Singing requires being a good listener, and in some cases, using your ear to hear the melody can help you sing harmony. When you harmonize with songs, it can be an excellent tool to help improve your skills as a vocalist and learn more about your vocal abilities.
Learning how to harmonize can be challenging, especially if you’re not familiar with notes and chords. It can be more helpful to have a background in music theory when learning about harmony.
Finding good songs that already have harmony you can sing along to can be one way to learn and create a good foundation for harmonizing. There are many great options for finding good songs to harmonize with, and many of them are easy songs to help you improve.
As a seasoned singer or a beginner, here are 20 songs that can help you work on your harmonies.
1. Song #1 – “End of the Road” by Boyz II Men
If you like rhythm & blues ballads, then this Boyz II Men song is a great song to learn harmony with, and if it’s your first time harmonizing, you can use your ear to pick out the simple primary chords. There are at least a couple of harmonies to choose from, and it’s slow enough that if you’re a beginner in singing, you can pick out the different lines of harmony easily.
2. Song #2 – “Titanium” by David Guetta ft. Sia
This electronic dance song is popular for harmonizing, having reached the top of the music charts across several countries. Sia’s vocals soar to entice learning harmony with emotion and power.
You can even listen to the voices in the movie “Pitch Perfect,” where two of the girls sing this song together in a scene, so you can pick out the harmony part. It’s a catchy melody and one that will be fun to sing in harmony with!
3. Song #3 – “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
The classic rock opera “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen is such a fun song for harmony, mainly because it spans across differing music genres in the track. You can try your hand and explore the complex harmonies with different musical styles, which could bring about a bit of a challenge, and you can experiment with your vocal timbre.
There’s everything from a ballad, opera, and hard rock mixed into this tune, so there’s something that’s sure to fit your personal preference.
4. Song #4 – “I Get Around” by The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys have plenty of songs for you to sing harmony to, and this classic about summertime is upbeat and catchy. There’s a lot of energy with songs by The Beach Boys for you to try, and with this song in particular, you can really enjoy the fun with the varying voices, and you can sing along to the different harmonies in the chorus section.
5. Song #5 – “Californication” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
If alternative music is more your style of singing, songs by Red Hot Chili Peppers are a fun mix of punk, funk, and rock to harmonize along with. The lyrics are a shoutout to the exploitation in the state of California, so if you’re partial to the West Coast, it can be a great song to sing with emotion.
Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the leading alternative rock bands since the 90s, with a laid-back vibe through guitar riffs and vocals. The high notes in the harmony can help you test your range with voice flexibility.
6. Song #6 – “California Dreamin'” by The Mamas & The Papas
Keeping with the theme of California, this feel-good song is more in the folk genre and style, but a classic that has lasted throughout the years. The harmonies help provoke the idea of dreamy coastlines, with recognizable lines that are sure to evoke memories. The chord progression in this song flows down and contributes to the overall sound, so you can practice your harmony with easy primary chords.
7. Song #7 – “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel
If you like songs that are more haunting in tone quality, “The Sound of Silence” is an excellent choice above others. The creators of this tune knew exactly how to draw in an audience with the story in lyrics beginning “Hello darkness, my old friend…” There are different ways to interpret the lyrics, but it is a well-known and popular piece to sing.
The harmonies written for two voices make it ideal for duet-style singing. Then there’s the powerful remake by the lead singer of Disturbed, who uses his incredible throat singing abilities. You can try to match his power in this song and sing harmony with it, but be sure you warm up your voice before you attempt it!
8. Song #8 – “I Will Wait” by Mumford & Sons
Another folk genre-style song with popularity, “I Will Wait” is the lead single from Mumford & Sons second album from 2012. The love song is about having a strong commitment to a significant other, which contributes to the heartfelt emotion of the singer, so when you harmonize, you can encompass the vocal parts and make an impact with them for more texture.
