “Alone” wasn’t penned by the Wilson sisters. Composers Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly first recorded it as i-Ten in 1983, which was followed by a version sung by Valerie Stevenson and John Stamos, of all people. The latter was for a short-lived CBS sitcom called Dreams.

Not that any of that will make a difference to you come karaoke night, but I do like a fun fact or two.

12. “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf (1993)

The word “subtle” has rarely, if ever, been seen in a sentence that includes Meatloaf’s name. And, since karaoke nights reward those who throw caution to the wind, let’s put two and two together and play up that aspect with his operatic classic.

Like a few other picks on this list, it’s a marathon, not a sprint, one that doesn’t make any room for half-measures. It’s ridiculous in the best possible way, if you’re willing to meet the song on its level. Don’t try to downplay its mood or theatricality. That would defeat the purpose of choosing to belt this one out in public in the first place.

Also, no matter how many times I see it, this music video still gives me the heebie jeebies.

13. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith (1998)

As a seductive screecher that comes through with ample end-of-night emotional energy, you could do a lot worse than Aerosmith’s chart-topping late-90s ballad. Incredibly, it was their only No. 1 on the Hot 100, though they had plenty that entered the Top 10, including “Dream On” and “Love in an Elevator.”

The primary reason the song works, both in a karaoke context and not, is the fact that Steven Tyler sings it completely without irony. I don’t think you could fake your way through a Diane Warren bit of songwriting, for what it’s worth, but he sells the heck out of this one. You should, too, if you select it from the DJ’s list.

I actually sang this track at karaoke years and years ago with my now-wife. It was the closest I ever got to being picked up in public. I guess my performance was suitably alluring, but who can say?

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What’s your go-to karaoke track? Sound off in the comments.