Karaoke
In 1971, a bandleader named Daisuke Inoue sat in a car stereo inside a box he called the 8 Juke. He placed this machine in snack bars across Sannomiya, an entertainment district of Kobe, Japan. The device used eight-track tapes and cost around $425 per unit. It accepted ¥100 coins to meter out several minutes of singing time. Inoue did not patent his invention. He loaned these machines to establishments for free while taking a portion of monthly earnings. By 1975, he had rented out approximately 25,000 units. Club owners from Kobe brought his machines to new clubs in Osaka, which became the birthplace of the karaoke boom in Japan.
Roberto del Rosario claimed to have invented the first karaoke-type machine known as the Sing-Along System in 1975. His portable cabinet included an amplifier, speaker, double tape deck, and microphone mixer. This machine used cassette tapes of instrumental versions of popular songs later known as Minus-One. Unlike Inoue's coin-operated boxes, del Rosario's system was not designed for public payment. He patented the Sing-Along System in 1983 and again in 1986. Del Rosario won a patent infringement case against a Chinese company in the 1990s. He received the Gold Medal for Best Inventor from the World Intellectual Property Organization in 1985.
Japanese engineer Shigeichi Negishi also claimed to have made the first karaoke-styled machine in 1967. He mass-produced coin-operated versions under the brand name Sparko Box. These machines used eight-track cassette tapes of commercially available instrumental recordings. Lyrics were provided in paper booklets. Negishi ran into distribution troubles and ceased production shortly thereafter. He died in 2024 without ever patenting his invention.
Early karaoke machines relied on 8-track cartridges and cassette tapes with printed lyric sheets. By the late 1980s, Pioneer Electronics dominated the international market using LaserDisc technology. These Video Karaoke machines displayed lyrics over video that accompanied the music. In 1992, Taito introduced the X2000 model which fetched music via dial-up telephone networks. This new technology swept Japan so thoroughly that by 1998, 94% of all singing occurred on networked machines.
The industry shifted toward digital formats including CD+G, VCD, and DVD players. Most common machines now feature built-in audio mixers and pitch-changing electronics. Old systems changed pitch by altering playback speed but none remain on the market today. Modern devices use fast Fourier transform techniques to remove vocal tracks from stereo recordings more effectively than older Out Of Phase Stereo methods. Recent years have seen the development of cloud-based streaming services like KaraOK! released by StarHub on the 14th of January 2010.
In July 2023, YouTube channel Sing King Karaoke reached 11 million subscribers making it the largest karaoke channel on the platform. Mobile apps for Android and iPhone allow users to sing anytime and anywhere through subscription fees. Companies like Smule and Starmaker provide online platforms where singers can perform globally. Home theater systems eventually absorbed karaoke features as a side function rather than their primary purpose.
A karaoke box is a small or medium-sized room containing equipment rented by the hour in Asia. These venues offer an intimate atmosphere often featuring food service and multiple floors. In South Korea, these private rooms are called noraebangs. They typically include microphones, remote controls, large video screens, couches, and mood décor such as disco lights. Noraebangs serve as the last stop after alcohol-lined entertainment for youths and businesspeople alike. Some venues cater specifically to those who seek to sing alone.
In mainland China and Taiwan, karaoke establishments are known as KTVs. The biggest chains in Taiwan include Partyworld Cashbox, Holiday KTV, and NewCBParty. Traditional Chinese restaurants sometimes feature mahjong-karaoke rooms where elderly patrons play mahjong while teenagers sing karaoke. Noise regulations become an issue when karaoke enters residential areas. In the Philippines, nighttime videoke bars became popular domestic recreational pastimes following the replacement of audio-only Sing-Along Systems with Japanese-style coin-operated machines.
Australia saw karaoke gradually popularized in the late 1980s through Filipino migrants bringing minus-one music from cassette tapes. Video TV tapes consisting of popular songs rendered by Filipino artists soon replaced older formats. By 1991, virtually every hotel in Adelaide offered at least one karaoke night per week. Karaoke rental suppliers proliferated during this period until popularity waned from mid-1992.
The global karaoke market has been estimated to be worth nearly $10 billion. Commercial versions manufactured by Japanese companies using LaserDisc became available worldwide in the 1980s leading to a surge in popularity. Karaoke machines are commonly found in lounges, nightclubs, and bars alongside home theater systems. Many establishments offer weekly schedules while some host shows every night. Such venues often invest heavily in equipment and song discs creating long wait times between singing opportunities called rotations.
In North America, private karaoke rooms similar to Asia's boxes are commonplace in major cities. Scotland hosts dedicated karaoke venues in most reasonably large towns including Aberdeen where notable bars like Weagleys operate. The Tri State area features many lounges participating in weekly karaoke shows. Hugo's Lounge and Love Lounge located in Plainfield, New Jersey exemplify these establishments with regular schedules. Portland, Oregon contains dozens of karaoke bars making it not just the capital of karaoke in the United States but one of the most exciting music scenes in America.
Karaoke contests have become mainstream culture phenomena giving non-professional singers chances to showcase talent and win prizes. The Karaoke World Championship has existed since 2003 with events scheduled for September 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. Participants receive ratings based on customer votes and judges' scores. These competitions allow winners to travel the world representing their countries.
The earliest karaoke-based music video game called Karaoke Studio was released for the Family Computer in 1987. Its limited computing ability resulted in short catalogs reducing replay value until higher-capacity DVD formats arrived. Karaoke Revolution created by Harmonix and released by Konami in North America in 2003 allowed single players to sing along with on-screen guidance receiving scores based on pitch timing and rhythm. This game spawned several follow-ups including Karaoke Revolution Vol. 2 and Karaoke Revolution Party Edition.
SingStar published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe became particularly popular in European and Australasian markets. Other titles include Boogie Superstar Disney Sing It Get On Da Mic and Guitar Hero series starting with World Tour. An Xbox Live App created by iNiS powered by The Karaoke Channel/Stingray Karaoke launched on the 12th of December 2012 using Unreal Engine 3.
Software has enabled distribution of instrumental stems making hosting shows simple since 2003. Karaoke devices in the 2000s shifted toward hard drives storing large collections alongside touchscreen selection methods. In 2015, Singa provided karaoke for Android and iOS mobile devices plus web browser products for subscription fees. Tesla's newer cars feature infotainment systems with Car-a-oke apps allowing passengers to sing during travel.
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Common questions
Who invented the first karaoke machine in 1971?
Daisuke Inoue created the first karaoke machine called the 8 Juke in 1971. He placed these coin-operated units in snack bars across Sannomiya, an entertainment district of Kobe, Japan.
When did Roberto del Rosario patent his Sing-Along System?
Roberto del Rosario patented the Sing-Along System in 1983 and again in 1986. He received the Gold Medal for Best Inventor from the World Intellectual Property Organization on the 1st of January 1985.
Where is the birthplace of the karaoke boom located?
Osaka became the birthplace of the karaoke boom after club owners brought Daisuke Inoue's machines there from Kobe. The city saw a rapid expansion of these entertainment venues following the initial success in Sannomiya.
What technology replaced eight-track tapes in late 1980s karaoke machines?
Pioneer Electronics dominated the international market using LaserDisc technology by the late 1980s. These Video Karaoke machines displayed lyrics over video that accompanied the music instead of paper booklets.
How much is the global karaoke market worth today?
The global karaoke market has been estimated to be worth nearly $10 billion. Commercial versions manufactured by Japanese companies using LaserDisc became available worldwide in the 1980s leading to a surge in popularity.