What the History of Karaoke Teaches Us About Innovation

June 2, 2025

Karaoke was invented in 1967 by Shigeichi Negishi in Japan. Originally a modified 8-track player, this simple innovation sparked a global cultural and technological phenomenon. From bars in Tokyo to living rooms worldwide, karaoke has evolved alongside digital tech and become a beloved social activity across cultures. IEEE has commemorated the invention of karaoke with an IEEE Milestone, which recognize significant technology achievements in all areas associated with IEEE. Here’s how it all began and where it’s headed.

The Origin of Karaoke Machines

It started as a modified 8-track car stereo, built by a manufacturer that specialized in assembling portable radios for larger companies.

It became one of Japan’s leading cultural exports.

Yet this export didn’t emerge from a sweeping national strategy or a global marketing effort. It started from one man’s love of singing and a modest technical challenge that would spark the global phenomenon that is karaoke.

The head of that company, Shigeichi Negishi, started each day singing along with a radio show called “Pop Songs Without Lyrics.” One day, he continued crooning during his walk to work. His head engineer made a friendly joke about the quality of Negishi’s singing.

Negishi thought the engineer’s opinion of his singing would improve if he could hear his voice alongside backing tracks. And he asked how hard it would be to integrate a microphone mixing circuit into an 8-track cassette player.

That simple project led to the development of the first karaoke machine in October 1967, and the beginning of a global pastime that has evolved alongside the advancement of digital technology, from laser discs to broadband internet.

The History of Karaoke

The first karaoke machine was marketed first as Music Box and then later as the Sparko Box. It included a coin-operated timer that offered 10 minutes of singing for 100 yen. The machine also had knobs for volume and balance.

The original version was distributed with lyric cards and 20 tracks of instrumental music.

Because they were fairly expensive, they weren’t sold for home use, as many karaoke machines are now, and they were never installed in cars. Bars and restaurants served as the primary market.

Negishi, whose expertise was in electronics manufacturing, sold the device to another firm with distribution channels in bars, restaurants and hotels. The Sparko Box was never patented and soon had three other competitors.

For years, another businessman and musician, Daisuke Inoue, was credited with inventing the karaoke machine, the 8-Juke, in 1971. However, in 1999, the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association embarked on a lengthy research project, ultimately showing that the Sparko Box preceded the 8-Juke by about four years.

The Meaning of Karaoke

The term karaoke precedes the invention of the karaoke machine. The word is a compound of the Japanese word “kara” meaning empty and “ōkesutora” meaning “orchestra.”

These pre-recorded instrumental tracks known as “empty orchestras” were commonly used by Japanese broadcasters. Singers appearing on the radio often performed alongside pre-recorded instrumental tracks.

The instrumental music for the Sparko Box came from this ecosystem of pre-recorded tracks for broadcast.

Singing in bars and restaurants was also popular before the karaoke machine was invented, with itinerant musicians collecting fees from individual singers to play background music.

The Evolution of Karaoke Machines

Karaoke became more popular as new media storage and data transfer technology made it easier to offer more songs.

Laser discs ushered in a way to place images and lyrics on a screen, and a laser disc karaoke player was released in 1982. Through the 1980s and 1990s, karaoke transitioned from tapes to laser discs, then CDs.

As high-speed internet and broadband became more widely available, karaoke systems that could download songs, and later stream them live, became available. Some credit the popularity of karaoke with the acceleration of broadband adoption in Japan.

In fact, as karaoke became a global phenomenon in the 1990s, researchers published papers on IEEE Xplore discussing ways to manage the volume of data needed to serve the industry.

Contemporary karaoke machines often come with a range of features, such as keychangers that adjust the pitch of a song to match the vocal range of a performer.

IEEE Life Fellow Stu Lipoff notes that the biggest factor in the adoption of karaoke wasn’t technology, it was labor.

“The biggest bottleneck karaoke faced was the willingness to invest the labor to prepare the content, package the content, distribute it and acquire the rights to play the content in public,” Lipoff said.

Karaoke Is a Social Technology

In the early days of karaoke, the machines were frequently treated as jukeboxes that allowed patrons of bars and restaurants to play their favorite songs regardless of whether they wanted to sing along.

And though singing along with the machine was a fairly popular novelty, many establishments retained live musicians. That changed in the mid-1970s, when a global oil crisis led to a recession in the restaurant industry. Patrons looking to save money began choosing the machines to sing along with, which were less expensive than live musicians.

In Japan, singing out loud remains a popular pastime. As in Negishi’s day, it is seen as a way of relieving stress. Japanese manufacturers have increasingly marketed machines to homes for the elderly, and there have been numerous efforts to link karaoke to positive outcomes for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Globally, it’s also a thriving group activity. Many organizations, including IEEE, have used karaoke as an icebreaker to help colleagues get to know one another in social settings.

“I have done my share of karaoke singing and enjoy it very much,” said IEEE 2024 President Tom Coughlin. “This includes participating in karaoke with other IEEE members. I think it is a great way to use technology to be together.”

Meanwhile, the plummeting cost of consumer electronics has made karaoke an activity that can be enjoyed at home.

“Coincidentally, my sister recently acquired a karaoke machine,” said IEEE member Gabriel Gomes de Oliveira. “Music, in itself, unites people, regardless of the genre, be it rock, forró, sertanejo, pop rock or any other style.”

Honoring the History of Karaoke

On June 12, 2025, IEEE will celebrate the invention of the karaoke machine by unveiling a commemorative plaque at the location where “Nichiden Kogyo,” the company where Shigeichi Negishi invented and manufactured it, was located.

IEEE Milestones, managed by the IEEE History Center, honor significant technical achievements in all areas associated with IEEE. Milestones recognize technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity, which are found in unique products, services, seminal papers, and patents.

You can read more about the history of karaoke here and see a picture of the first ever karaoke machine.