Karaoke has its origins in a 60-year-old car stereo

Today, October 17, is Karaoke Day in Japan. The date marks the establishment of the Japan Karaoke Association (JKA) on this day in 1994, exactly 30 years ago. Karaoke was named — along with kei cars, the Honda Super Cub, and the CVCC engine — one of Japan’s Top 100 Innovations. A portmanteau of kara (Japanese for “empty”) and oke (short for “orchestra”), the ability to sing along to instrumental recordings of songs could not have happened without the car stereo.

In the days before widespread television ownership, the radio was Japan’s primary form of broadcasting entertainment. The earliest known use of the term “karaoke” was in 1965, when singers traveling the country to promote their work, would bring along instrumental recordings of their songs. These recordings allowed the artists to perform live on local radio stations without bringing along an entire live band.

In 1967 Shigekazu Negishi, the president of Nichiden Kogyo, an electronics manufacturer, had an idea. His company was building car stereos and Negishi, who loved to sing, thought it would be fun to incorporate a microphone mixing circuit in to a car stereo. He asked the factory engineer if it would be possible to fashion a prototype, according to the JKA. The engineer replied that it would be easy, and installed microphone input jack to the 8-track player.

As it happens, another one of Nichiden’s employees knew someone who worked at a radio station, and was able to obtain some karaoke recordings. Negishi then edited them for an 8-track player, penned the accompanying lyrics sheets, and began to market the device. “This is karaoke,” he recalled telling chairman of one international trading company. “Karaoke?,” the chairman replied. “No way it’ll sell with a name like that.”

Despite being a modified car stereo, Negishi’s device was never installed in cars. Karaoke machines were first installed in bars and restaurants. It wasn’t until 1977 that Taycan launched the Voice One, an in-car karaoke system with AC/DC switching. By the 1990s, karaoke had gotten so popular that automakers like Mitsubishi were installing them in cars. The 1990 Delica Star Wagon in top-of-the-line Super Exceed trim had a karaoke function for the sound system.

The Japan Karaoke Association says that the desire to sing along to music is innate in humans and, perhaps somewhat hyperbolically, that “karaoke is the greatest entertainment culture that Japan has ever produced.” So next time you’re belting out the lyrics to your favorite song to an “empty orchestra”, thank Mr Negeshi and his 8-track player for making it possible.