While either gender can perform any song and make it their own, some songs are better suited to the male voice. Here are some easy songs that are perfect for guys to perform.
The vocal differences between the sexes mean that some songs are easier for the male voice, which tends to be lower. From rock anthems to crooning ballads, love songs and acoustic number, there are plenty of songs to pick from.
Are you struggling to find a good set of songs to practice and perform? If you feel like you’re stuck singing the same covers, below are 23 easy song suggestions, including tips on how to make a cover your own.
What makes a song easy to sing?
Easy is a relative term – some songs may be easier for one person to sing than another person, so don’t be disheartened if your friend can belt out the chorus to a song that you struggle to sing.
The key to finding an easy cover song for your voice is to get to grips with your vocal agility and understand where your strengths are as an artist. That way you can search for songs that will get the best out of your voice and make sure you don’t sound like you’re straining.
Easy songs to sing for guys
Are you interested in the vocal differences between genders? And how do you keep up-to-date with the most popular songs that your audience will love?
The best song to sing is almost always one that you’ve written yourself, as this will be tailored to your specific vocal ability. However, if you’ve not yet practised writing original material, or you’re looking to engage your audience with a set of both original songs and cover songs (to form a base of familiarity), then below is a list of cover songs that are great for guys to sing.
24 songs to sing for guys
- Oh Cecilia by The Vamps
- Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
- Grow As We Go by Ben Platt
- Yesterday by The Beatles
- Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers
- Wherever You Will Go by The Calling
- Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door by Bob Dylan
- Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
- Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
- California Dreamin’ by The Mamas and the Papas
- Part-Time Lover by Stevie Wonder
- Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell
- To Make You Feel My Love by Bob Dylan
- Let Her Go by Passenger
- Hotel California by The Eagles
- The Scientist by Coldplay
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones
- Bruises by Lewis Capaldi
- Love Yourself by Justin Bieber
- Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles
- Photograph by Ed Sheeran
- When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars
- Jolene by Dolly Parton
It’s also a good idea to find your vocal range before you go searching for a cover song, especially if you’re a beginner. For a song to be easy for you to sing, it needs to sit within your natural range.
#1 Oh Cecilia by The Vamps
Originally sung by Simon and Garfunkel, this more modern take on the song provides you with a pop-style classic, engaging an audience of all ages. Its catchy leading line and repetitive melody also makes it easier to sing.
#2 Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
This song has a smaller vocal range, with a repetitive melody making it easier to sing. Again, if you’re looking to stick to your chest voice, the highest sung note is a D4, which is usually below where many male singers switch to their head voice.
#3 Grow As We Go by Ben Platt
If you’re into musicals, you’ll know all about Tony Award winner Ben Platt.
Grow As We Go is the third track from his debut solo album and, with a few more vocal runs, this song could be a great opportunity for you to test out your vocal agility and push yourself, whilst still singing in a comfortable key.
#4 Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
The classic opening guitar riff will get the audience on your side from the get-go. This could be the perfect song to open a set with. With a Southern drawl to the song, you could make it your own by toning down that distinct sound and adding your accent.
#5 Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
This epic rock song will whip the audience into a frenzy – you can belt it out, sounding impressive without necessarily focusing on too much technical ability. This one is more about enthusiasm and performance, making it an easy crowd-pleaser.
Easy songs to sing for guys with a low voice
#6 Yesterday by The Beatles
With a low register and very few vocal leaps, this song is an easy go-to classic. The minor key gives you a chance to connect to the lyrics and focus on your performance.
#7 Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers
If you’ve got a deeper, resonating voice, this song could be perfect for you. But the key of the song doesn’t always matter, as you can search for higher or lower backing tracks, or transpose it if you’re playing an instrument.
#8 Wherever You Will Go by The Calling
From an alternative rock band, this song provides a different option to some of the pop songs listed. If you’re singing with more than one person, harmonies could add some depth to this piece.
#9 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door by Bob Dylan
Dylan has a distinctly unique voice, so don’t try to mimic his style. It’s important to make the song your own. With its mellow vibe but popular nature, this could be a great song to sing at a chilled open mic evening.
#10 Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
Giving you the chance to show off your sensitive side, this is a great option for an open mic night. Mellow yet a crowd-pleaser, you can show off your vocal skills without too much straining- making it the perfect song to sing after performing a rock anthem, giving your voice a bit of a rest.
