Competition Tips

20 Easy Songs to Sing That Sound Impressive

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If you haven’t learned advanced singing techniques, or struggle with musically complex tracks don’t despair. You can still have the wow factor in your practice and performances, with some easy songs to sing that sound impressive. The secret to finding easy songs to sing that sound impressive is in understanding your vocal range, genre fit, and style.

Are you seeking some fantastic numbers that won’t tax your voice, but will make you look and sound incredible?  There are shortcuts to finding songs that showcase your abilities. In this article, we’ll tell you how and give you some examples of the kinds of tunes that work really well.

Easy songs to sing that sound impressive

If you’re into singing, sounding and feeling great is important. That applies whether you’re doing it in front of a large group of people, or just belting out a melody in the shower. And the good news is, you don’t need to be the world’s best vocalist to give an impressive rendition of a song. Here are some of the factors that contribute to a killer performance.

  • How you present the song, as in your facial expression, emotion and movement
  • The quality of the accompaniment
  • Whether you use backup singers or dancers
  • Your vocal ability
  • Your song choice

Make as many of these the best they can be and you’ll be off to a great start. But you also have to strike a balancing act. Songs that are familiar will get more of a response from audiences. However, if you sing something that’s overdone, it might result in a few groans! So if you’re singing for yourself and your friends, a very popular current tune is great. However, if you want to impress a panel or stand out from the crowd, aim for something familiar, but not overly so.

The easiest songs to sing

The easiest song for you will be one that is within your range (not too high or too low). One that doesn’t have complex musicality in the composition and one with simple lyrics.

Here are some indicators to look out for that indicate a song is too hard for you.

  • Your voice gets strained when – or after – you sing it
  • You struggle to get the timing right
  • It takes ages to learn
  • You’re always having to go back over your mistakes
  • It has long notes you struggle to maintain
  • It’s too fast)
  • You forget the words frequently, despite learning them properly
  • You keep coming in at the wrong point in the music
  • It’s tricky to pitch, so you sound out of tune

Easy songs to sing that sound impressive 

How to find your singing voice when you’re young

Your voice lowers as it matures. For girls, this is a very small change, but with boys, the voice ‘breaks’ resulting in a significantly lower sound. You may not be able to predict your long-term voice pre-teens.  In the meantime, stick with slightly higher numbers.

Most pop songs fit this bill. It’s especially important when you’re young, that there isn’t too much of a strain placed on the voice. Damage that occurs in childhood and teens can have a lasting effect. So sing what comes most naturally and what you enjoy.

S ongs that make your voice sound good

It’s true that a complex song can sound very impressive. However, many tracks that have stood the test of time, are really simple. Sometimes artists have added in some vocal acrobatics or unusual rhythms, making them sound more challenging than they actually are.

Strip these out and you have a melodic, easy song. To identify where singers have added in extra runs and notes, get hold of the song’s sheet music (if you read music) and see what it looks like on paper. Or listen to another version of the song.

Now let’s take a look at some examples of tracks you may like to try. Don’t be deterred if they don’t all make you sound impressive straight off. Some will work for you, some won’t. It takes a very personal approach.

Easy songs to sing for beginners

easy songs to sing that make you sound good

A simple song allows you to add your own identity. Here are some places to start for easy to sing, popular and well-known songs. We’ve compiled this list from across the decades and different genres of music. But you don’t have to stick to your own musical genre. You can change the style of the song and make it your own.

#1 One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston

Give this classic power ballad some gusto and you’ll feel on top of the world.

#2 Fields of Gold by Sting

A haunting and beautiful song that lends itself to many singers’ styles.

#3 Let It All Go by Birdy and Rhodes

This uplifting track is very suitable for young voices.

#4 Sk8r Boi by Avril Lavigne

An old-school classic that everyone will want to sing along with.

#5 Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley

As gentle love songs go, you can’t go wrong. It’s a simple song structure with easy lyrics.

#6 Crocodile Rock by Elton John

Even if you don’t have a perfect singing voice, it’s easy to impress by rocking this fun song.

