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Prepare to be wowed and challenged as we explore some of the toughest vocal masterpieces ever recorded. From jaw-dropping high notes to relentless vocal runs, these songs demand both power and precision. Join us as we break down what makes these iconic tracks practically impossible to sing and celebrate the incredible talent needed to pull them off!
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00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most challenging tunes for the average vocalist
00:12to tackle.
00:21Number 50. Welcome to the Black Parade, My Chemical Romance.
00:32The Black Parade LP from My Chemical Romance features a number of songs that would be considered challenging to sing
00:37from a layperson's perspective.
00:39The ending coda to Famous Last Words comes to mind, as does the album's title track, Welcome to the Black
00:44Parade.
00:50Frontman Gerard Way and the band indulge their greatest queen fantasies on this LP,
00:54and this song features layered lead vocals from Way that sound energetic and anthemic.
01:02This is another song that seems to be building up to something, a race to the finish line where Way
01:07takes charge as lead singer,
01:09driving home MCR's Black Parade for all he's worth.
01:18Number 49. Best of You. Foo Fighters.
01:21There was probably nobody out there that was questioning Dave Grohl's skills as a frontman back when Foo Fighters released
01:26their fifth LP, In Your Honor, in 2005.
01:34That said, we still appreciate how Grohl continued to challenge himself on songs like Best of You.
01:45The tune's composition requires the former Nirvana drummer to continually sing at the top of his register,
01:51to the point where it sounds raw and ragged.
01:53Has someone taken your faith? It's real, the pain you feel.
01:58This isn't a bad thing, of course, since Grohl's scream singing allows for Best of You to grab the listener
02:02forcefully by the proverbial collar,
02:04shaking out all of their righteous rage and emotion.
02:07Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
02:13Number 48. Life on Mars. David Bowie.
02:16Some songs are known for the entirety of their challenging nature,
02:20while others become closely associated with one particular vocal performance.
02:24They ask her to focus on
02:26Sing, oh,
02:28fighting in the dance hall.
02:31Life on Mars from David Bowie is one of the rock legend's most loved tunes,
02:35but it's also one that contains one of the man's most iconic high notes.
02:39It's on America's tortured brow
02:43That Mickey Mouse has grown up the cow
02:46We're speaking, obviously, of Bowie's emphasis on the word Mars,
02:49but it's the whole song that really highlights Bowie's generational charisma, if we're being honest.
02:54From the look, to the sound, to that warm 70s production,
02:58Life on Mars is an octave-jumping rocket ship to the stars and back.
03:02It's a life on Mars.
03:09Number 47. Since You've Been Gone. Kelly Clarkson.
03:13Here's the thing. We started out friends.
03:16It was cool, but it was all pretend.
03:20The American Idol experience has not been the same for every season's winner, that's for sure.
03:25Yet, for every Taylor Hicks, there's a Kelly Clarkson,
03:27who managed to keep her career going strong for years after appearing on that competition show.
03:32That's all you ever hear me say
03:35But since you've been gone
03:39Since You've Been Gone incorporates a wide array of influences within its composition,
03:43and it's this everything-goes approach that helped it land with a lot of different fans.
03:48I can't breathe for the first time
03:51Clarkson's enviable talent is clearly on display here,
03:55as she performs with tons of power while also demonstrating her incredible range.
03:59Since You've Been Gone has since become one of Clarkson's defining tunes,
04:03although we'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that can sing it quite like her.
04:16Number 46. Over the Rainbow. Judy Garland.
04:19Sometimes, it's not about how high you can sing or how much power you can belt out into a tune.
04:26Somewhere over the rainbow
04:31Way up high
04:34Instead, it's how a performance brings subtlety, texture, and dynamics to a composition,
04:40lifting it up from good, beyond great, and into the territory of perfection.
04:46Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me
04:55Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz has been sung by many performers over the years,
05:00often to great effect.
05:01Birds play over the rainbow
05:07There will always be something special to Judy Garland's original, however,
05:11to the point where every attempt will always be compared to the actress's tender work on the silver screen.
05:26Number 45. The Phantom of the Opera. Andrew Lloyd Webber.
05:39Everybody has their favorite version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's title number to The Phantom of the Opera.
05:43Each version requires some serious professionalism in order to properly nail down, however,
05:48since Webber's composition keeps changing keys.
05:51This is done not only for dramatic effect,
06:01but also to emphasize the singer's voices,
06:04particularly the female role of Christine.
06:06The heavy metal band Nightwish even recorded a fan-favorite version
06:09that made the most out of their own trained opera vocalist, Taria Turunen.
06:13Your spirit and my heart is...
06:17It ultimately doesn't matter which version of The Phantom of the Opera you rock, however,
06:21because they're all gonna sound epic.
