katherineburr

I’m compiling a list of songs appropriate for GCSE performance exams, to satisfy the difficulty criteria. These are taken from past and current syllabi, and the Rockschool Wider Repertoire page and I’ve labelled which syllabi they are/were on. My understanding is that the song needs to be at least Grade 3 standard, with the most difficulty marks coming from Grade 5, so anything above that isn’t worth singing. I believe you can change the key to suit the vocalist, and they can be sung by singers of any gender.

RSL – Rockschool

Trinity R&P – Trinity Rock and Pop

My musical theatre lists are not exhaustive, these are just the ones I’ve taught or seen done, or I like. Here is the complete musical theatre ABRSM syllabus.

Please let me know if you think I’ve missed something that should be on the list.

Grade 3 – Pop/Rock

Adventure of a Lifetime – Coldplay – Trinity R&P

Ain’t Go No – I Got Life – Nina Simone – RSL

All of Me – Billie Holiday – RSL

Amnesia – 5 Seconds of Summer – RSL Wider Rep

Brass in My Pocket – Pretenders – Trinity R&P

Brave – Sara Bareilles – RSL Wider Rep

Budapest – George Ezra – RSL Wider Rep

Crazy – Gnarles Barkley – RSL

Domino – Jessie J – RSL

Don’t Know Why – Norah Jones – Trinity R&P

Don’t Panic – Coldplay – RSL Wider Rep

Don’t Start Now – Dua Lipa – RSL Wider Rep

Everything I Knew – Billie Ellish – RSL Wider Rep

Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty – Trinity R&P

Glad You Came – The Wanted – RSL Wider Rep

Happy – Pharrell Williams – RSL

Ho Hey – The Lumineers – RSL

I Got A Feeling – Black Eyed Peas – RSL Wider Rep

It’s All Right – Soul/Jon Baptiste – RSL

Jar of Hearts – Christina Perri- RSL

Lego House – Ed Sheeran – RSL

Lights – Ellie Goulding – RSL

Love Me Again – John Newman

Make You Feel My Love – Adele – RSL

Marry You – Bruno Mars – RSL

Naive – The Kooks – RSL Wider Rep

Panic Chord – Gabrielle Aplin

People Help the People – Birdy – RSL

Perfect Day – Lou Reed – Trinity R&P

Radioactive – Imagine Dragons – RSL

Rosanna – Toto – RSL Wider Rep

Royals – Lorde – Trinity R&P

She’s Electric – Oasis

Shotgun – George Ezra – RSL

Tangled Up – Caro Emerald – RSL Wider Rep

The Man Who Can’t Be Moved – The Script – RSL Wider Rep

Umbrella – Rihanna – RSL Wider Rep

Upside Down – Diana Ross – Trinity R&P

Valerie – Amy Winehouse – RSL

Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus – RSL Wider Rep

You Know I’m No Good – Amy Winehouse – Trinity R&P

What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong – Trinity R&P

22 – Taylor Swift – RSL

Grade 3 – Modern Musical Theatre

A Million Dreams – The Greatest Showman – ABRSM MT

All is Found – Frozen 2 – ABRSM MT

All That’s Known – Spring Awakening – ABRSM MT

Almost Nearly Perfect – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – ABRSM MT

