Karaoke is a popular form of entertainment often used at parties, restaurants and bars where someone will sing along to recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The singer can choose from a number of well-known pop and rock songs available on the machine and then sing while the machine plays the song, minus the lead vocals. A video screen displays the lyrics of the song and guides the singer, usually by changing the color of the words or using a moving symbol so they sing on cue. Songs can be performed by an individual or a whole group at a time and the result can be very entertaining.

The word "karaoke" originates from two Japanese words - "kara" which means empty, and "okesutora" which means orchestra. There are disputes as to where karaoke actually was invented but it is believed that it was first developed in Japan in the 1970's before spreading into other parts of Asia in the 1980's and then on into the rest of the world. Karaoke developed out of the Japanese practice of providing some form of musical entertainment for guests at dinners or parties. A popular Japanese musician to perform at such events, Daisuke Inoue, was asked by some guests to provide a recording of his music so that they could sing along on vacation. This sparked an idea in Daisuke and he made a machine that would play a song for a 100 yen coin, leasing the machines to restaurants and hotels where it caught on as a popular form of entertainment. However Daisuke Inoue did not patent his new machine which is why there has been some dispute over who did invent karaoke. A Filipino inventor called Roberto del Rosario developed a similar system called "Minus-One" in 1975 which he got a patent for in the 1980s. Roberto still holds the patent for what we call the karaoke machine.

Following this, the 1990s saw the popularity of karaoke spread to the United States, Canada, Australia and other western countries. It became a popular form of nightclub entertainment with some places setting up with high-end sound equipment, lighting shows and dance floors. It also became popular to rent a karaoke machine with a jockey to come and provide the entertainment at private parties. While this seemed to be a passing fad of the 90's, it has continued to develop into a different format with karaoke now being available as video games, on cell phones, on computers and even in automobiles. People now have a number of different outlets for their amateur singing practice and entertainment.

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