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Holiday party karaoke songs

Holiday party karaoke songs have one job: get colleagues singing without anyone wincing. Pick something everybody knows, keep it short, and leave the carols for the bar.

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Safe for work
The whole team
Winter, not Christmas

Before you sing it

Where it sits

How hard

Easy goingSome effortA big sing

Every song below shows where it sits and how hard it is. Open one for what to sing next and a little trivia.

The office party is a tough room. Most people sing once a year, some won't touch a carol, and everyone remembers who sang what.

So pick something short and familiar, and read the words before you sign up. A half-known song can hide a line you'd rather not sing at your manager.

Want carols and Christmas pop instead? They have their own page: Christmas karaoke songs for the bar, from crooners to novelty songs.

Safe for work

Office party songs everyone knows

Songs the whole office already knows, short enough to finish before anyone checks their phone.

Sweet Caroline
Neil Diamond

The verses stay low and relaxed, and the room shouts the horn parts, your manager included.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Before you sing itLow side · Easy going
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Friends in Low PlacesGarth Brooks
2. Song 2Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!Dean Martin
3. Song 3Jingle BellsFrank Sinatra
Friends in Low Places
Garth Brooks

Sits low, and by the chorus the whole party is drowning you out, in the best way.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Before you sing itLow side · Easy going
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!Dean Martin
2. Song 2Jingle BellsFrank Sinatra
3. Song 3A Marshmallow WorldDean Martin
Did you know
1. It spent four weeks at the top of the country charts and won both CMA and ACM Single of the Year.
Build Me Up Buttercup
The Foundations

Bouncy and sunny, and the chorus comes around so often that people join in by the second one.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Before you sing itHigh side · Some effort
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1I'm a BelieverThe Monkees
2. Song 2SeptemberEarth, Wind & Fire
3. Song 3HappyPharrell Williams
Did you know
1. It gained renewed fame after being featured during the end credits of the movie There's Something About Mary.
2. Lead singer Colin Young was born in Barbados before joining the British soul group.
I'm a Believer
The Monkees

Under three minutes and relentlessly cheerful, and the chorus arrives so fast that nobody has time to get nervous.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Before you sing itHigh side · Some effort
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1SeptemberEarth, Wind & Fire
2. Song 2HappyPharrell Williams
3. Song 3Mr. Blue SkyElectric Light Orchestra
Did you know
1. Written by Neil Diamond, this track went to number one on both US and UK charts.
2. Smash Mouth later introduced the song to a new generation via the soundtrack of Shrek.
Dancing Queen
ABBA

It sits a little high, but the room sings it with you, and it's the one song every generation in the office knows.
Listen Lyrics
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Before you sing itMiddle · Some effort
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1I Will SurviveGloria Gaynor
2. Song 2Manic MondayThe Bangles
3. Song 3I Want It That WayBackstreet Boys
Did you know
1. ABBA performed this song live at a royal gala for the King of Sweden on the eve of his wedding.
2. It became ABBA's only number-one hit single on the US Billboard Hot 100.
September
Earth, Wind & Fire

A song about the wrong month that nobody minds in December: upbeat, warm and impossible to sit still through.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Before you sing itHigh side · Some effort
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1HappyPharrell Williams
2. Song 2Mr. Blue SkyElectric Light Orchestra
3. Song 3Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm YoursStevie Wonder
Did you know
1. Co-writer Allee Willis asked Maurice White what the nonsensical chorus syllables meant, and he replied they just felt good.
2. The song is celebrated worldwide every year on the specific date mentioned in its opening line.
Walking on Sunshine
Katrina and the Waves

Pure good mood from the first bar, and the room is clapping before you've sung a word.
Listen Lyrics
Sits high
A big sing
Before you sing itHigh · A big sing
Sits high
A big sing
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Don't Stop Believin'Journey
Did you know
1. It is widely licensed in movies, TV shows, and commercials to signal pure happiness.
Happy
Pharrell Williams

Clap-along simple and squeaky clean, and the whole office has heard it more times than they can count.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Before you sing itHigh side · Some effort
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Mr. Blue SkyElectric Light Orchestra
2. Song 2Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm YoursStevie Wonder
3. Song 3Y.M.C.A.Village People
Did you know
1. Originally written for the animated film Despicable Me 2, it became a massive worldwide phenomenon.
2. The track was released alongside an interactive twenty-four-hour-long music video.
I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor

Starts slow and builds into a disco stomp, and the whole room comes in for the big chorus.
Listen Lyrics
Sits in the middle
A big sing
Before you sing itMiddle · A big sing
Sits in the middle
A big sing
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Manic MondayThe Bangles
2. Song 2I Want It That WayBackstreet Boys
3. Song 3Love ShackThe B-52's
Did you know
1. It won the only Grammy Award ever handed out for Best Disco Recording.
Manic Monday
The Bangles

