Power Ballads for Karaoke

A power ballad is a promise to the room: it starts quiet, builds, and ends somewhere enormous. Done well, the whole bar sways. Done in the wrong place for your voice, it’s a long climb with everyone watching.

Big doesn’t have to mean high. Plenty of these grow in volume and feeling and stay down, so they sit low. The middle has the great duets, and up high are the showstoppers people know from the first line. The groups below say which is which, and every song has its reason.

Timing helps: a power ballad lands best once the room is warm, and it makes a lovely closer. Want one picked for you? Ask Magic Mic, up top, is already on the power ballads shelf.

Sits lower

Big without going high

These build in volume and feeling, and stay down. A deep voice gets to be the star.

Perfect
Ed Sheeran · 2017

Low, slow and gentle, swaying like a first dance; it grows in warmth rather than climbing, so you can just stay tender.
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Sits in the middle
Some effort
Before you sing itMiddle · Some effort
Sits in the middle
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Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1StayRihanna featuring Mikky Ekko
2. Song 2With Arms Wide OpenCreed
3. Song 3HeroEnrique Iglesias
Did you know
1. Ed Sheeran wrote this romantic ballad about his future wife Cherry Seaborn.
2. The song reached number one worldwide and quickly became a modern wedding staple.
Stay
Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko · 2012

Slow, low and bare over a piano, with a part each and a chorus sung together.
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 1With Arms Wide OpenCreed
2. Song 2HeroEnrique Iglesias
3. Song 3DesperadoEagles
Did you know
1. The music video famously features Rihanna sitting alone in a bathtub.
No Time to Die
Billie Eilish · 2020

Low and whispered, building to one loud line at the end.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the low side
A big sing
Before you sing itLow side · A big sing
Sits on the low side
A big sing
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
Did you know
1. Billie Eilish wrote and recorded this theme song while still a teenager.
2. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
With Arms Wide Open
Creed · 2000

Low and growled, building from a hushed start to a big, heartfelt swell you can let rip.
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 1HeroEnrique Iglesias
2. Song 2DesperadoEagles
3. Song 3Here Without You3 Doors Down
Did you know
1. Scott Stapp wrote the lyrics upon learning that he was going to become a father for the first time.
Hero
Enrique Iglesias · 2001

Low, slow and whispered, swelling in volume rather than climbing; tender and easy on the voice.
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 1DesperadoEagles
2. Song 2Here Without You3 Doors Down
3. Song 3Nothing Else MattersMetallica
Did you know
1. The emotional music video featured actors Jennifer Love Hewitt and Mickey Rourke.
2. The song became an impromptu anthem of comfort in the United States following the September 11 attacks.
Desperado
Eagles · 1973

Low, slow and piano-led, building in feeling more than pitch; a tender one to sing with care.
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 1Here Without You3 Doors Down
2. Song 2Nothing Else MattersMetallica
3. Song 3We've Got TonightBob Seger
Did you know
1. Despite becoming one of the Eagles' most signature songs, it was never actually released as an official single.
2. Don Henley and Glenn Frey wrote it during their very first collaborative songwriting sessions.
Here Without You
3 Doors Down · 2002

Low, slow and building in volume, a lonesome road song steady enough to sing with your eyes closed.
Listen Lyrics
Sits in the middle
Some effort
Before you sing itMiddle · Some effort
Sits in the middle
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Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Nothing Else MattersMetallica
2. Song 2We've Got TonightBob Seger
3. Song 3I'll Stand by YouThe Pretenders
Nothing Else Matters
Metallica · 1991

Low and steady, building gently; nothing in it shouts.
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 1We've Got TonightBob Seger
2. Song 2I'll Stand by YouThe Pretenders
3. Song 3The Sound of SilenceDisturbed
Did you know
1. James Hetfield wrote the song while talking on the phone with his girlfriend, strumming the guitar with one hand.
2. It was initially meant as a private track until drummer Lars Ulrich persuaded him to put it on the album.
We've Got Tonight
Bob Seger · 1978

Low, slow and raspy, building to a tender plea you can lean into.
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'll Stand by YouThe Pretenders
2. Song 2The Sound of SilenceDisturbed
3. Song 3Love in the DarkAdele
Did you know
1. Bob Seger wrote this ballad after watching the classic film The Sting.
2. It later became a huge country-pop crossover hit when covered as a duet.
Far Away
Nickelback · 2005

