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How To

What Are The Hardest Songs To Sing?

Photograph of the blog post author, Annika Hope

Annika Hope

8.2.2023

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Sometimes, the hardest and most difficult songs to sing are the best ones because they challenge us as singers and make us better singers. There are lots of tricky songs out there from all different genres that are worth singing when you’re starting out.

The most challenging songs have a wide range and a complicated melody because there is more to learn and more to remember. Often the hardest and most difficult songs will be performed by artists who can hit a variety of notes and showcase their talents.

We’ve gone over some of the easiest songs to perform as a singer, so what are some of the more challenging to sing?

23 of the hardest and most difficult songs to sing

We’ve compiled a list of what we believe are some of the most difficult and hardest songs to sing. Do you fancy the challenge? Here you go then!

  • I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness
  • Listen by Beyoncé 
  • Run by Leona Lewis
  • Cry Me a River by Michael Bublé
  • Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
  • My All by Mariah Carey
  • You raise me up by Josh Groban
  • Supermassive Black Hole by Muse
  • Livin on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
  • Don’t Feel Like Dancing by Scissor Sisters
  • Fix You by Coldplay
  • Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson
  • I will always love you by Whitney Houston
  • Chandelier by Sia
  • Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland
  • Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush
  • Video Games by Lana Del Rey
  • Rolling in the Deep by Adele
  • Crawling by Linkin Park
  • I don’t wanna miss a thing by Aerosmith
  • Stay With Me by Sam Smith
  • Welcome to The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
  • You Need Me, I Don’t Need You by Ed Sheeran

The most difficult songs to sing

#1 I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness

It’s no secret that lead singer Justin Hawkins has got a wide vocal range and the changes in key in this track make it a challenging song. It’s also a fun song to sing, especially if you have dreams of becoming a rockstar!

#2 Listen by Beyoncé 

Okay, so we admit that many Beyonce songs will be hard to sing but this is probably one of the most challenging because she really tests her voice to the limits with such a variety of notes. It’s a beautiful ballad though and a good song to master, eventually!

#3 Run by Leona Lewis

We know that this isn’t an original Leona song, but this version became more famous than Snow Patrol’s original. It’s a stunning song and for female singers, it’s a perfect song to practice singing. This girl knows how to make a song her own!

#4 Cry Me a River by Michael Bublé

One of his most famous songs, this is a tough one. There are so many different notes to hit and you really need to focus on your breathing. But it’s a fun song to sing too so certainly worth giving it a shot!

#5 Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Yes, this is an old song but everybody knows it and as a result, everybody wants to have a go at singing it. Make sure you are aware of the challenge you face though – it’s a very difficult song to crack! Fancy having a go? Go on then!

#6 My All by Mariah Carey

Most of Mariah’s songs are going to be difficult to take on but this is probably one of the trickiest. The diva of pop has the ability to hit very high notes and singing this song requires having a great deal of control over your vocals. You will also need to ensure you can control your breathing. Basically, it’s not a decision you should take lightly!

#7 You raise me up by Josh Groban

Josh has a hugely wide vocal range which means this is a really tough song to try and replicate. He has an ability to hold a note and put power into every word that he sings.

#8 Supermassive Black Hole by Muse

Another song which is full of drama and excitement, it’s also a difficult song to take on and Matt Bellamy’s vocals are up there with the best rock stars in the world.

#9 Livin on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

It’s a track that many aspiring rock stars will want to perfect but it’s also a challenge due to the rather challenging chorus that many singers struggle to get right.

#10 I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ by Scissor Sisters

This involves singing at a very high key for the majority of the song and your vocal cords may struggle to keep up with it, especially as it is a high-tempo song.

#11 Fix You by Coldplay

Chris Martin is another singer with a wide range and this song challenges the best singers because of the different harmonies you have to master. It’s also a beautiful song and can be perfected – with a lot of practice!

#12 Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson

Another song by a talented superstar with a lot of talent, this track is full of ups and downs and will test your voice. It’s also super upbeat which makes it exciting to perform.

#13 I will always love you by Whitney Houston

This is one of those songs that so many people attempt to take on in a karaoke bar and more often than not, it goes horribly wrong. It’s a really difficult song to get right – you need to hit those high notes and you need to make sure you are in control of your breathing. Good luck!

Why should I sing a hard or difficult song?

Being an artist in the music industry is hard work and often a long journey. As you grow and develop, it’s important to show that you are versatile as an artist and that you can become a better singer.

