Karaoke night ideas that bring people back

The best themes are wide enough that everyone already knows a song that fits.

• A decade night. Pick the 80s, the 90s or the 2000s. Almost everyone knows a song that fits, and people enjoy dressing for it. For a twist, split the room by birth decade and trade songs back and forth.
• One-hit wonders. Most of the room knows the chorus, so nobody has to sing well.
• Movie and TV night. Soundtracks and musicals work well for groups.
• Duets night. Every pair gets bumped up the list. Shy singers love having company. Our duet song guide is a handy thing to share beforehand.
• Guilty pleasures. These are the songs people swear they don't like and sing along to anyway.
• Holiday nights. The big holidays come with playlists people already know. We keep song guides for Halloween, Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Say in every announcement that the theme is optional and anyone can still sing anything.

A lot of people who say they don't sing mean they don't want to go first or go alone. A few small changes to the format fix both.

• A first-timer slot. Hold one early spot each rotation for someone who has never sung at your night. Announce it warmly and ask the room for a big hand.
• The group opener. Start the night with a song the whole room can sing from their seats. Whoever sings next is no longer going first.
• Song roulette. Volunteers draw a well-known song from a hat. Nobody chose the song, so nobody can be blamed for it.
• Staff pick. A bartender or the host sings one song a night. People relax when the people in charge are willing to look silly.
• Table songs. Offer any table a group number with no wait. A nervous person is much braver in a group of five.

If you want more people to find a song they can pull off, point them to a list of easy karaoke songs on your table tents. A first song that goes well is a good reason to come back for a second.

Rituals make a weekly night feel like a place people belong to. None of these cost anything.

• The closer. End every night on the same big sing-along. It gives regulars a reason to stay until the end.
• Birthdays. Give them a song of their choice and move it up the list.
• The signature song. When a regular has a song, let it be theirs. Introduce it like a headline act.
• The anniversary. Mark a regular's first year at your night, or the night's own birthday.
• The new song bell. Make a little fuss whenever someone tries a song they've never sung before.

Contests can bring a crowd. They can also scare away people who came to have fun and don't want to be judged. A few habits keep them friendly.

• Give prizes for things anyone can win, such as the best crowd sing-along or the bravest first-timer.
• Let the room vote by cheering instead of seating judges.
• Keep prizes small and fun, like a T-shirt or first pick of song next week.
• Run a contest once a month or once a season, so the regular night stays relaxed.

If you offer prizes or drink specials, check your local rules first. They vary a lot from place to place.

A simple pattern is easier to promote than a surprise every week. Here's one to start from.

1. Run open karaoke most weeks, and add one small format idea such as a group opener.
2. Hold one theme night a month, on the same week each month, and announce it two weeks ahead.
3. Plan one bigger event a season, such as a contest or a holiday party.

Announce the theme early and often. People need time to pick a song and talk a friend into coming. Our guide to promoting a karaoke night covers where to post, and there are theme night captions you can copy. For keeping the new faces once they've come, see how to build a crowd of regulars.