120 Best Songs for an Alto to Sing and Showcase Unique Voice

If you’re an alto singer, you know your voice has a rich, warm depth that makes it stand out. Finding the right songs for an alto to sing is essential, not only to showcase your natural range but also to let your personality shine through. From soulful ballads to rock anthems, there’s a wide world of music that celebrates the unique qualities of an alto voice. Here are some of the best categories and examples to inspire your next performance.

Classic Standards That Suit Alto Voices

Classic standards are a natural fit for altos because they often emphasize emotional delivery over extreme vocal range. These songs highlight the smooth, sultry qualities of lower voices and have been performed by legendary altos across jazz, blues, and ballads. They remain timeless choices for auditions, performances, or simply enjoying the beauty of your voice.

Examples:

1. Summertime – George Gershwin

2. At Last – Etta James

3. Cry Me a River – Julie London

4. Stormy Weather – Lena Horne

5. Fever – Peggy Lee

6. My Funny Valentine – Ella Fitzgerald

7. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered – Ella Fitzgerald

8. God Bless the Child – Billie Holiday

9. The Man I Love – Billie Holiday

10. Autumn Leaves – Eva Cassidy

11. Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man – Show Boat

12. Don’t Explain – Billie Holiday

13. Georgia on My Mind – Ray Charles (often covered by female altos)

14. Willow Weep for Me – Dinah Washington

15. What a Difference a Day Makes – Dinah Washington

16. Body and Soul – Sarah Vaughan

17. Misty – Sarah Vaughan

18. A Sunday Kind of Love – Etta James

19. I Put a Spell on You – Nina Simone

20. Lover Man – Billie Holiday

Pop Songs Perfect for Altos

Pop songs can be excellent showcases for an alto voice because they often rely on strong emotional delivery and catchy hooks rather than extremely high notes. Many pop stars known for their lower ranges have made iconic songs that allow you to shine in your own style while still being relatable to a wide audience.

Examples:

1. Someone Like You – Adele

2. Rolling in the Deep – Adele

3. Hello – Adele

4. Set Fire to the Rain – Adele

5. Back to Black – Amy Winehouse

6. Rehab – Amy Winehouse

7. Valerie – Amy Winehouse

8. Royals – Lorde

9. Team – Lorde

10. Liability – Lorde

11. Torn – Natalie Imbruglia

12. Big Girls Don’t Cry – Fergie

13. Stay – Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko

14. Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield

15. Put Your Records On – Corinne Bailey Rae

16. Bubbly – Colbie Caillat

17. Jar of Hearts – Christina Perri

18. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri

19. Skyscraper – Demi Lovato

20. Warrior – Demi Lovato

Broadway & Musical Theater Favorites

Musical theater has long provided a wealth of alto-friendly songs. These pieces are written for characters that often demand emotional weight and storytelling rather than high, operatic notes. Altos excel in this space because they can project warmth and resonance while delivering dramatic depth on stage.

Examples:

1. Send in the Clowns – A Little Night Music

2. Memory – Cats

3. I Dreamed a Dream – Les Misérables

4. On My Own – Les Misérables

5. As Long as He Needs Me – Oliver!

6. Don’t Cry for Me Argentina – Evita

7. I Know Him So Well – Chess

8. If He Walked Into My Life – Mame

9. Adelaide’s Lament – Guys and Dolls

10. I Cain’t Say No – Oklahoma!

11. You’ll Never Walk Alone – Carousel

12. Anything Goes – Anything Goes

13. Maybe This Time – Cabaret

14. What I Did for Love – A Chorus Line

15. Losing My Mind – Follies

16. I Got the Sun in the Morning – Annie Get Your Gun

17. It’s Quiet Uptown – Hamilton

18. Take Me or Leave Me – Rent

19. Out Tonight – Rent

20. There Are Worse Things I Could Do – Grease

Soulful and R&B Picks

Alto voices shine beautifully in soul and R&B because these genres emphasize emotion, richness, and storytelling. With smooth lines, strong choruses, and expressive lyrics, these songs give you the chance to show off both your vocal power and your ability to connect with an audience.

Examples:

1. No Scrubs – TLC

2. Waterfalls – TLC

3. If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys

4. Fallin’ – Alicia Keys

5. Un-break My Heart – Toni Braxton

6. Breathe Again – Toni Braxton

7. Killing Me Softly – Lauryn Hill (The Fugees)

8. Ex-Factor – Lauryn Hill

9. Respect – Aretha Franklin

10. Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin

11. Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin

12. I’m Every Woman – Chaka Khan

13. Ain’t Nobody – Chaka Khan

14. You Gotta Be – Des’ree

15. Sweet Love – Anita Baker

16. Giving You the Best That I Got – Anita Baker

17. Angel – Sarah McLachlan

18. By Your Side – Sade

19. Smooth Operator – Sade

20. The Sweetest Taboo – Sade

Rock and Alternative Songs

Altos often thrive in rock and alternative because the genre is packed with strong female voices that aren’t built around high-pitched belting. Instead, these songs highlight attitude, texture, and raw energy, making them fantastic choices for an alto who wants to show power and edge.

Examples:

1. Zombie – The Cranberries

2. Linger – The Cranberries

3. Dreams – The Cranberries

4. Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks

5. Rhiannon – Fleetwood Mac

6. Landslide – Fleetwood Mac

7. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac

8. Black Velvet – Alannah Myles

9. You Oughta Know – Alanis Morissette

10. Ironic – Alanis Morissette

11. Hand in My Pocket – Alanis Morissette

12. Because the Night – Patti Smith

13. Gloria – Patti Smith

14. Heartbreaker – Pat Benatar

15. Love Is a Battlefield – Pat Benatar

16. We Belong – Pat Benatar

17. Bring Me to Life – Evanescence

18. My Immortal – Evanescence

19. Call Me – Blondie

20. One Way or Another – Blondie

Contemporary Ballads and Modern Choices

Modern ballads and contemporary picks allow altos to connect with today’s audiences while still staying in their comfortable vocal range. These songs emphasize emotion and clarity, making them ideal for performances where storytelling is just as important as vocal technique.

Examples:

1. All I Ask – Adele

2. Easy on Me – Adele

3. When We Were Young – Adele

4. Drivers License – Olivia Rodrigo

5. Deja Vu – Olivia Rodrigo

6. Happier – Olivia Rodrigo

7. Million Reasons – Lady Gaga

8. Always Remember Us This Way – Lady Gaga

9. Shallow – Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper

10. Speechless – Naomi Scott (Aladdin)

11. Never Enough – Loren Allred (The Greatest Showman)

12. Rewrite the Stars – Zendaya & Zac Efron (The Greatest Showman)

13. Elastic Heart – Sia

14. Chandelier – Sia

15. Alive – Sia

16. Stone Cold – Demi Lovato

17. Confident – Demi Lovato

18. Halo – Beyoncé

19. Listen – Beyoncé

20. If I Were a Boy – Beyoncé