The best way to do this is to test yourself by singing different songs that will challenge you and test your skills. Don’t think of this as a challenge though – embrace it and enjoy it. Singing is what you want to be doing for the rest of your life so it’s something you should enjoy doing.

Also, give yourself the opportunity to experiment with different songs and make them your own. Doing this will give you lots of ideas about different songs that you can sing in any upcoming auditions that you might have.

Don’t be put off by the fact that the songs are considered to be more of a challenge to take on. Believe in yourself and give it your all, you could be surprised by the results!

Hardest songs to sing as a female

Obviously, there are some songs that are more suited to a woman’s voice. Having said that, there are also some songs that many female singers would find tricky to sing, so we’ve made a list of some of them below.

#14 Chandelier by Sia

This track has more ups and downs than a yoyo! Sia’s undeniable talent is clear for all to hear in this song and it’s certainly a hard song to have a go at singing. Equally though, it is a beautiful song to sing, if you can manage to hit all those notes!

#15 Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland

This is an oldy but a goody. It’s a classic song but it’s also very difficult to sing. Remember when Leona sang it at The X Factor auditions? Yep, that was an audition to remember for sure!

#16 Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush

Another extremely challenging track, it’s not one that we often see people taking on at an audition. It’s definitely one of the most difficult songs that you could choose to sing as a female singer (or as a male singer for that matter!).

#17 Video Games by Lana Del Rey

This song is really difficult to sing because it’s so monotone and in such a low key that it makes it impossible to get to grips with the heart of the song. Lana Del Rey has such a unique voice that it makes it very difficult for other singers to get it right.

#18 Rolling in the Deep by Adele

This is often a popular song for girls to choose but because Adele’s got such a powerful voice and is able to use her falsetto voice when singing higher notes, it’s very difficult to replicate.

Hardest songs to sing as a male

Guys! Are you wanting a real challenge? We’ve compiled a list of some of the most difficult songs for men to sing below.

#19 Crawling by Linkin Park

Many aspiring rock stars will be a fan of Linkin Park’s back catalogue but that doesn’t mean their songs are easy to sing. This is a particularly difficult track to master because you are tasked with challenging your voice in many different ways.

#20 I don’t wanna miss a thing by Aerosmith

Another track that will leave you questioning how powerful your vocals are, this is a tricky song to master. The change in melody and powerful voices of Steven Tyler make it a challenge but it’s also a fun song to sing.

#21 Stay With Me by Sam Smith

Sam is one of those male singers who have the ability to reach all manner of notes that many male singers would be shaking their heads at. This is a great ballad but a difficult song to take on.

#22 Welcome to The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance

This is one of those songs that you really need to gear yourself up for because there’s so much going on and so much to juggle. It’s energetic and fast-paced and requires a lot of practice. Having said that, it’s also a great song!

#23 You Need Me, I Don’t Need You by Ed Sheeran

Now, whether or not you choose to take on this song depends on whether you consider yourself a skilled rapper. Because if you don’t, it’s probably going to take a while to get the hang of it as well as learn all the words.

What song has the highest note?

That’s a difficult question to answer but Mariah Carey was for a long time credited with singing the highest note in a version she sang of the American national anthem The Star Spangled Banner back in 2003. Ariana Grande has also hit many a high note and is quickly catching up with Mariah.

How to sing better

There are lots of tips we can share about how to sing better but the most important advice we can give is to take your time. Don’t try and rush it.

Lots of people think that to be a good singer you need to copy a song. But that’s not the case. If you want to become a better singer you need to learn to copy good singers, not good songs. Listen to the songs and try and make them your own. You need to stand out as an artist in your own right, not a tribute act.

Find your own style. Once you know what kind genre of music you want to sing, you can find your own unique style. Listen to the way other artists sing and think about how you want to sound. Do you want to be a rock star? Or are you more of a pop singer? Or are you a rapper? These are all different genres of music and will mean your voice will sound different depending on the sort of artist that you want to be.

Practice makes perfect

Above all, you need to make sure you are dedicating lots of time to practising singing. Ensure that you set aside some time each day to sing. Start off by having some water to make sure your throat isn’t too dry. Warm up your vocal cords with some simple warm-up techniques.

Find a list of songs that you love and practice singing them and making them your own. Think about how you might perform them if you had an audience or if you have got an audition coming up.

Ready to sing a hard or difficult song? You should have lots of ideas about tough songs to have a go at singing by now.

Do you have any songs that are hard or difficult that you can add to this list? Share your thoughts and suggestions below.


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