Low and growled at first, building to a pleading chorus where the rasp can come through.
Listen Lyrics
Some effort
Before you sing itSome effort
Some effort
Unsteady
X Ambassadors · 2015

Low, heart-on-sleeve and slow, growing louder instead of climbing, with plenty of space between lines to breathe.
Listen Lyrics
A big sing
Before you sing itA big sing
A big sing
Did you know
1. Lead singer Sam Harris wrote the track about his parents' difficult divorce.
2. An orchestral remix featured prominently in the romantic drama film Me Before You.
I'll Stand by You
The Pretenders · 1994

Chrissie Hynde sang it low and steady; the chorus lifts but never shouts.
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 1The Sound of SilenceDisturbed
2. Song 2Love in the DarkAdele
3. Song 3I'm Just KenRyan Gosling
Did you know
1. Chrissie Hynde co-wrote the emotional power ballad with legendary pop songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly.
She's Like the Wind
Patrick Swayze · 1987

Low, slow and gentle, sung softly with long pauses to breathe; the film star sang it himself.
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 1Un-Break My HeartToni Braxton
2. Song 2You Don't Bring Me FlowersBarbra Streisand & Neil Diamond
3. Song 3No Time to DieBillie Eilish
Did you know
1. It features prominent backing vocals from American singer-songwriter Wendy Fraser.
The Sound of Silence
Disturbed · 2015

Starts as a near whisper down low and builds into a full-throated finish; a showpiece for a deep voice with power to spare.
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 1Love in the DarkAdele
2. Song 2I'm Just KenRyan Gosling
3. Song 3BethKiss
Did you know
1. The band performed it live on Conan, earning widespread critical acclaim.
Un-Break My Heart
Toni Braxton · 1996

Low, slow and enormous without going high; a deep voice gets to be the star.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the low side
A big sing
Before you sing itLow side · A big sing
Sits on the low side
A big sing
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
Did you know
1. Written by Diane Warren, it became one of the biggest pop and R&B hits of the 1990s.
2. Toni Braxton initially disliked the song and had to be persuaded by L.A. Reid to record it.

Ask Magic Mic for a lower power ballad →

In the middle

Ballads down the middle

Duets, slow builds and a comedy one. Comfy for most voices, with a big finish to share.

Shallow
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper · 2018

Gentle, quiet verses, a part for each of you, and a big wail midway that whoever's bravest can take.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Before you sing itHigh side
Sits on the high side
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Endless LoveDiana Ross & Lionel Richie
2. Song 2HomeDaughtry
3. Song 3Somewhere Out ThereLinda Ronstadt & James Ingram
Did you know
1. Lady Gaga famously performed this emotional ballad at the Oscars alongside Bradley Cooper.
Love in the Dark
Adele · 2015

Starts hushed over strings and swells to a big held finish.
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 1I'm Just KenRyan Gosling
2. Song 2BethKiss
3. Song 3Say SomethingA Great Big World & Christina Aguilera
Endless Love
Diana Ross & Lionel Richie · 1981

Slow and very earnest: play it straight and it is lovely, sing it at each other and it is the best thing all night.
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 1HomeDaughtry
2. Song 2Somewhere Out ThereLinda Ronstadt & James Ingram
3. Song 3The Winner Takes It AllABBA
Did you know
1. Diana Ross recorded this duet with Lionel Richie for the soundtrack to Franco Zeffirelli's romantic film.
2. It spent nine consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
I'm Just Ken
Ryan Gosling · 2023

A power ballad played for laughs, sitting in the middle, so you can ham up every dramatic moment and belt the big finish.
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 1BethKiss
2. Song 2Say SomethingA Great Big World & Christina Aguilera
3. Song 3Coming Out of the DarkGloria Estefan
Did you know
1. Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash played lead guitar on the recording.
2. The song was performed live at the Academy Awards with an ensemble of dozens of fellow Kens.
Beth
Kiss · 1976

Slow, piano-led and gentle, with a chorus that stays in the middle; the softest thing the band ever did.
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
Did you know
1. Drummer Peter Criss sang lead vocal on this gentle orchestral ballad.
2. It became the highest-charting single Kiss ever released in the United States.
Say Something
A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera · 2013

