Karaoke as a cultural phenomenon, as a life goal, as a cure for depression, as a driving force — in the dozens of books dedicated to karaoke, you still won’t find an exact answer to what it really is. But perhaps, by reading them, you will get closer to your own understanding of this phenomenon that has swept the world.
Here is a roundup of five bestselling books that will make you look at karaoke and the people who sing in a whole new way.
Karaoke: The Global Phenomenon
Karaoke: The Global Phenomenon
Authors: Zhou Xun and Francesca Tarocco
Zhou Xun and Francesca Tarocco curiously explore karaoke and all its associated oddities, occurrences, and fun facts. In their book, the authors reveal the surprisingly complex history and significant cultural impact of karaoke around the world.
They trace how karaoke became a hugely successful social phenomenon that constantly evolved to keep pace with changes in technology and culture.
Drawing on extensive research and international travel, Xun and Tarocco describe the various manifestations of karaoke, from karaoke taxis in Bangkok to naked karaoke in Toronto.
A wealth of anecdotal stories reveals the obsession with karaoke and how it has influenced politics, history, and pop culture across global society.
Karaoke Idols: Popular Music and the Performance of Identity
Karaoke Idols: Popular Music and the Performance of Identity
Author: Kevin Brown
Most ethnographers don’t achieve what Kevin Brown did by conducting research for two years in a karaoke bar near Denver, Colorado. By observing life in the bar, the scholar learned everything you ever wanted to know about karaoke and the people who enjoy singing.
As a result, Brown produced an extensive ethnographic study on how karaoke idols emerge. He shows exactly what we do when we grab the microphone and how we shape our identities — especially in terms of gender, ethnicity, and class — through performances in everyday life.
Combining a comprehensive introduction to the history of public singing and karaoke with a rich analysis of karaoke performers and the community created by their shared performances, Karaoke Idols is a book for both the casual reader and the scholar, and a fascinating exploration of our desire to perform.
Turn Around Bright Eyes: The Rituals of Love & Karaoke
Turn Around Bright Eyes: The Rituals of Love & Karaoke
Author: Rob Sheffield
Rob Sheffield’s emotional journey, full of hilarity and heartbreaking drama, which he embarked on after the death of his wife. This is a story about finding the courage to start over and move on, clutching the microphone ever tighter.
Devastated by grief, the author tries to build a new life in a new city. As a writer for the cult music magazine Rolling Stone, he naturally finds solace in music. But suddenly he discovers the sublime and yet ridiculous world of karaoke, and despite the emptiness inside him, Rob begins to find his voice.
His karaoke obsession takes him to strange places, whether singing a Frank Sinatra song in a retirement community in Florida or imitating Merle Haggard in a cowboy saloon in the Mojave Desert. In the end, music leads Sheffield to the most amazing place of all — a new life and a new love.
One Nation Under Song: My Karaoke Journey Through Grief, Joy, and America
One Nation Under Song: My Karaoke Journey Through Grief, Joy, and America
Author: Kris Gowen
Once upon a time, in a past life with a successful career, friends, and business partners, Kris Gowen liked to dream that it would be nice to sing karaoke in all fifty states. After the death of her best friend, everything suddenly went downhill: depression, a reluctance to live, a business in decline. Kris remembers her old dream and realizes that a karaoke road trip across the US is now a vital necessity for her.
With no clear plan but a need to sing, Kris set off on a 17,754-mile karaoke road trip across America. She sang in roadside bars, luxury clubs, and any place with a karaoke system she encountered along the way. Kris Gowen got to know a country and people with whom she had nothing in common but a love for 80s tunes. A whole new world where people are accepted for who they are, simply for singing a song they love.
Hit Me with Your Best Shot: The Ultimate Guide To Karaoke Domination
Hit Me with Your Best Shot: The Ultimate Guide To Karaoke Domination
Author: Raina Lee
Karaoke queen Raina Lee helps beginners and veterans conquer stage fright, pick songs to showcase vocal talent, and master their moves (or hide the lack thereof).
She turns what could be a terrifying obligation into a celebration nobody wants to leave. With lists of the best songs for all occasions and advice from world karaoke champions — people who sing with their hearts — this pocket guide to singing karaoke will rock any party. Get ready to put on a show!
