Prince is like the King (or Queen) of self expression. From ballads to boogie to funk to pop, Prince has it all, and I’m here to bring you some of the best karaoke songs his discography has to offer.
In these 12 songs, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to show off your killer voice, your funky dance moves and your goofy side. In the spirit Prince, just don’t hold back once you get on stage, let yourself get a little wild.
1. Purple Rain
“Purple Rain” is probably Prince’s most famous song. It has a catchy melody, it’s well known and the vocal part is very prominent, which is basically the formula for a great karaoke song.
Now, I’m a Prince fan, but I have to say that this is one of those songs that seems super deep, but I have no idea what it’s about. Apparently, Prince said the song was about being with your loved one at the end of the world.
Either way, it’s a great karaoke song.
2. Let’s Go Crazy
Songs that have epic spoken parts are always fun for karaoke, and “Let’s Go Crazy” has a pretty fun spoken part in the intro.
This is the song I think of when I think of the movie Purple Rain (not Purple Rain?), because its the song you see with the band on stage. Anyways, it’s a pretty fun song to sing, too, so that’s nice.
3. 1999
If you were alive at the turn of the century then you know this song. It was kind of a big deal in 1999.
One of the great things about this song is that it works as a duet for couples. There’s a prominent male and female part.
Related List: 26 Best Karaoke Songs for Couples
So if you’ve got a friend or special someone that you’d like to share the stage with, then queue up “1999” and have some fun.
4. Raspberry Beret
I was introduced to this song around the time that thrifting (and the song “Thrift Shop”) was a big deal. So the lyrics “the kind you find in a secondhand store” really captivated me. That plus the fact that this song is just super catchy.
This is one of the more straight-laced Prince songs. It’s missing a lot of the goofiness that you often hear in his vocals. That may be a plus for you if you don’t want to get too crazy on stage.
5. Kiss
This is actually my favorite song by Prince. And it also happens to be featured in my favorite animated movie, Happy Feet, as well.
Related List: 30 Best Karaoke Love Songs
I’ve always been a big fan of falsetto vocals, and this song has that in spades. I can’t say exactly what it is, but this song just immerses me every time. And that’s a great quality for an entertaining karaoke performance, especially if you’re willing to get a little wild with the vocals (like Prince does).
6. Nothing Compares 2 U
Prince does love ballads as well as any group, and “Nothing Compares 2 U” is one of his best ballads. His vocals really shine here. It’s a slow song with very minimal accompaniment, which allows his voice to really pop over everything else.
If you want to show the strength of your vocals while also singing a love song, then this is a great pick.
7. When Doves Cry
This one is also pretty well known. It takes a certain kind of performer to pull off, because much of the song lacks accompaniment. It’s just vocals with the percussion part, which means you’ll be forced to carry the tune without much of a frame of reference.
Related List: The 25 Best Hip Hop Karaoke Songs
But like much of his music, this one is a good dance song, and that often means you (and your audience) will be moving their bodies regardless of how well you sing.
8. I Wanna Be Your Lover
This song is an amazing dance song. It’s got those same boogie vibes of songs like “Back in Love Again” by LTD and “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind and Fire. And it has those falsetto vocals that I love.
To pull this off you’ll either need to be a tenor with some strong falsetto, or an alto/soprano. But if you can sing this one it can make for a top tier karaoke performance, especially if you have the dance moves to match.
9. Little Red Corvette
This song reminds me a lot of “Raspberry Beret.” It’s got a short, catchy chorus and stays pretty straight-laced throughout.
It also, has a half-spoken part in the middle that is pretty fun to perform, it’s almost like a rap part.
Related List: Best Rap Karaoke Songs
This one is also relatively short, so if you prefer to get on stage and then get off quick, this could be a great pick for you.
10. U Got The Look
The vocals for this song are reminiscent of several Michael Jackson songs. There is a male and female part for this song, but they stay separate and are close enough in range that one person could definitely do both parts.
This song would work really well during the second half of the night after everyone’s had several drinks. It features a lot of that classic Prince oddness, with some of the chipmunk voice thing that he does. Basically, you can get a little weird and have a lot of fun doing it.
11. Stare
“Stare” has some serious funk vibes. With a killer slap bass line that carries the entire song, some trumpets adding a little pop to the melody, and a tight drum beat, this song is just really cool.
It takes all the best musical themes from the 80’s and puts them into one song. And the vocals are legit too. So if you want to get a little sexy on stage, and let some of the cuties in the audience “Stare” at ‘cha, then you might just want to perform this song.
12. I Would Die 4 U
This is a pretty well known song (since it was featured in Purple Rain), but it doesn’t work quite as well for karaoke as the other songs we’ve looked at. The vocals kind of fade into the background and end up mostly blending in with the music.
Don’t get me wrong, I love this song, and the crowd will probably be into it, but it doesn’t really showcase vocals. So unless it’s a song you really love or you want to blend in on stage, then I would think twice before queuing this one up.
