29 Best Songs to Show Off Your Raspy Voice

Updated at: 16/07/2025

Got a voice with grit and gravel? Then you've come to the right place! Finding the perfect song to showcase a raspy voice can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But fear not, fellow vocalists! This list of the best songs for raspy voices is designed to help you unleash your inner rockstar, blues legend, or soulful crooner. Whether you're a seasoned performer or just starting out, selecting the right material is crucial. The wrong song can bury your unique vocal texture, while the right one can amplify it, transforming a raspy tone into a powerful and captivating instrument. We've curated a selection of tracks that perfectly complement raspy voices, focusing on key elements like melody, rhythm, and lyrical content to ensure your voice shines. Get ready to discover your new go-to karaoke anthems or audition pieces – and prepare to be amazed at what your voice can truly achieve!

29 Best Songs to Show Off Your Raspy Voice
SongArtistAlbumListens
1. Rolling in the Deep Adele 21 3B+
2. Back To Black Amy Winehouse Back To Black (Deluxe Edition) 1B+
3. Creep Radiohead Pablo Honey 1B+
4. Sweet Dreams Eurythmics
Annie Lennox
Dave Stewart 		Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) 948M+
5. Hurt Johnny Cash 268M+
6. What's Love Got to Do with It Tina Turner Private Dancer (30th Anniversary Issue) 267M+
7. Whole Lotta Love Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (1994 Remaster) 225M+

1. Rolling in the Deep (21 - 2025)

Vocal Range: Adele's powerful and emotive vocals in "Rolling in the Deep" showcase a wide range perfectly suited to raspier voices, offering plenty of opportunities for dynamic expression and texture.

Emotional Depth: The song's raw anger and vulnerability create a visceral experience, allowing singers with raspy voices to convey a powerful intensity.

Rhythmic Complexity: The driving beat and syncopated rhythms provide a strong framework that complements a raspy vocal texture, adding grit and edge to the performance.

Rolling in the Deep - Adele

2. Back To Black - Back To Black (Deluxe Edition)

Vocal Texture: Amy Winehouse's signature raspy vocals are perfectly showcased in "Back to Black" offering a compelling template for singers with similar vocal qualities. The song's emotional depth is amplified by her raw, expressive delivery.

Melodic Structure: The song's melancholic melody, with its memorable hook, provides ample opportunity to explore the nuances of a raspy voice while maintaining vocal control and expression.

Emotional Resonance: The heartbreak and vulnerability conveyed in "Back to Black" are ideal for singers who want to connect with listeners on an emotional level, allowing the raspiness to add a layer of authenticity and intensity.

Back To Black - Amy Winehouse

3. Creep

Vocal Texture: Radiohead's "Creep" features Thom Yorke's instantly recognizable, raspy vocals, which are perfectly suited for showcasing the emotional vulnerability and angst of the lyrics. The raw, slightly strained quality adds a layer of authenticity and intensity.

Emotional Resonance: The song's melancholic melody and lyrics about feeling like an outcast create a powerful emotional impact, making it particularly resonant for singers who want to express similar feelings with their own raspy voices.

Musical Simplicity: Despite its emotional depth, "Creep" features a relatively simple musical arrangement, which allows the raspy vocals to take center stage and shine.

Creep - Radiohead

4. Sweet Dreams - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Vocal Texture: Annie Lennox's signature raspy vocals are perfectly showcased in "Sweet Dreams" offering a gritty yet alluring quality ideal for singers with similar vocal timbres. The song's dynamic range allows for both powerful belts and delicate breathy moments, perfect for exploring the nuances of a raspy voice.

Musicality: The song's driving synth-pop beat provides a strong rhythmic foundation that complements a raspy vocal style, offering both support and contrast. The memorable melody is both catchy and challenging, providing ample opportunity to showcase vocal control and expression.

Emotional Depth: "Sweet Dreams" evokes a dark, brooding atmosphere that resonates deeply with a raspy vocal's inherent intensity. The melancholic tone allows for a powerful emotional delivery, creating a captivating performance.

Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics,Annie Lennox,Dave Stewart

5. Hurt (Johnny Cash - 2025)

Vocal Texture: Johnny Cash's signature raspy baritone is perfectly suited to the song's melancholic themes, lending an extra layer of emotional depth and vulnerability.

Emotional Resonance: "Hurt" is a masterclass in conveying raw pain and regret, making it ideal for singers who want to express intense emotion with their voice.

Musical Simplicity: The song's relatively simple melody and instrumentation allow the vocalist's raspy voice to take center stage, showcasing its unique texture and power.

Hurt - Johnny Cash

6. What's Love Got to Do with It (Tina Turner)

Vocal Texture: Tina Turner's signature raspy vocals are perfectly showcased in "What's Love Got to Do with It" allowing for a powerful and emotive delivery that resonates with a similarly textured voice.

