There are certain anime songs out there that fellow otaku will immediately recognize. They might not always understand what the singers are saying, especially when there's a language barrier, but they can at least get hyped up enough by the song to try and learn some of the lyrics. These are the songs that only take a few familiar words or lines to get fans singing or humming along.
As a prerequisite, only songs with actual lyrics will be counted in this compilation. My Hero Academia's "You Say Run" may go with everything, but it can't exactly be sung with complete words. Anything else is fair game, including openings, endings and insert songs.
"We are fighting dreamers" - From "GO!!" by Flow
When looking for anime songs that many will recognize, it's best to look at mainstream anime. The more familiar people are with a series, the better. One such widespread story is Naruto, especially its early seasons.
"GO!!" is one of the more popular openings of Naruto for a few reasons. In addition to being presented stateside at the height of Naruto's popularity in the US, it's just a generally good opening. Having Flow play a fast-paced rock song while the main cast does cool things in the background is a great way to get fans excited to watch the accompanying episode. "We are fighting dreamers" encapsulates the youthful, energetic mood brought about by the song, which is what makes it such a fun way to get others to hum along. This song also happens to have a lot of English phrases, so it's easier for English-speaking fans to sing.
Multiple Lines - From "Merry-Go-Round" by MAN WITH A MISSION
There's a little recency bias surrounding this opening, but it's also a good way to get My Hero Academia fans singing. Compared to the other openings, "Merry-Go-Round" has by far the most English segments. Whether it's "wowo it's alright/everything will be alright" or "the carousel goes up and goes down" or "no one, no one, no one else" or the obvious "merry-go-round revolvin' around," there are so many exhilarating lines for English-speakers to jump in and sing along to. Other MHA themes like "Odd Future" and "Sora ni Utaeba" are good, but as far as understanding the lyrics and singing along go, "Merry-Go-Round" is the most inclusive song.
"Don't lose your way" - From "Before My Body Is Dry" by Hiroyuki Sawano
This line has become so popular that many assume that it's the name of the song. The actual title is "Before My Body Is Dry." The theme is one of the brilliant compositions done by Hiroyuki Sawano for Kill la Kill.
The song itself is apparently a straightforward version of its anime's premise. The story of both follows a girl who is out looking for her father's killer. Her search puts her at odds with a high school full of students hoping to improve their social status by beating her. Her only chance of winning lies with a sentient sailor uniform that enhances her abilities with the power of her blood -- hence the song's title. The "don't lose your way" line comes in the song's chorus. In addition to its universal applicability, it's performed with such passion and awesome background music that one can't help but get excited hearing it.
"Sie sind das Essen und wir sind die Jäger!" - From "Guren no Yumiya" by Linked Horizon
There are plenty of anime songs that will urge English-speaking fans to learn at least enough Japanese to understand and recite the lyrics. However, it takes a really special anime song to get audiences to learn a tertiary language. For anyone not familiar with German, this line is a real mouthful, yet many true fans will try to learn it anyway.
The line roughly translates to "you are the prey and we are the hunter," which sums up both the song and its associated anime. Attack on Titan's first season revolves around the last of mankind's fight against the looming threat of man-eating giants. The main cast, the soldiers who take up this fight, are depicted as valiant and their purpose glorious. The song is epic and really gets people pumped listening to it. Most of AOT's openings are like this, but "Guren no Yumiya" came first, so it's remembered the most fondly.
"I'll be the roundabout" - From "Roundabout" by Yes
It's a little debatable whether "Roundabout" can really be called an "anime song." On one hand, the song was originally composed in 1971 by the British rock band, Yes. On the other hand, it's also used for the end credits song of the first season of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Debates aside, "Roundabout" has become a notable cornerstone of modern pop culture. Since the song plays at the end of JJBA episodes, it's concurrently associated with the show's cliffhangers, its pauses in the episodes' action and its stylized "To Be Continued" caption. This unique combination of traits has become the basis for a popular internet meme where other cliffhangers are presented in the same manner. This can be done for both dramatic and comedic effects. The meme has become so mainstream that even Family Guy has referenced it. Whether or not people knew the song before, many more certainly know it now.
"I wanna be the very best" - From "Pokémon Theme" by John Siegler and John Loeffler
4Kids is notorious for altering and removing content in their English dubs for the sake of localization and kid-friendliness. However, they've also made some catchy tunes to replace several anime openings. The "Pokémon Theme" is one of their more popular substitutions, outshining even the original opening.
This might be the easiest anime song to get American anime fans to sing along to. The song is in full, unbroken English, it has great energy behind it and many people grew up listening to it. This line is often casually thrown into a conversation about hoping to excel at something. Whoever knows the line will often chime in with the second half of the verse: "To catch them is my real test. To train them is my cause." If the mood is right, this could very well lead to a full, belted spontaneous performance of the whole song.
