There is no other montage that breaks up a film quite like a karaoke scene. This classic, sometimes cringe-worthy scene, depending on the film, can be recognized throughout different film genres, and doesn’t find a home in just one. Despite its popularity amongst romantic comedies, karaoke scenes can also be noted in drama and horror films. One of the most notable moments in a tense thriller is in Scream 2 when Jerry O’Connell sings “I Think I Love You” to Neve Campbell in the college mess hall. Karaoke scenes are relevant to not only push the plot along, but also help in character development.

One of the most infamous scenes in any romantic comedy is in 27 Dresses when James Marsden and Katherine Heigl sing Elton John’s “Bennie and The Jets.” The montage is regarded as one of the best karaoke scenes, however, the two aren’t particularly singing karaoke. The song is on at the bar, and the two break out into random songs, another common trope in comedies. However, 27 Dresses deserves recognition for the actors’ chemistry and memorable performance. Here are the best karaoke scenes in movies, ranked.

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5 I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

     Columbia Pictures

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is the sequel to the 1997 slasher I Know What You Did Last Summer. Both films were released in the late-90s, and were produced to piggyback on the success of Scream. These 90s slashers were used as gateways to revitalize the horror genre and bring back some of classic tropes used in the best slashers of 80s horror. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer follows Julie, reprised by Jennifer Love Hewitt, the final girl of the first film and how she is coping with the events she faced the summer prior. When her college roommate invites her on a vacation to the Bahamas with some friends, Julie finds the promise of a small escape hard to deny. However, soon into her vacation, Julie starts to receive threatening messages, only to realize she is about the relive the nightmare all over again. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer uses its timely placed karaoke scene to reveal a threatening message from the killer to Julie, easily earning it a spot on the list for best karaoke scenes in movies based on the reveal alone.

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4 Ted 2

     Universal Pictures 

Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy, took his comedy to the big screen in 2012 when he wrote, directed, and produced the film Ted, which quickly became an instant classic amongst buddy comedy movies. Nearly three years later, Ted 2 was released with an even crazier plot than the first. Mark Wahlberg reprised his role as John, and MacFarlane voiced the foul-mouthed teddy bear once again. In the sequel, Ted and his now-wife Tammy (Jessica Barth) are seeking to adopt a child, but during the process, it is revealed that Ted isn’t regarded as a real person, which is the butt of the joke. However, despite the thrawls of the legal battle to earn Ted his rights, there is a perfectly placed karaoke scene where Ted sings the 1994 hit “Only Wanna Be with You.” The scene not only makes use of the comedy that comes with a small Teddy Bear singing karaoke, but allows MacFarlane to show off his notable voice acting skills.

3 (500) Days of Summer

     Searchlight Pictures

(500) Days of Summer, the 2009 indie romance, prides itself on being a love story that is not exactly a love story. Tom, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, falls for his co-worker Summer, played by Zoey Deschanel. Summer makes it very clear that she isn’t looking for a relationship, but Tom overlooks her statement and sees it his way. The karaoke scene in this movie is pivotal to the plot because it not only reveals so much of Tom’s character through his song choice, but also is the first time the two spend time together outside of work before starting their not-so-romantic romance. During the scene, Tom sings the Pixies’ song “Here Comes Your Man,” which is a direct reference to what will happen at the ending of the film. Despite the overall general likability of the film, Tom and Summer are a movie couple that simply should never have ended up together.

2 Booksmart

     Gloria Sanchez Productions

Booksmart, the 2019 teen comedy about two high school nerds who realize that they may have played school too safe, easily earned its ranking in not only the best coming-of-age films of the 2010s, but as one of the best modern teen comedies to date. Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) attempt to experience all of the moments they missed in high school the night before graduation. They embark on a night of adventure, party-jumping and engaging with different classmates who they learn more about in one night than they knew in four years. At one of the parties, theater nerd George (Noah Galvin) is singing karaoke. He encourages Amy, a noted introvert, to grab the microphone, and with some help from the crew, Amy begins to sing. This moment is notable not only because Amy is pulled out of her shell, but she gets to spend time with her crush.

1 My Best Friend’s Wedding

     TriStar Pictures

Each decade has a different style when approaching rom-coms, but more often than not, the films follow the same structure and tropes of those of their predecessors. Romantic comedies have given way to some of the biggest rom-com actresses of all time, and both Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts star in My Best Friend’s Wedding. The movie follows Julianne (Julia Roberts), who makes a pact with her best friend Mike (Dermot Mulroney) that if they aren’t married by the age of 28, that they will marry one another. The pact becomes very real when Mike annouces that he is going to marry Kimberly (Cameron Diaz), and Julianne realizes that she is in love with him. Julianne plans to tell Mike her feelings, but when she is asked to be his Best Man, she begins to feel guilty.

My Best Friend’s Wedding has one of the greatest karaoke scenes of all time. When a bar patron nominates Kimberly to sing next in karaoke, she is hesitant. Julianne acts as if she supports her not singing, but then calls her out herself and hands her the mic. Kimberly gives one of the worst karaoke performances of all time, but Mike is entranced by Kimberly despite how horrible the singing is. Julianne realizes just how in love with Kimberly that Mike is, and states just another reason as to why she can’t break up the wedding.