This invention, which will quickly become a social phenomenon, comes from Japan.
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Karaoke which means 'absent orchestra' has been around since 1972 and was the brainchild of Daisike Inoué in a Kobe bar. Bars with bands and singers in the Land of the Rising Sun were a tradition dating back to the era of American rule. Over time professional singers began to be replaced by amateurs for economic reasons. Gradually, the same thing happened with the orchestras themselves, which began to be progressively replaced by cassette players and turntables. The singers sang with the words written on a piece of paper and their place was taken by anyone from the audience.
With the technological development and the appearance of the laser in 1982 we have the possibility to have on one screen an image, music and lyrics appearing at the same time and the success is immediate and huge. The conditions for doing karaoke are now perfect and that is why there are a huge number of bars and restaurants that have the necessary facilities. Over 420,000 in Japan.
One in two Japanese regularly participates in karaoke.
In Europe, the karaoke fad began timidly at the end of the 70s. But it never reached the dimensions seen in Japan or other Asian countries.