An office song in disguise: it's about dreading the workweek, which everyone at the party will relate to.
Listen Lyrics
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Before you sing itMiddle · Some effort
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1I Want It That WayBackstreet Boys
2. Song 2Love ShackThe B-52's
3. Song 3Winter WonderlandDarlene Love
Did you know
1. Prince wrote the song under the pseudonym Christopher and offered it directly to the band.
2. It became The Bangles' breakthrough international hit, reaching number two in both the US and the UK.
Mr. Blue Sky
Electric Light Orchestra

Sunny, bouncy and wordy rather than showy, with a big bright chorus the room picks up fast.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Before you sing itHigh side · Some effort
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm YoursStevie Wonder
2. Song 2Y.M.C.A.Village People
3. Song 3ShoutThe Isley Brothers
Did you know
1. Jeff Lynne wrote the song in a Swiss chalet after dark and dreary weather suddenly gave way to sunshine.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
Stevie Wonder

A brave pick with a real payoff: it's a big sing, but the title line is so catchy that the room is with you by the second chorus.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
A big sing
Before you sing itHigh side · A big sing
Sits on the high side
A big sing
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Y.M.C.A.Village People
2. Song 2ShoutThe Isley Brothers
3. Song 3WannabeSpice Girls
Did you know
1. His mother, Lula Mae Hardaway, shares the songwriting credit.
2. It was Stevie Wonder's first self-produced single for Motown.

The whole team

Group songs for the whole table

Spread the nerves around. With five people on one microphone, nobody is the one being judged.

I Want It That Way
Backstreet Boys

If the office has seen the Brooklyn Nine-Nine lineup scene, you already have your group.
a group: split the verses, everyone on the chorus
Listen Lyrics
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Before you sing itMiddle · Some effort
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Love ShackThe B-52's
2. Song 2Winter WonderlandDarlene Love
3. Song 3Dancing QueenABBA
Did you know
1. The famous music video features the group dressed in matching all-white outfits at an airport.
2. The lyrics famously make little literal sense, a fact the group openly embraces.
Love Shack
The B-52's

Built for trading shouted lines, and whoever does the shouting doesn't need to sing at all.
two or more: one shouts the talky lines, the rest sing the answers
Listen Lyrics
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Before you sing itMiddle · Some effort
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Winter WonderlandDarlene Love
2. Song 2Dancing QueenABBA
3. Song 3I Will SurviveGloria Gaynor
Did you know
1. RuPaul made a memorable cameo appearance dancing in the music video.
Don't Stop Believin'
Journey

Everyone in the building knows it, but it sits high — do it as a table, not alone.
a table: whoever goes highest takes the verses, everyone takes the chorus
Listen Lyrics
Sits high
A big sing
Before you sing itHigh · A big sing
Sits high
A big sing
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Walking on SunshineKatrina and the Waves
Did you know
1. Steve Perry picked a Detroit neighborhood that doesn't exist because it sang better than the real ones.
2. It famously soundtracked the sudden cut to black in the final scene of The Sopranos.
Y.M.C.A.
Village People

Nobody's listening to the singing; they're all busy doing the arms, which takes the pressure right off.
the whole room: one lead, everyone else on the letters
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Before you sing itHigh side · Some effort
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1ShoutThe Isley Brothers
2. Song 2WannabeSpice Girls
3. Song 3Snow (Hey Oh)Red Hot Chili Peppers
Did you know
1. The iconic letter-forming arm dance was actually invented by the audience during a TV performance.
2. It has become an enduring staple at sports stadiums and wedding receptions around the world.
Shout
The Isley Brothers

Built for call and response, and the room will crouch down and jump back up on cue.
a group: one lead, everyone else shouting back
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
A big sing
Before you sing itHigh side · A big sing
Sits on the high side
A big sing
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1WannabeSpice Girls
2. Song 2Snow (Hey Oh)Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. Song 3Build Me Up ButtercupThe Foundations
Did you know
1. The Isleys improvised it on stage as a call-and-response encore, then went into the studio and recorded it.
Wannabe
Spice Girls

Made for a gang of friends, with a fast talky bit that's more fun than it is hard.
a group: trade the verses, everyone on the chorus
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Before you sing itHigh side · Some effort
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Snow (Hey Oh)Red Hot Chili Peppers
2. Song 2Build Me Up ButtercupThe Foundations
3. Song 3I'm a BelieverThe Monkees
Did you know
1. This debut single kicked off global 'Girl Power' mania and topped charts in over thirty countries.
2. The iconic music video was filmed in a single continuous tracking shot at an abandoned London hotel.