06:22The Phantom of the Opera.
06:29Number 44. Carrie. Europe.
06:32The world of commercial heavy metal back in the 1980s featured plenty of talented and amazing singers.
06:38When lights go down, I see no reason.
06:44Europe may be known for their international hit The Final Countdown,
06:48but they, like every other band during this time,
06:50also recorded their fair share of power ballads.
06:59Joey Tempest had one of those voices that could handle both hard-rocking numbers and more tender songs with ease,
07:04and he certainly gets the job done on Carrie.
07:07It's all about the song's finale, however,
07:09as Tempest goes for broke with some grandiose emoting.
07:12Can't you see it in my eyes?
07:15The lead singer's vocal harmonies are also on point during Carrie,
07:19lifting up cigarette lighters and cell phones all around the world.
07:25Carrie. Carrie.
07:29Number 43. I'd do anything for love, but I won't do that.
07:33Meatloaf.
07:34High drama, high art, absolutely zero irony.
07:38These are just some of the sentiments at play here within
07:40I'd do anything for love, but I won't do that by Meatloaf.
07:43And some days it don't come easy, and some days it don't come hard.
07:48The music video particularly underlines these points,
07:51but all of the flash in the world could make this song resonate the way it does
07:55were it not for Meatloaf's go-for-broke performance.
07:58I'd do anything for love, anything you've been dreaming of.
08:04This is a long song,
08:06requiring a lot of power and commitment for anybody attempting to replicate that Meatloaf magic.
08:10Well, you make it all a little less cool.
08:14I can do that.
08:16The back and forth between Meatloaf and his duet partner Lorraine Crosby is classic stuff.
08:21A slice of cinematic extravagance that's one in a million.
08:24I would do anything for love, but I won't do that.
08:32Number 42. Paradise City. Guns N' Roses.
08:35It doesn't really matter at this point whether or not Guns N' Roses ever release an LP
08:39that rivals their thunderous 1987 debut, Appetite for Destruction.
08:42The band's musical power and glory are safely secured,
08:51as is the vocal prowess of their tempestuous singer, Axl Rose.
08:59Fans who've been lucky enough to witness GNR's straight rock fury in the live arena
09:03can testify to Rose's talent as a singer and frontman.
09:06He hits high notes and screams on the regular,
09:09usually while sprinting across the stage at a breakneck pace.
09:16Songs like Paradise City careen from his mouth like an air horn,
09:20as Rose caterwauls like a madman from first note to last.
09:26Number 41. Always. Bon Jovi.
09:30This is Bon Jovi's first appearance on this list,
09:33but spoiler alert, it will not be the last.
09:35There's Romeo's bleeding.
09:38You can't see his blood.
09:40Always wasn't taken from the band's 1980s heyday,
09:43but instead as a single from their first greatest hits collection.
09:47This wasn't a throwaway song, however.
09:49Far from it.
09:50Instead, Always became an international smash,
09:53anchored by Jon Bon Jovi's superbly strong vocal performance.
10:03This is a song that went unapologetically hard,
10:06particularly during its ending section,
10:08as Jon really stretches and breaks free.
10:15The harmonized bridge section is also great,
10:18and we totally see why Always managed to connect with so many people back in 1994.
10:31The R&B genre is one that usually requires
10:34at least a modicum of upper-level vocal talent to execute properly,
10:38and with the required emotion.
10:44This goes even more so when it comes to vocal groups,
10:47and this is why the music of Boyz II Men so closely echoes the R&B scene of the 1990s.
10:52I'll Make Love To You is a song that makes the most out of each individual member's vocal strengths,
10:59from resonant lows to soaring highs.
11:06The arrangements lend plenty of places for all the singers of Boyz II Men to shine,
11:10and I'll Make Love To You has managed to live on in the minds of all those
11:14who experienced this unironic and passionate love song back in the day.
11:17I will not let go of you
11:20Tell me to you
11:22Never made a movie
11:27Number 39
11:29Fix You
11:30Coldplay
11:31Sometimes it's not about the intensity of a vocal performance
11:34that makes it affect an audience in an emotional way,
11:36but rather the quieter and more subtle moments.
11:39When you try your best, but you don't succeed
11:44Coldplay's Chris Martin isn't the sort of singer that earns his paycheck
11:47howling for the heavens or screaming for the back row,
11:50but that hasn't stopped his performance in Fix You
11:52from becoming a favorite for the group's fans.
11:55Lights will guide you home
12:00This is a song where patience and control are required from the singer,
12:04since the falsetto notes of Fix You are left intentionally fragile.
12:09And ignite you
12:13It's not as easy as it looks.
12:16And I will try to fix you
12:21Number 38
12:23Getting Married Today
12:24Steven Sondheim
12:25Pardon me, is everybody there?
