Students often tell me they find it hard to choose a song for singing lessons. I understand; there are so many out there! So to help you out a little, here’s a list of songs and artists to help get you started. I have categorized them into kids, teens, ladies and gents.
Also, you can see that I have listed them into different vocal aspects or challenges that the songs highlight. All the songs listed you can find on YouTube or Spotify: Most of them have a karaoke version.
Unless you are using an app to change the key of a track (I use Anytune), or are transposing the song on an instrument, it is generally wise to pick a song of someone of the same gender. Have a sing along at home first to see if the song feels right for your voice.
Happy choosing! Feel Free to add to this list if you have some good ideas for great songs for singing lessons by emailing me: voice@everyonecansing.com.au
Beginners Gents:
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
Dock of The Bay (Otis Redding)
Love Yourself (Justin Bieber)
I Can’t Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)
Imagine (John Lennon)
What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
Beginners Ladies:
Stay (Rihanna)
Don’t Know Why (Norah Jones)
Say something (Jasmine Thompson)
Love Song (Adele)
Bubbly (Colbie Caillat)
Kids:
Let It Go (Frozen)
How Far I’ll Go (Moana)
True Colours (Trolls)
My Favourite Things (Sound of Music)
Walking on Sunshine (Katrina and the Waves)
I want you back & Medley (Jackson Five)
What makes you beautiful (One Direction. Youngsters: kidz bop kids)
Consider Yourself (Oliver Twist)
Somewhere over the rainbow (Wizard of Oz)
Born to entertain (Ruthless)
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)
Mamma Mia
AEIOU Song (Slower version for learning & Fast)- This one is a fun song that you can use for warm-ups
Isn’t she lovely (Pixie Lot)
Count on Me (Bruno Mars)
Wee little ones:
Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes
Hokey Pokey
The Wheels on the Bus
Old McDonald Had A Farm
Clean Positive Songs for Teens:
Girls
Perfect (radio version- Pink)
Stronger (Kelly Clarkson)
Love Story (Taylor Swift)
Beautiful (Christina Aguilera)
It’s the Climb (Miley Cyrus)
Royals (Lorde)
Unconditional (Katy Perry)
Put your records on (Corinne Bailey Rae)
Boys
Just The Way You Are (Bruno Mars)
Perfect (Ed Sheeran)
Thinking Out Loud (Ed Sheeran)
You Are The Reason (Calum Scott )
Lean on Me (Glee version)
Ladies:
Range
Halo (Beyonce)- high & low
If I were a Boy (Beyonce)- high & low
Summertime (Ella Fitzgerald)- low register
The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack- low register)
Chandelier (Sia)- high
Titanium (Sia)- low and high
Million Years Ago (Adele)- low and mid high
Breath
Turning Tables (Adele)
Rolling in the deep (Adele)
Read all about it (Emeli Sande)
Fields of Gold (Eva Cassidy)
The Girl from Ipanema
Expression
Natural Woman (Aretha Franklin)
Listen (Beyonce)
I Dreamed a Dream (Les Miserables)
Defying Gravity (Wicked)
Never Enough (The Greatest Showman)
Piece By Piece (Kelly Clarkson)
Articulation
You can’t stop the beat (Hairspray)
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (Mary Poppins)
Songs with open space to work on tone & placement
Gravity (Sara Bareilles)
Thousand Years (Christina Perri)
Songbird (Eva Cassidy)
Make you feel my love (Adele)
Songs to Experiment with/improv
Ain’t no sunshine (Eva Cassidy version)
One Note Samba (Ella Fitzgerald)
Gents:
High Range
You raise me up (Josh Groban)
Just The Way You Are (Bruno Mars)
Viva La Vida (Coldplay)
Maroon 5
Michael Jackson
Low-Mid Range
Johnny Cash
George Ezra
Elvis Presley
Nat King Cole
Frank Sinatra
Jamie Callum
John Lennon
Expression
Man In The Mirror (Michael Jackson)
Stand By Me (Ben E. King)
Everybody Hurts (R.E.M.)
Suddenly (Hugh Jackman Les Miserables)
Dancing On My Own (Calum Scott)
Breath
Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers)
Everybody Hurts (R.E.M.)
She Will Be Loved (Maroon 5)
Ave Maria (Josh Groban)
The Girl from Ipanema (Frank Sinatra)
Impossible (James Arthur)
There’s Nothing Holding Me Back (Shawn Mendes)
Articulation
You can’t stop the beat (Hairspray)
Songs to Experiment with/improv
Scatman (Scatman John)
Songs with open space to work on tone and placement
Fields of Gold (Sting)
Piano Man (Billy Joel)
Always on My Mind (Michael Buble)
Singing In The Rain (Gene Kelly)
Duets:
Lady Is A Tramp (Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga)
Jackson (Johnny Cash and June Carter)
One Love (Mary J Blige and U2)
Endless Love (Diana Ross and Lionel Richie)
Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off (Ella F and Louis Armstrong)