Karaoke?

We all know what karaoke is and a lot of us have participated in the fun of it but what does the Japanese word really mean?

The term “karaoke” is a blend of shortened Japanese words that mean empty (kara) and orchestra (oke).

Some say the activity started in 1971 when professional drummer Daisuke Inoue produced vocals-free tracks and a karaoke-style machine to help his clients and fans sing his tunes outside of concerts. Sadly, the musician never patented this musical invention, but Filipino entrepreneur Roberto del Rosario did in 1975 — a move that sparked a major musical debate.

So which country actually invented karaoke?

While the term is Japanese, the activity’s origin may be the Philippines, where “minus-one music (basically a sing-along-friendly accompaniment track) was a trend in the 1960s. Japan saw an influx of Filipino musicians and entertainers in the late 1960s, which may be what planted the singalong seed.

So there we have it! Enjoy some karaoke this weekend – why not?