Bill Marino // Getty Images Whether you prefer to belt out Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” in your living room or hit your local bar for a spirited sing-along, one thing’s for sure–you can’t beat a great karaoke night. Though the practice of loudly and proudly singing your favorite songs has probably occurred since the dawn of music, karaoke’s current format evolved relatively recently. The word “karaoke” was coined in 1956, when the orchestra at Japan’s Takarazuka Revue theater went on strike, leading management to use prerecorded music for the performance. The term is a combination of two Japanese words: “kara” (short for “karappo,” meaning empty) and “oke” (short for “okestora,” a transliteration of “orchestra”). Other aspects of karaoke’s origins remain debated, however, including who built the first karaoke machine and when. Some credit Japanese entrepreneur Shigeichi Negishi and his 1967 Sparko Box, while others attribute the invention to Japanese businessman Daisuke Inoue and the 8 Juke machine he created in 1971. Whomever the source, there’s no denying karaoke rapidly started rising in popularity in the ’70s. Filipino inventor Roberto del Rosario patented the Karaoke Sing-Along System in 1975, bringing it to Southeast Asia. By the 1980s, “karaoke boxes,” or KTVs, began appearing in private rooms throughout Japan, and it wasn’t long before it spread to the U.S., too, with America’s first karaoke bar opening in 1982. Ever since, karaoke has made a massive pop cultural impact, appearing in countless movies and TV shows. As of 2023, more than 50 years after karaoke’s inception, the global market is valued at $5.4 billion and is expected to grow to $7 billion in the next decade, according to a Market.us report. There are thousands of songs to choose from on any given karaoke night, but you’ll notice some of the most popular come from karaoke’s earliest years. Think about classics like “Love Shack,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” or “Livin’ on a Prayer”; chances are high that, no matter your age, your go-to song comes from one decade in particular: the 1980s. Stacker consulted the experts at Billboard, Time Out, and other music outlets to identify 20 of the most iconic karaoke songs from the ’80s. Read on to see if your top pick made the list or to get inspired for your next karaoke session! You may also like: 50 best albums of the 21st century, according to critics “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi Koh Hasebe // Getty Images Who could forget this classic love story between downtrodden dock worker Tommy and diner server Gina? Karaoke performers put their hearts and souls into Bon Jovi’s 1986 rock ballad, beloved for its catchy lyrics and high-energy refrain. If you love singing “Livin’ on a Prayer,” you’re in good company–pop star Rihanna sang her rendition on the “Ellen” show in 2016, and Taylor Swift spontaneously performed the track alongside Jon Bon Jovi and Prince William in 2013 at a charity event at Kensington Palace. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images Originally recorded by Robert Hazard in 1979, Cyndi Lauper’s version of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its release in 1983. Lauper’s upbeat pop track went platinum six times, earning the singer two Grammy nominations at the 1984 awards. Some karaoke-goers may struggle to hit all of Lauper’s high notes, but that doesn’t take away from the song’s timeless message about empowering women. “Dancing on the Ceiling” by Lionel Richie Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images The music video for Lionel Richie’s “Dancing on the Ceiling” is as memorable as the 1986 track. Featuring a slowly rotating room and guest appearances from Rodney Dangerfield and Cheech Marin, the five-minute video cost between $350,000 and $500,000 to produce, according to Billboard. (For comparison, that’d be $1 million to $1.43 million in 2024.) But “Dancing on the Ceiling” made plenty of money back, as Richie’s album of the same name went triple platinum within the first few months of its release. These days, karaoke fans can try to sing and dance along with Richie’s signature moves, even if their feet must remain firmly planted on the ground. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler David Redfern // Getty Images Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks in 1983 with “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which still generates buzz today. More specifically, the dramatic rock track sees a surge in popularity during certain celestial events: Spotify searches went up by almost 50% during the April 2024 solar eclipse, and Spotify plays in the U.S. jumped by over 3,500% during the August 2017 solar eclipse. No matter what’s going on in the skies, though, “Total Eclipse of the Heart” remains arguably one of the best karaoke duets of all time, creating the perfect opportunity for shier singers in the room to jump in on the “turn around, bright eyes” line. And ever since the song was featured in the 2003 comedy “Old School,” you may hear some karaoke-goers add a certain four-letter word to their renditions. “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images “Don’t Stop Believin'” has practically become synonymous with karaoke. Everyone from pro golfer Rory McIlroy to late-night host Jimmy Fallon has put their vocal chords to the test singing Journey’s 1981 epic ballad. Even if you’re not on the mic, it’s impossible not to join in with lyrics like “Hidin’ somewhere in the niiiiight” or “Streetlights, people, ooohhh”–or, at the very least, play some air guitar. “Don’t Stop Believin'” has enjoyed plenty of popularity outside of karaoke stages too. As of January 2024, the song has been certified 18 times platinum, making it the “biggest song of all time,” according to Forbes. You may also like: One-hit wonders of hip-hop “Islands in the Stream” by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton PL Gould // Getty Images Country royalty Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers teamed up to record this near-instant karaoke classic back in 1983. The track has since been performed by everyone from Miley Cyrus and Shawn Mendes to Blake Shelton and even the Bee Gees, who wrote the song. Still, nothing compares to the original, which spent two weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won an Academy of Country Music Award for Single of the Year. Today, “Islands in the Stream” is such a popular karaoke choice that the song has even been performed on shows like “The Office” and “What We Do in the Shadows.” “Love Shack” by The B-52s
Iconic karaoke songs from the '80s