#11 California Dreamin’ by The Mamas and the Papas
Originally sung by both males and females, this could be the chance to pair up with a friend- getting them to sing the higher female part. This folk-rock song is in the key of C Major, making it relatively easy to sing with placement mainly in the chest voice.
Easy love songs to sing for guys
#12 Part-Time Lover by Stevie Wonder
This song has a few more vocal leaps in the chorus, but could be the perfect opportunity to do a duet. With Luther Vandross singing the ad-libs and backing vocals on the original track, you could get creative with a friend and turn this R&B classic into something new.
#13 Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell
A feel-good song, with an upbeat rhythm and great message being delivered through the lyrics. Covered below by Counting Crows, if the key isn’t right for your voice, you can always try transposing it. Or get a friend to sing the original key whilst you sing a baseline (or experiment with harmony).
#14 To Make You Feel My Love by Bob Dylan
Originally sung by Bob Dylan, you may be more familiar with Adele’s version of this classic. This shows that you don’t always have to sing a song that is supposedly for your gender.
Easy acoustic songs to sing for guys
#15 Let Her Go by Passenger
A song doesn’t have to have long runs and high notes to make it interesting to listen to. This is a great choice if you want to perform a heartfelt cover and focus on conveying emotion through lyrics. It’s an easy acoustic song to sing for guys.
#16 Hotel California by The Eagles
The verses of this song are reasonably easy to handle; the chorus is slightly harder with belted high notes. However, don’t let this put you off, this song is a timeless classic rock tune with lead vocals sung by Don Henley.
#17 (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones
This high-energy song is a classic that will get the crowd into your performance. Experimenting with the tempo of this song could lead to a really interesting original cover, so why not try and strip it back with an acoustic cover?
Easy pop songs to sing for guys
#18 Bruises by Lewis Capaldi
Being one of the most popular, current artists at the moment, a Lewis Capaldi cover will go down well, especially on social media.
Bruises is a great choice because it’s an alternative to the vastly covered ‘Someone You Loved’. With a few more vocal leaps, this song may be a bit more of a challenge to sing, but why not give it a try and see where the original key sits in your voice?
#19 Love Yourself by Justin Bieber
This is a great choice if you’re looking for a catchy pop song. With fewer high notes, you’ll probably find yourself singing comfortably in your chest voice.
#20 Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles
A more current pop song, Harry Style’s new album has a great mixture of upbeat catchy singles and slower, ballad-style belters. This song is perfect for a summer gig.
#21 When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars
This is a song that most people will be familiar with, meaning it’s the perfect chance to connect with your audience. Although originally in C major, if your voice is a bit deeper, why not try taking it down to G or F major? It’s important to experiment with different keys until you feel comfortable.
#22 Photograph by Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is one of the most popular artists to cover, so why not try and make this one your own. Arguably less frequently covered than ‘Thinking Out Loud’, this song is a great ballad that would sound even better with an acoustic guitar.
Easy country songs to sing for guys
#23 Jolene by Dolly Parton
Although originally in the key of C-sharp minor, this could be the perfect song to make your own. With its well-known melody and country vibe, why not take your spin on the lyrics to make it fit your style- whilst sticking to the classic vocal structure of the song.
So, there are lots of songs that are easy for guys to sing. But remember, even though there are general differences between the male and female voice, anyone can try and sing any song. It’s just about adapting the song to your vocal range.
If you want to learn more about the factors that lead to differences in general male and female singing voices, take a look at this great article
How should I go about finding a song to cover?
You don’t always have to search the current hits, sometimes it’s good to sing an older classic song and put a more modern twist on it. It’s important that you like the song you’re singing as this will be subconsciously reflected in your performance, so don’t just follow the crowd and sing a song that you don’t enjoy singing.
However, it can be a good idea to go on social media and watch what similar artists of your style are singing, as you can draw ideas from them or search for songs from the same artists they are covering.
Why is it important to make a cover song your own?
You may be thinking a cover song is your chance to copy how the original artist sings on the track, but the importance of making a cover your own is essential for originality and artist development. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you should sing a song in which people recognise the lyrics, but with your take on the melody, rhythm, instrumentation etc.
Don’t be scared to experiment with different styles, and try not to be hung up on a specific idea if it doesn’t work. It’s all about trial and error.
How do you make covers your own and what do you think makes a song easy for a guy to sing? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!
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