You're at the local bar and it's karaoke night! What are you singing first?

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.

Nah, Sweet Caroline is far more effective
- BAH BAH BAH!!!!
I’m sorry, but could you tell me why?
- I wish you'd just believe when I say...

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

A-ha - Take on me

every time

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

To be fair, that isn't a song its just music, so they were right lol

I was gonna say Kiss From A Rose, but only because nobody would see that shit coming.

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!

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.

Anything by Supertramp or Bad Company.

Puscifer - Conditions of my Parole

Duality - slipknot

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.

See also: Friends in Low Places. They played it at a AAA baseball game here and the whole place was chanting it lol.
Halfway through there's a drunk woman and her reluctant husband/boyfriend/male friend/drafted stranger who sings "Picture" by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow.

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

Tequila 😎

Arch Enemy - Stolen Life

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

Arch Enemy is great though! I like your style

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

starts driving in San Andreas with K-DST on radio

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

"Mad World" by Gary Jules.

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

Suffragette city

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

Nah, if you can drop the weird Al lyrics without them being on the screen, the crowd will love it.
- I know someone who did that who is a REALLY GOOD, like pro level singer. Crowd was delighted when she started singing and they heard how great her voice was. Then they were slightly puzzled when some of the words were different. Then they realized she was singing a parody and they were like WTF. I suppose I'll try it anyway if the occasion comes up .
  Here she is singing a Queen--Bohemian Rhapsody / Star Wars crossover parody:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpvlTVgeivU

dancing in the moonlight

Train - Hey, Soul Sister

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

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

That's great!

Mosquito song

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.

Thunderball - Tom Jones

Tequila.

Wrong. Try this next time. https://open.spotify.com/track/2ovqH6tbNeNPa2oQ9rGp9N The sequel lol.

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.

It's gonna depend on my mood.

Currently the mood is Ænima by Tool.

Caballo homosexual de las montaaañas

Piano Man

Smallest Church in Saint-Saens, the karaoke song in Disco Elysium.

I think I can pull the raspy voice.

Country Roads, Take Me Home by John Denver

It's a crowd pleaser every time

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.

„OMG where’s the door GTFO“