Rhythmic Drive: The song's driving beat provides a strong foundation for a raspier voice to ride over, enhancing the emotional intensity without requiring a huge vocal range.

Emotional Resonance: The raw emotion in Turner's performance, amplified by her vocal style, makes this a compelling choice for singers who want to convey passion and grit.

What's Love Got to Do with It - Tina Turner

7. Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin II (1994 Remaster)

Vocal Range: Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" features Robert Plant's iconic, powerful vocals, showcasing a wide range perfect for showcasing a raspy tone; the song's dynamic shifts allow for both raw intensity and controlled raspiness.

Rhythmic Complexity: The song's driving rhythm and bluesy feel provides a solid foundation for a raspier vocal delivery, allowing the texture of the voice to complement the music's energy.

Emotional Intensity: The raw, primal emotion conveyed in "Whole Lotta Love" naturally lends itself to a raspy vocal style; the song's inherent grit allows for a powerful, expressive performance.

Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin

8. Lose Yourself (Eminem - 2025)

Vocal Range: Eminem's signature raspy vocals are perfectly showcased in "Lose Yourself" offering a powerful and gritty texture ideal for singers with similar vocal qualities.

Dynamic Delivery: The song's powerful, emotive verses and intense, rapid-fire rapping sections provide ample opportunity to explore both controlled rasp and explosive vocal energy.

Emotional Resonance: The raw emotionality of "Lose Yourself" lends itself well to a passionate, expressive delivery that many raspy-voiced singers can connect with and convey authentically.

Lose Yourself - Eminem

9. Sympathy For The Devil

Vocal Texture: Jagger's iconic raspy vocals are perfectly suited to the song's devilish narrative, adding a layer of grit and menace that enhances the lyrical content.

Rhythm and Groove: The driving rhythm and blues foundation provides a solid platform for Jagger's vocal delivery, allowing the raspiness to cut through the mix without being overwhelmed.

Emotional Impact: The song's dark and seductive atmosphere, coupled with Jagger's distinctive vocal style, creates a captivating listening experience ideal for showcasing a raspy voice's expressive potential.

Sympathy For The Devil - The Rolling Stones

10. It's a Heartache (Bonnie Tyler)

Vocal Prowess: Bonnie Tyler's instantly recognizable raspy vocals are perfectly showcased in "It's a Heartache" demonstrating the power and emotion a unique voice can bring to a ballad.

Emotional Resonance: The song's soaring chorus and relatable lyrics about heartbreak create a powerful emotional impact, making it ideal for singers who want to convey vulnerability and intensity.

Technical Considerations: The song's relatively simple melody allows for vocal experimentation, offering opportunities to explore the nuances of a raspy voice while maintaining control and emotional depth.

It's a Heartache - Bonnie Tyler
  • Gimme Shelter
    11

    Gimme Shelter

    The Rolling Stones

    1969

    Let It Bleed

  • Landslide
    12

    Landslide

    Fleetwood Mac

    1975

    Fleetwood Mac

  • You Oughta Know
    13

    You Oughta Know

    Alanis Morissette

    1995

    Jagged Little Pill (2015 Remaster)

  • Born to Run
    14

    Born to Run

    Bruce Springsteen

    1975

    Born To Run

  • Like a Rolling Stone
    15

    Like a Rolling Stone

    Bob Dylan

    1965

    Highway 61 Revisited

  • Born To Be Wild
    16

    Born To Be Wild

    Steppenwolf

    1968

    Steppenwolf

  • Bad to the Bone
    17

    Bad to the Bone

    George Thorogood, The Destroyers

    1982

  • The Joker
    18

    The Joker

    Steve Miller Band

    1973

    The Joker

  • The Thrill Is Gone
    19

    The Thrill Is Gone

    Tracy Chapman,B.B. King

    1969

    Deuces Wild

  • Feelin' Alright
    20

    Feelin' Alright

    Joe Cocker

    1969

    With A Little Help From My Friends

  • Whiskey in the Jar
    21

    Whiskey in the Jar

    Thin Lizzy

    1972

  • Piece of My Heart
    22

    Piece of My Heart

    Big Brother & The Holding Company,Janis Joplin

    1968

    Cheap Thrills

  • Smoke On The Water
    23

    Smoke On The Water

    Deep Purple

    1972

    Machine Head

  • Georgia on My Mind
    24

    Georgia on My Mind

    Ray Charles

    1960

    Genius Loves Company

  • Chain of Fools
    25

    Chain of Fools

    Aretha Franklin

    1967

    Lady Soul (With Bonus Selections)

  • I Put a Spell on You
    26

    I Put a Spell on You

    Screamin' Jay Hawkins

    2024

  • Black
    27

    Black

    Pearl Jam

    1991

    Ten

  • The House of the Rising Sun
    28

    The House of the Rising Sun

    The Animals

    1964

  • Gravel
    29

    Gravel

    Ani DiFranco

    1998