9. Song #9 – “Follow Me” by Uncle Kracker
A simple song with an acoustic guitar, you can easily harmonize with this song. The Mount Clemens-born singer-songwriter (real name Matt Shafer) released the song in 2000 and it became a lead hit single. The harmony is in an easy third above the melody, so it’s great for beginners
10. Song #10 – “Louder Than Words” by Les Friction
If you’re a fan of more music with an orchestral background, “Louder Than Words” is an epic song with powerful harmony for singing. It’s an electronic song with a driving beat, telling the story of love and heartbreak through passionate singers exuding the anthem of energy with “love is louder than words.” Good songs are often easy to relate to, and who doesn’t relate to some heartbreak?
11. Song #11 – “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz
A song with a more lighthearted tune and a fun music video to watch, “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz features an easygoing melody with some simple harmonies to follow. This may already be a song on your playlist to help lift you up if you’re feeling down, and it can also be a great song for learning to harmonize with the ability to sing at any level.
12. Song #12 – “Ticket To Ride” by The Beatles
You can’t try your hand at singing harmony without doing some songs by The legendary Beatles. The song “Ticket To Ride” is perfect for learning harmony because it’s easy to plunk out the notes on a piano (as are many songs by them) and train your ear to hear the thirds for the singing part.
13. Song #13 – “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers
Another upbeat and folk-style song, “Ho Hey,” features a catchy melody that’s driven by guitar and percussion presented with the group’s beautiful harmonies. The chorus is fun to sing along with, so you can quickly differentiate the vocal parts and pick up the harmony.
14. Song #14 – “Uptown Girl” by Billy Joel
An 80s tune with a fun pop beat, “Uptown Girl” is the story of a man who’s in love with a girl who’s way out of his league. But even with the odds against him in the situation, he stays optimistic throughout the song that he will, in fact, win her heart.
The happy chorus and fun harmony will be a great way to learn easy notes for singing. You can practice the chord progressions going up and down during the riffs.
15. Song #15 – “Helplessly Hoping” by Crosby, Stills & Nash
Ballads sometimes have the best melodies for locating easy harmonies to sing with, and “Helplessly Hoping” is a classic rock song with blending vocals for a beautiful sound. If you can relate to yearning for love, this song is a perfect way to practice your harmony with feeling.
16. Song #16 – “Riptide” by Vance Joy
Singer-songwriter Vance Joy wrote a captivating coming-of-age love story that has been featured in media across shows. There are plenty of unison and octave harmonies, so as a beginner in singing this is one of the easy songs to harmonize to by going up the octave.
17. Song #17 – “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes
The slower, drawn-out chorus in this 90s iconic hit “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes features polyphonic harmonies. There is spoken word to help you learn how to sing separately from the lead vocals.
18. Song # 18 – “No One” by Alecia Keys
R&B singer Alecia Keys topped the charts with her single “No One” across multiple countries. This track features harmonies that sing an octave below the lead vocals. If you tend to have a deeper voice, this song is the perfect option for learning harmony.
19. Song #19 – “The Reason” by Hoobastank
Another love song with real feelings, “The Reason” by Hoobstank, received a number 2 rating on Billboard’s Hot 100. The harmonies in this song flow throughout, and in particular, the chorus features a beautiful octave interval that makes it easy for singers to pick up and showcase.
20. Song #20 – “All of Me” by John Legend
Last but definitely not least, John Legend wrote a beautiful love song for his wife, Chrissy Teigen, entitled “All of Me.” The harmonies for this song, in particular, are written for more baritone in range, so for those male singers with a lower register, this is an excellent track to help practice harmony.
Learning Harmony Takes Practice
It’s important that you have realistic expectations when you’re working on learning how to sing in harmony. The best and quickest way to ensure you learn how to do it properly is by working with an instructor or coach and taking voice lessons.
A vocal teacher can help you learn fundamentals, such as the proper posture, to produce the best overall sound. Your instructor can also provide valuable insight into your voice type, how you can sing better, and how to take care of your voice.
Your voice can benefit from practice through effective warm-ups and exercises, and soon, you’ll be able to progress into learning how to match pitch and move into learning harmonies. Understand that learning harmony won’t happen right away and will take time, effort, and lots of practice. But eventually, you’ll be able to harmonize with ease and sing like a pro!