A part each, slow and bare; soft, fragile lines that reward a quiet voice, with one swelling moment you can go for or skip.
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 1Coming Out of the DarkGloria Estefan
2. Song 2LovelyBillie Eilish & Khalid
3. Song 3Lose You to Love MeSelena Gomez
Did you know
1. Christina Aguilera loved the original so much that she asked to re-record it as a duet.
2. The stripped-back piano ballad became an emotional international chart-topper.
Coming Out of the Dark
Gloria Estefan · 1991

Slow and gospel-building, sitting in the middle, with backing parts that let friends become the choir.
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 1LovelyBillie Eilish & Khalid
2. Song 2Lose You to Love MeSelena Gomez
3. Song 3Wind Beneath My WingsBette Midler
Did you know
1. The song was inspired by Gloria Estefan's miraculous recovery after a catastrophic tour bus crash in the early '90s.
2. She debuted the song live with a choir at the American Music Awards in an emotional comeback performance.
You Don't Bring Me Flowers
Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond · 1978

A slow duet that builds to both voices together.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the low side
Some effort
Before you sing itLow side · Some effort
Sits on the low side
Some effort
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1No Time to DieBillie Eilish
2. Song 2She's Like the WindPatrick Swayze
3. Song 3Un-Break My HeartToni Braxton
Did you know
1. Neil Diamond originally recorded this song solo before teaming up with Barbra Streisand for the famous duet version.
2. A radio station DJ spliced their separate solo versions together first, creating the massive buzz that prompted an official duet.
Home
Daughtry · 2007

Steady and building, comfortably in the middle.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Before you sing itHigh side
Sits on the high side
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1Somewhere Out ThereLinda Ronstadt & James Ingram
2. Song 2The Winner Takes It AllABBA
3. Song 3Total Eclipse of the HeartBonnie Tyler
Did you know
1. The track became a massive hit after being used as the farewell anthem on American Idol season six.
Lovely
Billie Eilish & Khalid · 2018

Hushed and sweeping, shared between two voices.
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 1Lose You to Love MeSelena Gomez
2. Song 2Wind Beneath My WingsBette Midler
3. Song 3The Living YearsMike + The Mechanics
Did you know
1. Billie Eilish recorded this melancholy collaboration with Khalid for the teen drama series 13 Reasons Why.
2. Her brother Finneas produced the track, which became a global streaming smash.
Somewhere Out There
Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram · 1986

A gentle, building duet with a part for each voice.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Before you sing itHigh side
Sits on the high side
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1The Winner Takes It AllABBA
2. Song 2Total Eclipse of the HeartBonnie Tyler
3. Song 3My Heart Will Go OnCeline Dion
Did you know
1. Sung by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram, it played during the end credits of the animated film An American Tail.
2. It won two Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year, in the late 1980s.
Lose You to Love Me
Selena Gomez · 2019

Hushed and building to a choir-backed finish.
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 1Wind Beneath My WingsBette Midler
2. Song 2The Living YearsMike + The Mechanics
3. Song 3Every Rose Has Its ThornPoison
Did you know
1. The song became Selena Gomez's first number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
2. The music video was shot entirely on an iPhone in stark black and white.
Wind Beneath My Wings
Bette Midler · 1988

Slow and gentle, sitting in the middle, building to a grateful, swelling chorus you can belt or keep soft.
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 1The Living YearsMike + The Mechanics
2. Song 2Every Rose Has Its ThornPoison
3. Song 3A Thousand YearsChristina Perri
Did you know
1. The song was famously featured on the soundtrack to the film Beaches.
2. It won Grammy Awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
The Living Years
Mike + The Mechanics · 1988

Slow and heartfelt, sung at a conversational pitch and building as a choir swells behind you 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 1Every Rose Has Its ThornPoison
2. Song 2A Thousand YearsChristina Perri
3. Song 3AngelsRobbie Williams
Did you know
1. The lyrics deal with the lingering regret of an unresolved conflict between a son and his late father.
2. Paul Carrack delivered the emotive lead vocal for the band.
Every Rose Has Its Thorn
Poison · 1988

Strummy and steady, mostly in the middle, with a weary, heartfelt drawl that suits a raspy voice.
Listen Lyrics
Sits in the middle
Easy going
Before you sing itMiddle · Easy going
Sits in the middle
Easy going
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1A Thousand YearsChristina Perri
2. Song 2AngelsRobbie Williams
3. Song 3All of MeJohn Legend
Did you know
1. Bret Michaels wrote it in a laundromat after calling his girlfriend and hearing another man's voice.
2. It stands as Poison's only number-one hit single on the Billboard Hot 100.