Winter, not Christmas

Wintry songs that aren't carols

Festive enough for December, but about snow and sleighs rather than Christmas, for a mixed crowd.

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Dean Martin

Wintry and cozy, and it never once mentions Christmas, so nobody at the party feels left out.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Before you sing itLow side · Easy going
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Jingle BellsFrank Sinatra
2. Song 2A Marshmallow WorldDean Martin
3. Song 3Frosty the SnowmanGene Autry
Did you know
1. The song was written during a July heat wave in Hollywood.
Winter Wonderland
Darlene Love

A bright, bouncy winter song with no holiday in it at all, just snow and a walk.
Listen Lyrics
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Before you sing itMiddle · Some effort
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Dancing QueenABBA
2. Song 2I Will SurviveGloria Gaynor
3. Song 3Manic MondayThe Bangles
Did you know
1. Her energetic recording was produced by Phil Spector using his famous Wall of Sound technique.
2. It is a standout cut on the classic album A Christmas Gift for You.
Jingle Bells
Frank Sinatra

Everyone knows it, it's about a sleigh ride rather than Christmas, and Sinatra's swing keeps it light.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Before you sing itLow side · Easy going
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1A Marshmallow WorldDean Martin
2. Song 2Frosty the SnowmanGene Autry
3. Song 3Sweet CarolineNeil Diamond
Did you know
1. It opens his late-'50s album A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra.
A Marshmallow World
Dean Martin

Dean Martin at his most relaxed, about snow and nothing else, so it's festive without picking a holiday.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Before you sing itLow side · Easy going
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Frosty the SnowmanGene Autry
2. Song 2Sweet CarolineNeil Diamond
3. Song 3Friends in Low PlacesGarth Brooks
Did you know
1. Dean Martin recorded it for his mid-'60s Christmas album.
Frosty the Snowman
Gene Autry

Everyone learned it as a kid, it's about a snowman rather than a holiday, and it's short enough to finish laughing.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Before you sing itLow side · Easy going
Sits on the low side
Easy going
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Sweet CarolineNeil Diamond
2. Song 2Friends in Low PlacesGarth Brooks
3. Song 3Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!Dean Martin
Did you know
1. Autry recorded this song following the massive success of his previous holiday smash, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Snow (Hey Oh)
Red Hot Chili Peppers

The wintry pick for the rock fan in accounting: the verses come fast, so keep your eyes on the screen and let the chorus carry you.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Before you sing itHigh side · Some effort
Sits on the high side
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Build Me Up ButtercupThe Foundations
2. Song 2I'm a BelieverThe Monkees
3. Song 3SeptemberEarth, Wind & Fire
Did you know
1. It was one of the big singles from the band's Stadium Arcadium album.

Know your song before the party

Lots of people only sing at the work party. KaraokeList keeps your songs, tagged Skill if you can really sing it and Fun if the room loves it anyway.

Log each turn: stars, plus Too high, Just right or Too low. No music talk needed.

Planning next year's party? Tap the Magic Mic for songs you don't have yet, each with its reason. It never offers back a song you've stamped Not again.

Questions

What should I sing at an office Christmas party?

Something short, well known and clean, like Sweet Caroline, Build Me Up Buttercup or I'm a Believer. If you only half-know a song, read the words before you sign up, because a work crowd hears every line.

What is a good holiday party song that isn't a Christmas song?

Let It Snow, Winter Wonderland and Jingle Bells feel festive but are about winter, not Christmas. For something with no season at all, September and Dancing Queen get any office party going.

What is a good group karaoke song for a work party?

I Want It That Way splits well across a table, and Love Shack works with one person shouting and the rest answering. Y.M.C.A. and Sweet Caroline need no planning at all, because the room joins in on its own.

Should I sing a Christmas song at the office party?

Only if the room is in the mood. A mixed crowd is safer with winter songs like Let It Snow or Jingle Bells; carols and Christmas pop have their own page, Christmas karaoke songs.

Also try

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Holiday party karaoke songs

Office party songs everyone knows

Sweet Caroline

Friends in Low Places

Build Me Up Buttercup

I'm a Believer

Dancing Queen

September

Walking on Sunshine

Happy

I Will Survive

Manic Monday

Mr. Blue Sky

Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours

Group songs for the whole table

I Want It That Way

Love Shack

Don't Stop Believin'

Y.M.C.A.

Shout

Wannabe

Wintry songs that aren't carols

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Winter Wonderland

Jingle Bells

A Marshmallow World

Frosty the Snowman

Snow (Hey Oh)

Know your song before the party

Questions

Also try

Know what you’re singing before you’re called.