#7 Imagine by John Lennon

A good mid-range option that’s easy to emote and suits most voices.

#8 Run by Snow Patrol

Check out the Leona Lewis version too. This is a mesmerising, beautiful tune.

#9 Torn by Natalie Imbruglia

Another old-school classic, if you have a pop or indie voice this can work well.

#10 Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

This is so catchy and again, you don’t need to be the world’s best singer – just have fun with it.

#11 Waterloo by Abba

Some Abba songs are tricky to sing, but this is one of the easiest and never fails to bring joy.

#12 Last Friday Night by Katy Perry

If you’re good at putting across a song’s story and have a light pop voice, this is perfect.

#13 Shotgun by George Ezra

Got a deep voice? George’s feelgood Shotgun will show it off.

#14 All I Am by Jess Glynne

Easy on the vocals, you don’t need to be a diva to pull this one-off.

#15 Anything Could Happen by Ellie Goulding

There are few lyrics to remember and the soaring melody is uplifting.

#16 Lost Without You by Freya Ridings

Freya’s haunting style is surprisingly easy to imitate.

#17 You’ve Got the Love by Florence and the Machine

This is a ‘big’ song, but you don’t have to have a big voice for it sound great.

#18 Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi

You’ll probably know this one inside out already, so learning it will be a breeze.

#19 All of Me by John Legend

If you fancy a ballad, this one doesn’t need a lot of power or vocal strength.

#20 Better When I’m Dancing by Meghan Trainor

Another super happy track, Meghan’s tunes are very singable – add in some moves for effect.

What song to sing for a competition in 2020

If you’re singing in a competition choose something that hasn’t been a recent super hit, as you’re likely to pick the same one as many other people. This includes many of the songs on this list, but not all of them.

For help choosing a song for an audition, check out this article with specific suggestions for numbers that’ll impress a panel of judges.

What genre fits my voice and style?

Impressive is a subjective term, but in general, If the type of song suits your voice and performance style you’ll have a much better chance of making it sound fantastic. Your ‘genre’ is your type of music, like indie, pop, rock and rap. Work out which category you fall into as regards your taste and vocal ability, then pick a song from that same genre.

Songs for beginner singers: female and male numbers

Your voice type identifies you as a high, low or mid-range singer. It’s helpful to know as you can search on songs that match your range. But you can also search for songs by ‘male’ or ‘female’. You don’t need to stick to this, but you may find songs by artists of your own gender are easier to sing, as they are likely to be within a more reachable range.

Easy karaoke songs for beginners

Perhaps you’ve got a karaoke birthday coming up and you want to wow your mates. Karaoke can be tricky, so choose a song you already know and can sing well. Rehearse it beforehand – many of the standard karaoke backing tracks like Sunfly and Ameritz can be found on YouTube. Do practice with these, as they may differ from the accompaniments you are used to.

We hope this has given you lots of inspiration for easy songs to sing that sound impressive. Do start to compile your own lists too. Singing is one of the most natural activities on the planet. It really doesn’t have to be hard – pick a straightforward song and you can make life a lot easier on yourself. But most of all, choose something you enjoy and have fun with it.

Related Questions

  • What is the easiest karaoke song to sing if you can’t sing?

If you can’t sing the best option is a song that doesn’t really involve singing. Choose one that is more ‘talky’ (Blur or Pulp hits) a novelty song (Gangnam Style, Pen Pineapple Apple Pen) or perhaps even a rap (Shaggy, Nicki Minaj and Eminem have some great classics with catchy choruses).

  • What is the best song to sing for an audition?

Choose one that shows you in a good light, that you enjoy, but isn’t overdone and hackneyed. Think about what you want to convey to the panel and what your goal for the audition is – ie. if it’s for a specific job, pick a song that matches the role or venue you’d be playing if you get through.

  • What is a good vocal range?

Three octaves is considered very good and is the ballpark in which most professional singers will operate. If you don’t have a naturally large range, use vocal exercise to extend and maintain it. The record for the largest range was allegedly ten octaves.

Which are your favourite easy songs to sing that sound impressive? Have you performed them live? Let us know and send us links in the comments below.