"Check, please!"

If you want one to bring the room to life, the answer is "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys. It kills 100% of the time--everyone will sing along. You can't help it.

A-ha - Take on me

every time

If you want a fun karaoke night, first song(s) need to be something that will get most everyone singing. Younger crowds: something like Tayor Swift "Shake It Off". Middle age crowds, something like Nirvana or Aerosmith. Older crowds any Beatles #1.

I personally like Cyprus Hill "Jump Around" if you're willing to learn it well enough beforehand as to not butcher the lyrics. I've seen Vanilla "Ice Ice Baby" also get a similar reaction of everyone knowing the song and enjoying it enough to give you kudos for choosing it.

After everyone's over the initial hesitation, go belt all your love songs and power ballads; but get the party started first.

The Champs - Tequila

Funky Town

I have friends who try to convince me to sing, I always tell them "Look, there's only one song I can do and I guarantee they don't have it..."

"Come on man, they have thousands of songs, they have to have it..."

"Fine, if they have it, I'll do it. Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs."

And man, they'll run and look for that song... then they argue...

"I don't think it's a real song!"

"I know it is! I've heard of it!"

The song:

https://youtu.be/0oox9bJaGJ8

Last time I did this, I dedicated (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman to my now ex-wife.

And I’d do it again!

My go-to’s are:

Blind Melon - No Rain

Fra Lippo Lippi - Light and Shade

Sting - Englishman in New York

Seal - Kiss From A Rose

I think I've got enough goofy charm to pull off 24 Hour Cinderella... or at least, I will think that after a few drinks.

I'm playing the Doom theme and fighting my way to the exit as I am clearly in hell.

Puscifer - Conditions of my Parole

Whenever I'm in a rather Yee-Haw place, and bars are filled with folks wearing camo and baseball caps, my go-to is Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show, it gets people riled up.

Later in the evening, once folks have had a few drinks in them, Take Me Home Country Roads is unquestionably the song to end with.

Anything by Supertramp or Bad Company.

Tequila 😎

Arch Enemy - Stolen Life

And then promptly leave, before I get accused of attempted mass murder

Probably a random Russian, Ukrainian or Italian song I know, because I like to sing in these languages.

Horse With No Name. Has a limited vocal range, and the humans will give no love.

Duality - slipknot

It's gonna depend on my mood.

Currently the mood is Ænima by Tool.

Train - Hey, Soul Sister

"Mad World" by Gary Jules.

But really you want to start off with "Take On Me" and "Never Gonna Give You Up".

dancing in the moonlight

I mostly only know parody lyrics, so it will go badly no matter what.

Suffragette city

Plush - Stone Temple Pilots. I kill with that one.

Even Flow by Pearl Jam. It's a blast and always gets a laugh when you make it a little goofy. The only hard part is the ~one minute guitar solo. But that's a great time to throw in a "What's up (local city)!? Having a good night!?"

Also it's fun to sort of shout "I know you know the words!" near the start because Eddie Vedder (the lead singer) is difficult to understand.

I'd probably shoot for Bruno mars and regret it.

Promised Land- Elvis version.

"It's the end of the world and I know it!"

Mosquito song

im sliding up to the first woman i see wym

Feelings

Orville Peck - C'mon Baby Cry

Every time this plays at my house everyone is belting it out. Nobody can hit the high notes.

Tequila.

Thunderball - Tom Jones

I'm probably leaving the bar. But to answer your question...

Radio, Radio by Elvis Costello.

I'd go with Girl Fight by Soft Play. Because it's just 10 seconds of shouting and super cool. No one needs to hear what I sound like singing.

Grounds for Divorce by Elbow.