Vocal Ranges of 28 J-Pop Artists — How High Do Their Songs Go?
Lowest and highest notes across each artist's songs, the typical chest-voice ceiling and the key change an average male singer needs. Artists with two or more songs in the KKTI database.
Range across each artist's songs
These are the notes the songs demand of the singer (from the original recordings), not the artist's full physiological range. “Chest ceiling (typical)” is the median chest-voice ceiling across the artist's songs in the database — the number that decides whether you need a key change.
| Artist | Songs | Lowest | Highest | Chest ceiling (typical) | Highest song | Male avg. verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenshi Yonezu | 14 | A2 | E5 | A#4 | 海の幽霊 | Original key works (headroom +2) |
| Official HIGE DANdism | 11 | A#2 | A#5 | C#5 | Mixed Nuts (ミックスナッツ) | Transpose down 1 semitone (key −1) |
| Mrs. GREEN APPLE | 11 | E2 | G5 | F5 | Boku no Koto (僕のこと) | Transpose down 5 semitones (key −5) |
| DECO*27 feat. Hatsune Miku | 10 | F#3 | C#6 | F#5 | 乙女解剖 | Transpose down 6 semitones (key −6) |
| YOASOBI | 10 | F3 | G#5 | F5 | Gunjo (群青) | Transpose down 5 semitones (key −5) |
| King Gnu | 10 | A#2 | G5 | D5 | 三文小説 | Transpose down 2 semitones (key −2) |
| Hikaru Utada | 9 | D3 | F5 | D#5 | Prisoner Of Love | Transpose down 3 semitones (key −3) |
| back number | 9 | A2 | D5 | C5 | Takane no Hanako-san (高嶺の花子さん) | Original key, just barely (headroom +0) |
| RADWIMPS | 9 | A2 | B4 | G#4 | Nandemonaiya (なんでもないや) | Original key works (headroom +4) |
| ONE OK ROCK | 8 | D3 | F5 | C#5 | Last Dance | Transpose down 1 semitone (key −1) |
| UVERworld | 8 | G2 | D5 | B4 | CORE PRIDE | Original key, just barely (headroom +1) |
| Ado | 7 | A#2 | D#6 | D#5 | Show (唱) | Transpose down 3 semitones (key −3) |
| Saucy Dog | 7 | C#3 | F#5 | E5 | 怪物たちよ | Transpose down 4 semitones (key −4) |
| Tatsuya Kitani | 7 | F#2 | C#5 | A4 | Where Our Blue Is (青のすみか) | Original key works (headroom +3) |
| BUMP OF CHICKEN | 6 | G#2 | D5 | G#4 | アカシア | Original key works (headroom +4) |
| LiSA | 5 | E3 | G5 | E5 | Gurenge (紅蓮華) | Transpose down 4 semitones (key −4) |
| Vaundy | 5 | A#2 | D5 | C5 | Kaiju no Hanauta (怪獣の花唄) | Original key, just barely (headroom +0) |
| wowaka feat. Hatsune Miku | 4 | F#3 | C#6 | B5 | アンノウン・マザーグース | Even −7 may not reach: use falsetto or mixed voice |
| Sheena Ringo | 4 | G3 | G5 | E5 | Marunouchi Sadistic (丸ノ内サディスティック) | Transpose down 4 semitones (key −4) |
| Hachi (Kenshi Yonezu) | 3 | A3 | G5 | E5 | Donut Hole (ドーナツホール) | Transpose down 4 semitones (key −4) |
| ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION | 3 | B2 | C#5 | B4 | 君という花 | Original key, just barely (headroom +1) |
| KANA-BOON | 3 | E3 | C#5 | B4 | ないものねだり | Original key, just barely (headroom +1) |
| indigo la End | 3 | C#3 | C#5 | C#5 | チューリップ | Transpose down 1 semitone (key −1) |
| Fujii Kaze | 3 | F#2 | B4 | G4 | Shinunoga E-Wa (死ぬのがいいわ) | Original key works (headroom +5) |
| Nayutalien feat. Hatsune Miku | 2 | B3 | C6 | C6 | 太陽系デスコ | Even −7 may not reach: use falsetto or mixed voice |
| Neru feat. Kagamine Rin | 2 | A3 | B5 | A#5 | ロストワンの号哭 | Even −7 may not reach: use falsetto or mixed voice |
| Kanaria feat. GUMI | 2 | G3 | G5 | G5 | KING | Transpose down 7 semitones (key −7) |
| Hachi (Kenshi Yonezu) feat. GUMI | 2 | B3 | G5 | G5 | ドーナツホール | Transpose down 7 semitones (key −7) |
Reading the table
An average male singer measured by KKTI has a comfortable chest ceiling around C5 (n=45); an average female singer about D#5 (n=100). If an artist's typical chest ceiling is above your own, transpose their songs down by the difference. Artists like Official HIGE DANdism, King Gnu and Mrs. GREEN APPLE sit high for most men; artists like back number and Kenshi Yonezu sit close to the male average.
FAQ
Which J-Pop artist sings the highest?
By highest note across songs in the database: Ado (D#6). See the table for the others.
Is this the artist's real vocal range?
No — it is the range the songs require. Artists can usually sing beyond their recorded songs. For karaoke, the song's chest-voice ceiling is what matters.
How do I know my own ceiling?
Measure it: KKTI records 30 seconds of your voice in the browser and reports your highest chest note, your lowest note and your voice type, then shows the right key for every song.