The 1970’s was a great era of music! Funk, soul, dance, disco, pop, and easy listening all mixed across the airwaves and record players of the day. Many of the most popular hits of the decade have since been used in movie and TV soundtracks. Many of the songs have had such a lasting effect because of their catchy beats and memorable singing! We spoke to Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer for his list of 15 of the best karaoke songs from the 1970’s.
Of course the best song for you will be determined by the situation and your vocal abilities such as your vocal range. If you are trying to win or impress the crowd make sure to practice, otherwise pick a song that will still be fun if you make mistakes. And remember that era was filled with music that has some adult themes so be sure you pick an appropriate tune. As seen in the show Arrested Development the 1976 song “Afternoon Delight” is not as wholesome as it seems.
1. Go All The Way – Raspberries
This hit by the Raspberries has had a revival thanks to the Guardians of the Galaxy movie mixtape. This 1972 song has genres of high-pitched glam rock and doo wop so if you can handle the vocals this is a fun one. This movie has several great karaoke hits like “Come and Get Your Love” and many more, it is filled with 1970’s classics of romance and innuendo.
Sing Go All The Way karaoke here.
2. Paradise By The Dashboard Light – Meat Loaf
If you want to sing a powerful duet that will blow the crowd away, this rocking soul hit from 1977 is a great pick. Obviously this song may be a bit blue for office events but it’s perfect for showing off great singing skills. It’s even better if one of the singers can pull off the announcer part, the song has many great sections!
Sing Paradise By The Dashboard Light karaoke here.
3. Dancing Queen
Abba has a lot of songs that are perfect for karaoke, this one captures that early disco and dance vibe that would soon become the dominant genre of the late 70’s. Most songs by Abba are great for group singing too! If you are going to any kind of nightclub or disco scene, you must know something from this group!
Sing Dancing Queen karaoke here.
4. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
This Motown hit by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell is always an audience pleaser, especially if you have two singers that can pull it off. For a couple with powerful vocals this song will certainly impress! And Marvin Gaye songs in general are often great karaoke options!
Sing Ain’t No Mountain High Enough karaoke here.
5. Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie
Often the go to epic 70’s rock song is “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, however that can be a little difficult to sing! On the other hand David Bowie has many epic glam rock and soul songs that are perfect for karaoke. If you feel like an alien rock idol, this tune is perfect!
Sing Ziggy Stardust karaoke here.
6. You’re So Vain – Carly Simon
If you are looking for a popular 70s tune with a folk pop vibe, and less dance, then Carly Simon has many options. Of course this song has some pointed lyrics so make sure you are singing it in the right situation! Everyone will think it’s about them!
Sing You’re So Vain karaoke here.
7. Knock Three Times – Tony Orlando
This Tony Orlando hit has the vibe of a 1960’s easy listening song even though it came out in 1971. If you aren’t into the hard rock of the era perhaps this adult contemporary style is more suitable for your karaoke and the audience will love it.
Sing Knock Three Times karaoke here.
8. Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
Bob Marley also has many hits that are popular for karaoke, either this or “One Love” are great choices. This song has shown up in many movies and shows so most of the audience will likely know it and sing along.
Sing Three Little Birds karaoke here.
9. We Are Family – Sister Sledge
A lot of music from the 1970s is perfect for group sing-alongs, one of the most well known is “We Are Family.” Like the song “YMCA” it is a fun tune to get the entire audience to participate. And these types of songs are often easy to sing which is why so many can join in!
Sing We Are Family karaoke here.
10. Tell Me Something Good – Chaka Khan and Rufus
This funky song was written by Stevie Wonder and made famous by Rufus and Chaka Khan. It’s not too hard to sing with its slower groove and if you have a good voice you can really add some soul to the lyrics. The funky beat of this song is guaranteed to be welcome at many bars and heavier parties!
Sing Tell Me Something Good karaoke here.
11. Bicycle Race – Queen
There are many Queen songs from the 70’s that are perfect for karaoke, this one is a mix of singing and spoken word/proto rap. It’s still a popular song but something a little different from the usual Queen choices. You might need to go into your falsetto on this one!
Sing Bicycle Race karaoke here.
12. Say You Love Me – Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac has many songs that are perfect for karaoke, some are suitable for duets while this is great for a solo singer. It is a simple blues rock song that isn’t too hard to sing and has a great upbeat piano bass line.
Sing Say You Love Me karaoke here.
13. Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain & Tennille
This is another popular karaoke duet from the 70’s decade. Of course this song is only going to be appropriate in the right setting. If you are looking for a less romantic duet try the hit “Mockingbird” as that is also popular and fun to sing.
Sing Love Will Keep Us Together karaoke here.
14. Rich Girl – Hall and Oates
Hall and Oates are another band that has many hits worthy of karaoke. Their music is a soul influenced rock so it helps if you are a better singer when performing their hits. However this song isn’t that difficult for most to pull off, even if you are a bad singer just try to keep the groove!
15. Lady Marmalade – Patti LaBelle
This originally came out in 1975 with Patti LaBelle but was remade in the 90s so it’s a song that spans many decades. It can be done alone or sung in a group but it is a little lyrically tricky so you must practice. And make sure you understand what the French words actually mean! This is also a perfect song to practice your vibrato with.
Sing Lady Marmalade karaoke here.
There is no shortage of karaoke ideas for songs from the 1970s, there are plenty of artists and genres to look for further inspiration. Songs from the 70’s are some of the most popular karaoke tunes to pick, and they are especially good if you want to learn how to sing.
Check out the best 1980's karaoke songs here.
Check out the best karaoke songs of all time here.
So find the ones that suit your voice and show how well you can recapture the vocals of that era!