12:26Because if everybody's there, I want to thank you all for coming to the wedding.
12:29The subject of show tunes can occasionally elicit grumblings,
12:33snickers, or criticism from those unfamiliar with Broadway vocal performances.
12:36But make no mistake,
12:38songs like Getting Married Today are incredibly difficult to sing.
12:42Listen, everybody, look, I don't know what you're waiting for, a wedding, what's a wedding?
12:45It's a prehistoric ritual where everybody promises fidelity forever,
12:47which is maybe the most horrifying word I've ever heard.
12:49This song from Steven Sondheim's 1970 musical company requires the performer to sing incredibly fast and clear,
12:55spitting out words a mile a minute in order to fulfill the song's arrangement.
12:59Listen, everybody, I'm afraid you didn't hear or do you want to see a crazy lady fall apart in front
13:02of you.
13:03Getting Married Today as a result has definitely earned its reputation as one of Broadway's most challenging tunes from any
13:09musical era.
13:10It is a rhythmic and tongue-twisting nightmare.
13:13But perhaps I'll collapse in the apps right before you also take back the cake, burn the shoes and boil
13:19the rice.
13:20The music of Soundgarden may be primarily associated with the grunge movement of the 1990s,
13:28but the band's lead vocalist Chris Cornell clearly possessed a vocal talent born from a different era.
13:38Cornell's screaming upper-level register felt more indicative of 80s heavy metal than the brooding and listless sound of Seattle.
13:49And it's this ability to move from low to high on songs like Mailman that made Soundgarden special for their
13:55fans.
14:00The band's doomy, Sabbath-y and groove was one that also showcased their 70s hard rock influences.
14:05And this juxtaposition of monolithic heaviness and Cornell's powerful voice definitely makes Mailman stand out from the pack.
14:17Number 36. Gethsemane. Andrew Lloyd Webber.
14:29The soundtrack to Jesus Christ Superstar is chock-full of memorable moments,
14:33from the high drama of Heaven on Their Minds to the moodiness of Judas' death.
14:37Yet there's one major musical moment that will forever be associated with this 1971 musical,
14:42and that is the iconic high note hit by Jesus on the song Gethsemane.
14:46Listen, surely I've exceeded expectation.
14:54This prototypical rock opera requires anybody taking on this role to steady themselves for a proper belt on the word
15:00why.
15:01But Gethsemane isn't only about this magical moment.
15:04Why, why should I die?
15:12It's also about getting in the properly pensive and frightened mood,
15:15capturing Christ's emotions as he's readying himself to die on the cross.
15:19Die, just watch me die.
15:27Number 35. My Heart Will Go On.
15:29Celine Dion.
15:30She's one of the voices of her generation,
15:32and it's this song that serves as her musical calling card.
15:36Every night in my dreams, I see you.
15:42My Heart Will Go On served as the multi-million selling smash hit single
15:46from the soundtrack to director James Cameron's Titanic.
15:49Near, far, wherever you are.
15:56It's a song that was basically impossible to avoid,
16:00since both My Heart Will Go On and Titanic entered the public zeitgeist big time back in 1997.
16:06Dion's insane vocal range and power make just about any of her songs a challenge to even the most experienced
16:11singers.
16:14You're here.
16:16My Heart Will Go On is at another level, however,
16:19a litmus test to judge between great vocalists and exemplary talents.
16:23My Heart Will Go On and Learn.
16:33Number 34. Cry Me A River.
16:35Michael Buble.
16:36They call him standards for a reason.
16:38Now you say you're lonely.
16:43Canada's Michael Buble put his own stamp upon this jazzy pop song
16:47that's been recorded by multiple other artists over the years.
16:49Now you say you're sorry.
16:53Buble, Julie London, Joe Cocker, and more have all lent their vocal skills to Cry Me A River,
16:58a challenging track despite it not being a particularly stressful or strenuous workout.
17:03Why don't you cry me a river?
17:07Natural storytelling ability and pathos are required to transport the listeners
17:11to the proper emotional place here with Cry Me A River,
17:14and Buble's version followed nicely in the footsteps of his forebears
17:17back when it was released back in 2009.
17:19Cry Me A River.
17:24Number 33. Defying Gravity.
17:27Steven Schwartz.
17:28Cinematic adaptations of hit Broadway shows can often be a dicey proposition
17:32since the original show tunes are often held close to the hearts and minds of their fans.
17:36Something has changed within me.
17:42Something is not the same.
17:44Defying Gravity is one of those defining songs.
17:47A major moment from the OG 2003 version of Wicked,
17:51sung by Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth.
17:53There's no fight we cannot win.