Ask Magic Mic for a power ballad in the middle →

Sits higher

The showstoppers

The ones the room waits for. Each reason says where the climb is, so you know what you’re signing up for.

A Thousand Years
Christina Perri · 2011

Slow, gentle and floaty, with long, tender lines and a chorus that lifts softly rather than shouting.
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 1AngelsRobbie Williams
2. Song 2All of MeJohn Legend
3. Song 3PerfectEd Sheeran
Did you know
1. The song was written specifically for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.
I Will Always Love You
Whitney Houston · 1992

Opens with nobody playing along, then climbs after the famous pause; the pause is your moment to breathe.
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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 1I Don't Want to Miss a ThingAerosmith
Did you know
1. Whitney Houston's cover spent fourteen weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
2. Kevin Costner suggested the song to Whitney and insisted she start the track a cappella.
The Winner Takes It All
ABBA · 1980

Slow and piano-led, building in feeling more than pitch; tell it like a sad story and let the ache do the work.
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 1Total Eclipse of the HeartBonnie Tyler
2. Song 2My Heart Will Go OnCeline Dion
3. Song 3This Is MeKeala Settle
Did you know
1. Agnetha Fältskog delivered the powerful lead vocal shortly after her divorce from bandmate Björn Ulvaeus.
Total Eclipse of the Heart
Bonnie Tyler · 1983

Starts low and quiet, builds to a huge high chorus; a friend can take the turnaround lines.
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 1My Heart Will Go OnCeline Dion
2. Song 2This Is MeKeala Settle
3. Song 3Unchained MelodyThe Righteous Brothers
Did you know
1. The song was written and produced by rock legend Jim Steinman, who originally conceived it for a musical about Nosferatu.
2. Bonnie Tyler had undergone vocal cord surgery prior to recording, giving her voice its signature rasp.
Angels
Robbie Williams · 1997

Slow, heartfelt verses that build to a big, open chorus; plenty of time to settle before it asks for more.
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 1All of MeJohn Legend
2. Song 2PerfectEd Sheeran
3. Song 3StayRihanna featuring Mikky Ekko
My Heart Will Go On
Celine Dion · 1997

Quiet for three minutes, then the last chorus steps up and gets loud; decide before the drums come in whether you are going with it.
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 1This Is MeKeala Settle
2. Song 2Unchained MelodyThe Righteous Brothers
3. Song 3VampireOlivia Rodrigo
Did you know
1. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song as the emotional centerpiece of Titanic.
2. Céline Dion initially hesitated to record it until her husband persuaded her to sing a demo in a single take.
This Is Me
Keala Settle · 2017

A slow, shaky build that bursts into a huge, defiant chorus; it's about standing tall, so sing it like you mean it.
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 1Unchained MelodyThe Righteous Brothers
2. Song 2VampireOlivia Rodrigo
3. Song 3Don't Let the Sun Go Down on MeElton John
Unchained Melody
The Righteous Brothers · 1965

Starts gentle and climbs to a famous high finish; take the slow build easy and save every bit for the last climb.
Listen Lyrics
Sits on the high side
Before you sing itHigh side
Sits on the high side
Sing nextSame spot for your voice
1. Song 1VampireOlivia Rodrigo
2. Song 2Don't Let the Sun Go Down on MeElton John
3. Song 3HallelujahJeff Buckley
Did you know
1. Bobby Hatfield sang the lead vocals solo, despite the track being credited to the duo.
2. The song found massive new fame after being featured in the iconic pottery scene of the film Ghost.
All of Me
John Legend · 2013

Slow and tender over piano, building gently.
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 1PerfectEd Sheeran
2. Song 2StayRihanna featuring Mikky Ekko
3. Song 3With Arms Wide OpenCreed
Did you know
1. John Legend wrote the ballad as a dedication to his then-fiancée Chrissy Teigen.
2. The music video ends with actual footage from the couple's wedding in Italy.
Vampire
Olivia Rodrigo · 2023

Slow and piano-led, then fast, loud and furious; the top of the chorus is a dare for the bold.
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 1Don't Let the Sun Go Down on MeElton John
2. Song 2HallelujahJeff Buckley
3. Song 3Purple RainPrince
Did you know
1. It served as the dramatic lead single for her blockbuster sophomore album Guts.
2. The track debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me
Elton John · 1974

