The karaoke machine is a popular cross-cultural pastime and a natural extension of humanity's fascination with music. From its origins as a replacement for live music to its current form, karaoke has crossed every ocean to where friends and music lovers congregate.
Origins
The most commonly stated origin of karaoke is in a snack bar in Kobe, Japan. When live music wasn't available, the owner would play recorded tracks that customers would sing along to.
Cultural Emergence
Because of the popularity of western Japanese fashion, the use of karaoke as an entertainment platform began to spread. Kobe's music scene is suspected to have contributed to karaoke's rise and popularity because the city's huge port offers exposure to global trade.
Technological Advances
Karaoke's real spread began when the technology used for it was sufficiently miniaturized and made cheap enough for home and commercial use. Karaoke sets allowed families to enjoy activities at home that would otherwise require a night out on the town.
Commercialization
Rising urbanization and relatively thin walls between houses, however, made it so that karaoke contributed to unwanted noise pollution. The commercialization of karaoke as a destination of its own right occurred when entrepreneurs realized that a cheaply soundproofed room, a karaoke set and the opportunity to sing to their heart's content had a natural, built-in audience.
Present Day
Karaoke's various forms all have presence and favor in the current era. Bars often have karaoke nights to lure customers, cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and others offer soundproofed locations, and home karaoke sets remain popular.
Asia has fully embraced the karaoke phenomena. It is not unusual for Asian artists to include karaoke tracks, stripped of the vocals, for the enjoyment of their fans.
Tags: live music