17:57The insane high note delivered by Menzel at the climax of this tune
18:01is one of modern Broadway's most defining and commercially successful moments.
18:05Flying behind and flying gravity.
18:10Menzel and Chenoweth's performance set an insanely high bar
18:13for the 2024 movie version of Wicked to hit.
18:16But thankfully, fans seem to like this new version just fine.
18:19They'll never bring us down.
18:24Number 32. Alone. Heart.
18:27I hear the ticking of the clock.
18:30I'm lying here, the room's rich dog.
18:34Isn't it funny how some songs take on different lives of their own
18:38long after their initial composition fades away into trivia obscurity?
18:42Alone first hit airwaves via a group called I-10
18:45before then being included on the short-lived television show Dreams.
18:48That version featured John Stamos on co-vocals.
18:51But most fans would probably point to the version recorded by Heart in 1987
19:01as the best take on Alone.
19:08Not only does their version of Alone feature amazing vocal harmonies,
19:12but Ann Wilson's insane power recalls the group's classic rock influences
19:15from groups like Led Zeppelin.
19:17It's amazing arena rock AOR with passion and urgency to spare.
19:28Number 31. The Writings on the Wall. Sam Smith.
19:31Every James Bond fan has their personal favorite of the franchise's many,
19:35many excellent title themes.
19:41Spectre from 2015 may have been a divisive Bond entry with regards to its effectiveness as a film,
19:47but we think that Sam Smith's The Writing on the Wall is one of the best Bond themes of all
19:52time.
19:53How do I live? How do I breathe?
19:56When you're not here, I'm suffocating.
19:59Smith's falsetto is utilized throughout much of the writings on the wall,
20:03and the end results feel perfectly in line with Bond's legacy of glamour, class, and intrigue.
20:08I wanna feel love, run through my blood.
20:12Tell me, is this where I give it all up?
20:16Smith's work doubling the chorus at the song's climax is emotional stuff to be sure,
20:20bringing audiences closer and closer to Spectre's identity as pure, unfiltered Bond.
20:32Number 30. Unbreak My Heart. Tony Braxton.
20:45It's not just the high notes that can be difficult to hit.
20:48The opening of Unbreak My Heart doesn't necessarily make you feel like the song's gonna be that hard to sing,
20:53but then you hear the incredible range of Toni Braxton.
20:57I just can't go.
21:03From that first verse, Braxton's smoky vocals follow through the lower notes of her register with incredible strength and power.
21:10On top of that, her talent only shines stronger on the second verse,
21:13when she shows us all how low she can go while still maintaining precise control over her stellar runs.
21:19I can't forget the day you left.
21:24Time is so unkind.
21:29Number 29. How Can I Ease the Pain. Lisa Fisher.
21:33Here's one of the most impossible-to-nail slow jams of all time.
21:36Seriously, we don't know how Lisa Fisher does it.
21:39She's a goddess.
21:47It was released in 1991, and remains one of Fisher's biggest hits to this day.
21:52Fisher manages to stretch her notes like no other,
21:55and listening to her attain those high notes so flawlessly makes us wish she got more opportunities like this to
22:00show off her chops.
22:01Give me up.
22:09How Can I Ease the Pain requires an incredibly strong belter to get up into that high register,
22:14while still pouring passion into the words.
22:17And once Fisher lets loose on those whistle tones, please.
22:21How Can I Ease the Pain requires an incredibly strong belter to get up into that high register,
22:33and wanted more whistle tones in modern pop music?
22:35Well, Ariana Grande heard you, and she delivered.
22:44It's no secret that Grande is an expert singer,
22:47but with her hit Imagine, she went further than we could have imagined.
22:51The song's chorus requires the singer to make a large vocal leap on the word imagine,
22:56and necessitates pinpoint precision in its notes.
23:00Imagine a world like that
23:03But all that aside, if you wanted to sound like Grande when you sing this song,
23:08you gotta try and go for those whistle tones at the end.
23:10Definitely not an easy task.
23:21Number 27.
23:22Don't Rain on My Parade
23:24Barbara Streisand
23:25Notoriously difficult.
23:26Don't Rain on My Parade is from the musical Funny Girl,
23:30which was based on the life of Fanny Brice.
23:32If someone takes a spill, it's me and not you
23:35Who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade
23:39Barbara Streisand, who played the lead role on Broadway in 1964
23:43and won an Oscar for her performance in the movie adaptation,
23:46makes it sound quite natural.
23:48However, the song's tricky rhythms, frequent leaps,
23:51and consistent high energy have daunted many aspiring vocalists.
23:55One roll for the whole shebang
23:58One throw that bell will go clang
24:01Although a few professionals like Bea Arthur and Idina Menzel have covered the song,
24:05the musical wasn't revived on Broadway for decades,
24:08possibly because of the challenge of finding someone for that dynamic leading role.