A tender, piano-led plea that swells to a big, high chorus; give the long notes all the drama you've got.
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 1HallelujahJeff Buckley
2. Song 2Purple RainPrince
3. Song 3IrisGoo Goo Dolls
Did you know
1. Carl Wilson and Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys sang backing vocals on the original track.
2. A live duet version with George Michael became an international number-one hit in the early '90s.
Hallelujah
Jeff Buckley · 1994

Jeff Buckley's version sits high and soft — the low one is Leonard Cohen's — but it runs close to seven minutes.
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 1Purple RainPrince
2. Song 2IrisGoo Goo Dolls
3. Song 3ShallowLady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Did you know
1. His soaring version was inspired by John Cale's earlier piano cover rather than Leonard Cohen's original.
2. Rolling Stone ranked it among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Purple Rain
Prince · 1984

Long, slow and aching, building to a soaring falsetto finish; it closes a night better than it opens one.
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 1IrisGoo Goo Dolls
2. Song 2ShallowLady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
3. Song 3Endless LoveDiana Ross & Lionel Richie
Did you know
1. The original live recording that became the album track was captured during a benefit concert in Minneapolis.
2. Prince famously delivered an epic guitar solo on this song during the Super Bowl halftime show in the pouring rain.
Iris
Goo Goo Dolls · 1998

Quiet, hushed verses and a soaring, high chorus; the climb is the moment, and it rewards feeling over power.
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 1ShallowLady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
2. Song 2Endless LoveDiana Ross & Lionel Richie
3. Song 3HomeDaughtry
Did you know
1. The song was written specifically for the romantic drama film City of Angels.
2. It spent a record-breaking eighteen consecutive weeks at number one on the US Hot 100 Airplay chart.
I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
Aerosmith · 1998

A slow, tender build to a huge, high chorus; the top is a strain on purpose, so throw your heart at it.
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 1I Will Always Love YouWhitney Houston
Did you know
1. Written by Diane Warren, it served as the theme song for the sci-fi disaster movie Armageddon.
2. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, a first for Aerosmith.

Ask Magic Mic for a higher power ballad →

How to sing a power ballad at karaoke

Start smaller than you think. The quiet opening is what makes the end feel big. Total Eclipse of the Heart and My Heart Will Go On both reward holding back.

Share the big one. Shallow, Somewhere Out There and Endless Love split the drama between two voices. It’s twice the moment.

Choose your moment. Purple Rain closes a night better than it opens one. In the KaraokeList app, mark how each ballad felt (Too high, Just right or Too low) and the Magic Mic learns which big songs suit you.

Power ballad questions

What’s the best power ballad for karaoke?

The one that suits your voice. For a low voice, Un-Break My Heart and Nothing Else Matters get big without going high. In the middle, Every Rose Has Its Thorn and Wind Beneath My Wings. Up high, Total Eclipse of the Heart and I Will Always Love You, if you’re brave.

What power ballad works as a duet?

Shallow, Somewhere Out There and Endless Love were made for two, and You Don’t Bring Me Flowers builds to both voices together.

Is a power ballad a good idea if I’m nervous?

Pick a low one. Perfect and Hero start soft and build in volume only, so nothing jumps out at you. Save the high showstoppers for a night you’re feeling it.

What’s a funny power ballad for karaoke?

I’m Just Ken is a power ballad played for laughs, and I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing is one long, glorious dare. Both get the whole room on your side.

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By voice and by night, every pick with its reason.

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Where does your voice sit?

Set the scene

Hold that note…

Big without going high

Perfect

Stay

No Time to Die

With Arms Wide Open

Hero

Desperado

Here Without You

Nothing Else Matters

We've Got Tonight

Far Away

Unsteady

I'll Stand by You

She's Like the Wind

The Sound of Silence

Un-Break My Heart

Ballads down the middle

Shallow

Love in the Dark

Endless Love

I'm Just Ken

Beth

Say Something

Coming Out of the Dark

You Don't Bring Me Flowers

Home

Lovely

Somewhere Out There

Lose You to Love Me

Wind Beneath My Wings

The Living Years

Every Rose Has Its Thorn

The showstoppers

A Thousand Years

I Will Always Love You

The Winner Takes It All

Total Eclipse of the Heart

Angels

My Heart Will Go On

This Is Me

Unchained Melody

All of Me

Vampire

Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

Hallelujah

Purple Rain

Iris

I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

How to sing a power ballad at karaoke

Power ballad questions

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