Bored with karaoke lately? Does everyone continue to sing Robin Thicke, making your experience so dull and repetitive that you’re forced to drink until your eyesight brings literal meaning to Blurred Lines? Take matters into your own hands and commit to completing the 90’s Karaoke Challenge! Friends, strangers, and bartenders alike will thank you for it.
1. All Star (Smash Mouth)
You may not be the “sharpest tool in the shed”, but who doesn’t want to sing about being a rockstar? Plus, when the crowd sings along, you can pretend they’re actually telling you how cool you are.
Bonus points if you can avoid your voice cracking as you sing, “all that glitters is goooold!”
2. Kiss From A Rose (Seal)
Take this one in stride, boys. By choosing this sappy romantic ballad, the potential exists to either lose your man card indefinitely or instantly become the dreamiest guy in the whole bar. Let fate decide and give it a shot.
Bonus Points if you get down on your knees and point to the beautiful “rose” in the bar as you sing.
3. No Scrubs (TLC)
After spending half the night standing uncomfortably close with some creepy strangers, feel free to grab two of your most faithful bad bitches and jam like only TLC could. Hopefully that guy who’s been following you around will get the hint when you put extra emphasis on “I don’t want your number, no, and I don’t wanna give you mine”.
Bonus Points if you can get a synchronized dance move to imitate a scrub “leaning out the passenger side of his best friend’s ride”.
4. I’ll Be There For You (The Rembrandts)
“So no one told you life was gonna be this way!” Not only does this song let you show off your speed clapping abilities, but you also get to pretend you’re dancing around a fountain with Jennifer Aniston. Win-win!
Bonus points if you actually know the words to more than just the first 50 seconds.
5. Man! I Feel Like A Woman (Shania Twain)
“Let down your hair, do what you dare,” because no one defines being an independent woman better than Shania does.
Bonus Points if you get a crowd of girls to leave their men for four whole minutes to dance together. Girl power!
6. Tubthumping (Chumbawamba)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H5uWRjFsGc&w=584&h=390]
Who could forget the drinking anthem for lonely, brokenhearted people everywhere? So what if you’ve had a hard day, get up there and belt it out!
Bonus points if you can actually point to someone in the bar who’s drinking every kind of beverage they describe: “He drinks a whiskey drink, he drinks a vodka drink…”
7. Good Riddance [Time Of Your Life] (Green Day)
Cue the nostalgia! Not only is this the perfect karaoke song because it’s so short, but it’s pretty repetitive too. Get out your air acoustic guitar and make sure you get into it.
Bonus points if you can make the group of drunk college seniors hug with tears in their eyes. Graduation is right around the corner!
8. No Diggity (Blackstreet, Dr. Dre)
Embrace your inner Anna Kendrick and get the crowd groovin’ to one of the best 90’s rap songs in existence. They’ll “like the way you work it”, I promise.
Bonus Points if you get the crowd waving their hands in the air during the “ayo, ayo, ayo, ayooooo”.
9. Wannabe (Spice Girls)
You didn’t think I’d ignore this classic staple of 90’s karaoke, right? As much as you’ll try to avoid it, the undying urge to release your inner Sporty Spice is going to get the best of you. When it happens, make sure you go all out.
Bonus Points if you find a guy to do the rap. Every 90’s girl in America knows “the story from A to Z”, but it takes a true man to admit he knows it too.
10. Mambo No. 5 [A Little Bit Of…] (Lou Bega)
Gentlemen, if you’re looking to steal the hearts of female bar-goers everywhere, feel free to reel them in with this song. You’ll make them feel special when you call them by name, but not TOO special because there’s 10 other names on the list.
Bonus Points if you wear a fedora and wink every 8 seconds in true Lou Bega style.