24:13Green on My Parade
24:20Number 26.
24:21Go the Distance
24:22Michael Bolton
24:23It's widely recognized as one of Disney's most motivational songs.
24:28Paradoxically, you may need to listen to the track
24:31just to make yourself believe that you can actually sing it.
24:33I'll be there someday
24:37I can go the distance
24:40The notes soar higher than Olympus itself,
24:43and the lyrical context requires the performer to belt each one with unwavering vocal confidence.
24:55It was originally tackled by Roger Bart for the Hercules soundtrack,
24:59followed by Michael Bolton, Ricky Martin, and an assortment of Walt Disney World cast members.
25:10You better have a brave choral range to conquer it,
25:13as well as the ability to convey a challenging scope of emotions.
25:16If you can convincingly nail both the vulnerability of its opening
25:20and the epic crescendo of its finale,
25:22then you might just please the gods.
25:24You was welcome
25:27Way like you
25:31You Raise Me Up was originally written by the duo Secret Garden.
25:37The Norwegian-Irish twosome released the track back in 2002,
25:40and since then, it's gone on to be covered by over 100 different artists,
25:44both male and female.
25:46One of the most popular covers is the 2003 version by Josh Groban,
25:58and copying that version is quite difficult for other male singers.
26:10Groban's vocal range is wide,
26:12and trying to replicate it isn't easy or even possible for many other male vocalists.
26:23In 2005, Irish boy band Westlife released their version of the song.
26:28It's a very nice version of the song,
26:30but as you can hear,
26:31the vocals stay in a much narrower range.
26:33You raise me up
26:36So why I can't stand our mountains
26:42Number 24
26:43Hurt
26:44Christina Aguilera
26:45If I had just one more day
26:49I would tell you how much that I missed you
26:52Christina Aguilera is one of the most prolific singers in the biz.
26:56Unfortunately,
26:57one of her greatest and most difficult songs to sing
26:59is not one of her most famous.
27:01Would you tell me I was wrong
27:03Would you help me understand
27:06Hurt is a number from Aguilera's 2006 album Back to Basics.
27:11It sort of got buried under the pizzazz of the rest of the tracklist,
27:15which includes the likes of Ain't No Other Man and Candyman.
27:18However, in Hurt,
27:19Aguilera slows things down
27:21and delivers a masterful performance with incredible range.
27:24The chorus necessitates a kind of emotion and resonance
27:27that is rare to come by.
27:29I'm sorry for blaming you
27:35Number 23
27:36Crawling
27:37Linkin Park
27:38Chester Bennington was a phenomenal vocalist
27:40and gave Linkin Park one of the most unique sounds of the 2000s.
27:44But the notes Bennington could hit
27:46aren't really what makes the song Crawling
27:48a difficult song to master.
27:50Crawling in my skin
27:58Rather, it's the range of styles and techniques
28:01he employs throughout the three-and-a-half-minute track.
28:03This lack of self-control I fear is never-ending
28:09Controlling
28:09From the softer, more melodic singing of the verses
28:12to the loud, emotional screaming of the chorus,
28:15it covers a lot of ground.
28:16I've felt this way before
28:18So insecure
28:26You had better prepare your throat
28:28if you plan on attempting this one.
28:30Fear is how I fall
28:35Confusing
28:35Number 22
28:37Love on Top
28:38Beyonce
28:38It's time to talk about key changes.
28:41Beyonce's 2011 hit Love on Top
28:43is one of the pop diva's most fun songs.
28:46Now everybody asks me why I'm smiling
28:49I'm from ear to ear
28:52From the outset, it doesn't seem like
28:54it'll be particularly difficult to sing.
28:56It's not more difficult than any other Beyonce song anyway.
28:59But by the end, we've found ourselves with so many key changes
29:02we don't even know how to begin counting them off.
29:05Baby, you're the one that I love
29:08Baby, you're all I need
29:10You're the only one I need
29:13As Beyonce's voice keeps getting higher and higher
29:16Our jaws keep dropping lower to the ground.
29:19It's insanely impressive how high she can get
29:21Never mind the absolute clarity with which she does it.
