Where did karaoke start?
The first “karaoke machine” was invented in 1971 by Japanese coffeehouse singer Daisuke Inoue in Kobe, Japan. Mr. Inoue originally created karaoke machines for customers who wanted to sing his songs at home, and later produced a few units and leased them to local restaurants. Unfortunately, Inoue failed to patent his invention, and the idea was stolen, patented, and mass-produced by Filipino inventor Roberto Del Rosario in 1975.