Beauty and the Beast – ABRSM MT

Colors of the Wind – Pocahontas – RSL

Don’t Loose Ur Head – Six the Musical – ABRSM MT

Dos Oruguitas – Encanto – ABRSM MT

Feed the Birds – Mary Poppins – ABRSM MT

Friend Like Me – Aladdin – ABRSM MT

Funny Honey – Chicago – ABRSM MT

Gaston – Beauty and the Beast – ABRSM MT

I’ve Never Been in Love Before – Guys and Dolls – ABRSM MT

Mama Who Bore Me – Spring Awakening – ABRSM MT

Maybe – Annie – ABRSM MT

Revolting Children – Matilda – ABRSM MT

We’re All in This Together – High School Musical – ABRSM MT

We’re All Made of Stars – Finding Neverland – ABRSM MT

Grade 4 – Pop/Rock

A World Alone – Lorde – RSL Wider Rep

All About Tonight – Pixie Lott – RSL Wider Rep

Another One Bites the Dust – Queen – RSL

Blank Space – Taylor Swift – RSL Wider Rep

Breakeven – The Script – RSL Wider Rep

Broken Strings – James Morrison – RSL

California Gurls – Katy Perry – RSL Wider Rep

Closest Thing to Crazy – Katie Melua – RSL

Dance With Me Tonight – Olly Murs – RSL Wider Rep

Diamonds – Rihanna – RSL

Don’t Speak – No Doubt – Trinity R&P

Dynamite – bts – RSL

Faith – George Michael – RSL Wider Rep

Fix You – Coldplay – RSL Wider Rep

Forget You – Cee Lo Green – RSL

Heroes – David Bowie – Trinity R&P

Higher Ground – Stevie Wonder – RSL

Human – Christina Perri

I Got You (I Feel Good) – James Brown – RSL

I Wish – Stevie Wonder – Trinity R&P

If I Were a Boy – Beyonce – RSL

It’s Too Late – Carol King – Trinity R&P

Jolene – Dolly Parton – RSL Wider Rep

Just Give Me a Reason – P!nk – RSL Wider Rep

Kickstarts – Example – RSL Wider Rep

Let Her Go – Passenger – RSL

Light My Fire – The Doors – RSL

Listen to the Man – George Ezra – RSL Wider Rep

Little Things – One Direction feat Ed Sheeran – RSL Wider Rep

Magic – Coldplay – RSL

My Baby Just Cares for Me – Nina Simone

Nights in White Satin – Moody Blues – Trinity R&P

Ocean Eyes – Billie Ellish – RSL

One Day I’ll Fly Away – Randy Crawford – RSL

Rather Be – Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne

Real Love – Tom Odell – RSL Wider Rep

Riding Solo – Jason Derulo – RSL Wider Rep

Rolling in the Deep – Adele – RSL

She’s the One – Robbie Williams – RSL

Skinny Love – Birdy – RSL

Someone Like You – Adele – RSL

Son of a Preacher Man – Dusty Springfield

Talking to the Moon – Bruno Mars – RSL Wider Rep

Teardrop – Massive Attack – RSL

The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack – Trinity R&P

Torn – Natalie Imbruglia – Trinity R&P

Town Called Malice – The Jam – RSL

Video Games – Lana Del Ray – Trinity R&P

Warwick Avenue – Duffy – RSL

You Do Something to Me – Paul Weller – Trinity R&P

Grade 4 – Modern Musical Theatre

Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John/The Lion King – RSL Wider Rep