29:24Baby, baby, it's me
29:25You're the one that gets to it all
29:28You're the one that always comes
29:30Number 21, Livin' on a Prayer
29:33Bon Jovi
29:34You could take our hand
29:35But when it comes to properly rocking this track
29:37We can't swear to the fact that you'll make it
29:40Tommy used to work on the docks
29:44Union's been on track
29:45His down on his luck gets tough
29:49Awesome 80s hairdo aside
29:51Jon Bon Jovi powers through Livin' on a Prayer
29:53With some subtly impressive vocal stylings
29:56Gotta hold on
29:58To what we've got
30:00It doesn't make a difference
30:02If we make it or not
30:04The song might seem like a rather simple 80s rock ballad
30:07But as many karaoke audiences know
30:09Making it through that chorus
30:11Ain't as easy as many think it is
30:20Most guys should probably just remember that it's all for fun
30:23And it doesn't make a difference if they make it or not
30:32Number 20, Don't Stop Believin' Journey
30:42Do not try to sing Journey's Don't Stop Believin' at your next karaoke party
30:54Oh sure, it may sound like a great idea at the time
30:57And everyone thinks they're gonna be able to nail this absolute rock anthem
31:01With Steve Perry's grace and power
31:03But it rarely, if ever, works out
31:05That's not only because Perry is one of classic rock's finest singers
31:09But also because the performance hinges so strongly on his combination of clarity, power, and range
31:22Don't Stop Believin' may start off slowly with that iconic keyboard intro
31:26But by the time the chorus finally hits
31:28We are firmly on that spaceship into infinity
31:31Number 19, Hello Adele
31:35Speaking of power
31:41Is there any popular female vocalist in recent memory
31:45That can compete with Adele in terms of sheer vocal strength?
31:48Not many
31:49There's a reason the English singer-songwriter's music has sold millions of albums
31:53And it's not because they're easy to sing
31:55Though it's sure fun to try
32:02Fans really seem to connect with her lyrics, honesty, and passion
32:07And it's the delivery that really brings it all together
32:10Hello is a perfect example
32:12It's the sort of heart-rending ballad that fans adore
32:16It isn't so much the brooding intensity of the verse that makes Hello challenging
32:20But rather the vocal control required to nail that epic chorus
32:30There's just no one who does it quite like Adele
32:33How from the other side
32:38Number 18, Take On Me
32:40Ah Ha
32:41Take on me
32:44Take on me
32:47Falsetto
32:47Love it or hate it
32:48Many artists and groups have taken the vocal style
32:51And run with it all the way to chart success
33:02Ah Ha was one of those bands
33:03A Norwegian export that struck it huge in the 80s
33:07With their colossal synth-pop hit Take On Me
33:15For our money, we love Morton Harkett's falsetto note
33:19That he hits near the end of Take On Me's epic chorus
33:21And it's even more impressive when you take into account
33:24That Harkett has to climb two and a half octaves from his starting point of A
33:33It's these vocal gymnastics that make Take On Me such a challenge
33:37For even the most seasoned of vocalists
33:39Number 17, I'll Never Let You Go
33:42Steelheart
33:49The world of glam metal has historically been one of powerful and dynamic singers
33:54Even so, there are few who can compete with the likes of Steelheart's Milenko Matyevich
33:59Who absolutely dominates on the band's highest charting single
34:03I'll Never Let You Go
34:04Again, this is a song that starts innocuously enough
34:14Matyevich begins with a clear mid-range verse
34:16Before shooting for the stars with a crazy high note
34:26Oh, and it only gets more stratospheric from there
34:30As the Croatian-born singer seems to almost taunt us with how high he can actually go
34:34Seriously, there's high and then there's Steelheart levels of high
34:38The levels perfected on songs like this one
34:41Or She's Gone
34:50Number 16, I Believe in a Thing Called Love
34:54The Darkness
34:54The spirit of classic Thin Lizzy lived on within the classic rock style of England's The Darkness
35:00Although, the falsetto singing style of The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins
35:05Was probably the furthest thing from Phil Lennett's bluesy howl
35:08Touching you
35:12Touching me
35:15I Believe in a Thing Called Love was The Darkness' biggest international hit
35:19And it quickly became infamous for Hawkins' trouser-pinching vocal approach
35:31Not everyone can pull off an ultra-high falsetto
35:34With the sort of conviction Hawkins musters throughout the twin guitar epic
35:38But Justin nails it with style and sleaze to spare
35:42Number 15, Chandelier
35:44See ya
35:50We have two words to describe Chandelier
35:53That chorus
36:02It's difficult to explain just how much emotion and pathos Sia packs into her performance
36:15She pairs a comparatively subdued verse
36:18With an explosion of passion and cathartic anger
36:21Sometimes, a singer just possesses this nebulous quality
36:25An ability to connect with an audience with how they sing a song
36:29Not just the mechanics of how a song is composed
36:40Sia is an artist who not only possesses the knowledge and skill to get her vocal performance across
36:45But also the ability to make that performance unique and incredibly difficult to replicate
36:51Number 14, Sherry
36:53Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
37:01We mentioned falsettos earlier in our list
37:04And there are few male vocalists who mastered this style better than Frankie Valli
37:09The lead singer of the Four Seasons
37:11Valli made himself a legend off his ability to control his falsetto
37:15Arguably better than any other male performer of his era
37:18Showcasing the sort of control that verges on supernatural
37:26Falsetto by nature can sound fragile and thin
37:29But Valli sounds large and in charge throughout his performance in Sherry
37:34Which is no mean feat
37:35There's a reason why they're called classics after all
37:38And the Four Seasons definitely created one of those when they recorded this gem back in 1962
37:44Number 13, Total Eclipse of the Heart
37:47Bonnie Tyler
37:55We just don't make them like this anymore
37:57We're talking about the pompous, in the best possible way
38:01Extravagant and over-the-top operettas of Meat Loaf collaborator and songwriter Jim Steinman
38:13These were the songs about muscular men and wild women
38:17The sort of ferocity encapsulated by Bonnie Tyler
38:20And her amazing performance on Total Eclipse of the Heart
38:23It's gothic, sumptuous and decadent power balladry at its best
38:28Amplified by Tyler's gruff and breathy delivery
38:38Seriously, when the near 7-minute album version reaches its vocal crescendo
38:43We're right there with Bonnie on the mountaintop
38:45Shielding our eyes from the eclipse as her vocals block out the sun in an epic show of power
38:57Number 12, Earth Song, Michael Jackson
39:04Okay, so we all know about Michael Jackson's pedigree for classic music videos
39:10But we admit that sometimes the singer's actual talent can get lost among all the visual spectacle
39:16Not so with Earth Song, a track meant for the King of Pop's Dangerous album
39:21But which didn't get released until the 1995 album History, Past, Present and Future Book One
39:33The song is a real showcase for Jackson's ability to meld and cross-pollinate genres
39:38From operatic highs to gospel choral lows
39:42Michael's legendary soul and power also make their presence known, of course
39:47Making this something of a forgotten classic from this iconic talent
39:57Number 11, The Star-Spangled Banner
40:00Lyrics, Francis Scott Key
40:02In music, John Stafford Smith
40:15It's been the honor and bane of many a singer's existence
40:20Performing The Star-Spangled Banner
40:22The national anthem of the United States is infamously difficult to sing
40:27Even for the most accomplished performer
40:29Because of how much control it takes to navigate its range of key changes
40:33The key is to start low and to conserve energy
40:36Saving a big burst of power for the anthem's climax
40:40This is easier said than done, of course
40:48With many great singers tripping up at either the performance side of things
40:52Or something as simple as remembering the lyrics
40:54We're not going to fault anyone for failing at The Star-Spangled Banner, though
40:57Because it's a massive challenge
41:18Number 10, Bridge Over Troubled Water
41:21Simon and Garfunkel
41:22And friends just can't be found
41:29The world of folk might not be the first place you might look for a stratospheric vocal performance
41:34But do not sleep on Simon and Garfunkel
41:37If you do, you will be missing out on one of the all-time greatest vocal achievements
41:42The incredible Bridge Over Troubled Water
41:45Paul Simon wrote the song and delivers some excellent backing harmonies
41:49But Bridge Over Troubled Water at its core is a showcase for Art Garfunkel
41:54Like a bridge over Troubled Water
42:09It's the sort of vocal that builds from a place of quiet contemplation into an emotive explosion
42:14Assisted by a perfect storm of string arrangements, incredible production, and session backing from drummer Hal Blaine
42:22We dare you not to get caught up as Garfunkel sails away on that last high note
42:34Number 9, Wuthering Heights, Kate Bush
42:38Kate Bush possesses an extraordinary voice and progressive visual style
42:43Which earned her acclaim from both fans and critics
42:49Wuthering Heights serves as Bush's biggest hit
42:52And for good reason
42:53As it sets on full display all of the singer's incredible vocal range
42:57The song has been recorded twice by Bush
43:05And both versions are melodic masterpieces that hinge on Bush's soaring vocals
43:10From the song's sparse intro right on through to the booming chorus
43:14Finally, Bush lets it rip alongside the song's lead guitar-accompanied outro
43:19Proving her place as a member of art-rock royalty
43:22With a performance that still evokes chills today
43:31Number 8, Unchained Melody, The Righteous Brothers
43:35Unchained Melody was written in 1955
43:38And has been performed by a number of different artists over the years
43:48It's the version recorded a decade later by The Righteous Brothers
43:51That's since gone on to become the definitive version, however
43:54Thanks largely in part to Bobby Hatfield's soaring vocal performance
44:05Unchained Melody actually starts off quite slow and somber
44:08But Hatfield soon kicks things up with a level of emotion that is completely raw
44:13And delivered with unbelievable passion
44:25Oh, and once the drums kick in around the two-minute mark