Everything About You – Groundhog Day – ABRSM MT

Falling Slowly – Once – ABRSM MT

Fame – Irene Cara/Fame – Trinity R&P

Heaven Can Wait – Bat Out of Hell – ABRSM MT

It Means Beautiful – Everyone’s Talking About Jamie – ABRSM MT

If I Met Myself Again – Everyone’s Talking About Jamie – ABRSM MT

Ireland – Legally Blonde – ABRSM MT

Kiss the Girl – The Little Mermaid – ABRSM MT

Mother Knows Best – Tangled – ABRSM MT

Naughty – Matilda – ABRSM MT

Out Here On My Own – Fame – ABRSM MT

Over the Rainbow – Wizard of Oz – ABRSM MT

Part of Your World – The Little Mermaid – ABRSM MT

Pure Imagination – ABRSM MT

Sister Act – Sister Act – ABRSM MT

The Circle of Life – The Lion King – ABRSM MT

You Can’t Stop the Beat – Hairspray – RSL Wider Rep

Grade 5 – Pop/Rock

A Million Reasons – Lady Gaga

All of Me – John Legend – RSL

Beautiful Day – U2 – RSL Wider Rep

Brothers in Arms – Dire Straits – RSL Wider Rep

Changed the Way You Kissed Me – Example – RSL Wider Rep

Chasing Pavements – Adele – Trinity R&P

Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac – RSL

Don’t Watch Me Cry – Jorja Smith – RSL

Dream a Little Dream of Me – Ella Fitzgerald – RSL

Dynamite – Taio Cruz – RSL Wider Rep

Everybody Hurts – REM – Trinity R&P

Everytime – Britney Spears – Trinity R&P

First Love – Adele – RSL Wider Rep

Gravity – Sara Bareilles – RSL Wider Rep

Hall of Fame – The Script feat will.i.am

Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley – Trinity R&P

Hey, Soul Sister – Train – RSL Wider Rep

Home – Gabrielle Aplin – RSL Wider Rep

How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding – RSL Wider Rep

I See Fire – Ed Sheeran – RSL Wider Rep

I’m Not the Only One – Sam Smith – RSL

Let Me Entertain You – Robbie Williams – RSL

Let’s Dance – David Bowie – Trinity R&P

Livin’ La Vida Loca – Ricky Martin – RSL

Make It To Me – Sam Smith – RSL Wider Rep

Mama Do – Pixie Lott – RSL

Money On My Mind – Sam Smith – RSL

Moondance – Van Morrison – Trinity R&P

Mr Know It All – Kelly Clarkson – RSL Wider Rep

My Silver Lining – First Aid Kit – RSL Wider Rep

Nutbush City Limits – Tina Turner – RSL

One Day Like This – Elbow – Trinity R&P

Picking Up the Pieces – Paloma Faith – RSL Wider Rep

Place Your Hands – Reef – RSL Wider Rep

Reach Out, I’ll Be There – Four Tops – Trinity R&P

Read All About It, Part III – Emeli Sande – Trinity R&P

Replay – Iyaz – RSL Wider Rep

Say Something – Christina Aguilera – RSL Wider Rep

Set Fire To the Rain – Adele – RSL

Shake It Off – Taylor Swift

Spotlight – Jennifer Hudson – RSL

Stay – Rihanna – RSL

Suddenly I See – KT Tunstall – RSL

Sunday Morning – Maroon 5 – Trinity R&P

The Greatest Love of All – Whitney Houston – Trinity R&P

Tighten Up – Black Keys – RSL Wider Rep

Top of the World – Imagine Dragons

Use Somebody – Kings of Leon

Viva La Vida – Coldplay – RSL Wider Rep

What’s Going On? – Marvin Gaye – RSL

Why Her Not Me – Grace Carter – RSL Wider Rep

You Give Me Something – James Morrison

You Make Lovin’ Fun – Fleetwood Mac – Trinity R&P

Yours – Ella Henderson – RSL Wider Rep

Grade 5 – Modern Musical Theatre

Don’t Cry For Me Argentina – Evita- ABRSM MT

Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul – Rocky Horror Picture Show – ABRSM MT

How Far I’ll Go – Moana – ABRSM MT

I’m Not That Girl – Wicked – ABRSM MT

Just Around the Riverbend – Pocahontas – ABRSM MT

Once Upon A Dream – Jekyll and Hyde – ABRSM MT

Razzle Dazzle – Chicago – ABRSM MT

Reflection – Christina Aguilera/Mulan – RSL

Slipping Through My Fingers – Mama Mia – ABRSM MT

Someone Else’s Story – Chess – ABRSM MT

Tell Me It’s Not True – Blood Brothers – ABRSM MT

The History of Wrong Guys – Kinky Boots – ABRSM MT

What’s Wrong With Me – Mean Girls – ABRSM MT

When She Loved Me – Toy Story 2 – ABRSM MT

When Will My Life Begin? – Tangled – ABRSM MT

When You’re Good To Mama – Chicago – ABRSM MT

You’re Welcome – Moana – ABRSM MT