44:28Forget about it
44:29There isn't a dry eye in the house
44:31Number 7, Dream On, Aerosmith
44:35A good power ballad can be a wonderful thing
44:38And once in a while, it can even define a band's career
44:48Proof of this can be seen in that of Aerosmiths
44:50Who scored a massive iconic hit with this track from their 1973 self-titled debut
45:02Dream On is another slow burn of sorts
45:05A sensitive song composed in F minor
45:07That reaches a crescendo a little past the halfway mark
45:11As Steven Tyler's measured vocals duel with Joe Perry's lead guitar
45:23Tyler's powerful scream serves as the linchpin of Dream On
45:27A gold standard against which many other classic rock singers have been measured
45:31Number 6, All By Myself, Celine Dion
45:35The next song on our list has a long history of cover versions
45:39After its original artist, Eric Carman
45:42Adapted it from a Rachmaninoff concerto in 1975
45:52Carmen's All By Myself is still remembered fondly today
45:55But it's Celine Dion's 1996 version that is even more vocally impressive
46:00She hits an immensely powerful high note shortly before the three-minute mark
46:04Turning what was initially a great pop song
46:06Into a tour de force for the French-Canadian singer to shine
46:19Trust us when we say that you probably don't want to attempt this one at karaoke
46:24Number 5, Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen
46:27There are many reasons why Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody is an incredibly difficult song for just about anyone to sing
46:40For starters, it's composed in multiple keys
46:42And shifts styles and tempos from a ballad arrangement to operatic accompaniment in straight-up hard rock
46:56Then there's the nature of the vocals
46:58Which consists of all four members of Queen layering their tracks in the studio
47:02To create a larger-than-life atmosphere
47:05There are high falsettos, deep basses, and hard rock screams to tackle
47:10All combined by lead singer Freddie Mercury and Company
47:22Simply stated, Mercury was an inimitable vocal talent
47:25And only the bravest singer should even attempt at laying their stamp on this one
47:30Or the show must go on for that matter
47:37Number 4, And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
47:40Jennifer Holliday
47:41Power
47:42This is perhaps how best to describe an I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
47:47A key song from the Broadway hit Dreamgirls
47:58The song earned Jennifer Holliday a Tony and a Grammy Award in 1982 for her absolutely inspiring performance
48:05While Jennifer Hudson would also score a hit with her take on the film version in 2006
48:17The tune is incredibly difficult for even the most seasoned singer to perform
48:22As it never lets up for a second
48:24Demanding range, tone, and, yes, power
48:28To give And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going the justice it deserves
48:40Luckily, Holliday had all of these qualities and more
48:43Delivering the vocal performance of a lifetime
48:47Number 3, Lovin' You, Minnie Riperton
48:50Minnie Riperton was the OG when it came to striking gold with this sort of approach
48:55As evidenced by Lovin' You and its chart-topping success back in 1975
49:06The song is backed by a sunny keyboard performance from Stevie Wonder
49:10While Riperton sings a sweet ode to love and sex
49:14That hits the stratosphere when she hits those famous whistle notes
49:24Fun fact, Minnie Riperton is actually Maya Rudolph's mother
49:28And can be heard singing her daughter's name during the outro on unedited and album versions of the track
49:34Number 2, I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston
49:37We are not taking anything away from the absolutely killer original version of I Will Always Love You
49:44Recorded by country legend Dolly Parton in 1973
49:47For many, however, it's the arrangement Whitney Houston used for the 1992 film The Bodyguard
49:53That serves as the most well-known
50:04Houston used Linda Ronstadt's 1975 cover as a basis for her version
50:09Yet she ultimately makes it her own
50:11Thanks to an incredible vocal performance
50:19Houston's uncanny ability to balance vulnerability and power
50:23Not only makes I Will Always Love You a stone-cold classic
50:26It also served as a defining, pivotal moment of Houston's career as one of the great all-time singers
50:33Number 1, Emotions, Mariah Carey
50:37It is not an exaggeration to describe Mariah Carey as one of the foremost vocal talents of her generation
50:44Her prowess as a singer has been well-documented over a career that has spanned over 30 years
50:49Including such hits as Vision of Love, Honey, and Hero
51:02Emotions might be the ultimate Mariah Carey jam, however
51:05One that showcases the singer's uncanny ability to reach glass-shattering high notes
51:10The song is also a great example of the sort of light and breezy R&B that dominated charts in
51:20the 90s
51:21Yet is punctuated by Carey's charm and charisma
51:24Meanwhile, her vocal histrionics steal the show from any pretender who might lay claim to her throne
51:36Can you nail any of these songs?
51:38Let us know in the comments
51:39Or learn any November dawn
51:41Not a boy
51:41But by the time we get lots of Ă word
51:46We do not pretend that any of these giants isume-share