I did not know that yesterday!

Though I tried my darndest, I was unable to determine the most popular tune in karaoke bars. Popularity tends to vary between regions and countries. Unfortunately, there's no database or electronic tracking mechanism for individual songs. However, I did find a list of "hot songs" at a music label called Karaoke Warehouse. Not surprisingly, the songs tend to mirror the pop charts. Current faves include "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers, "Because of You" by Kelly Clarkson, and "A Real Fine Place to Start" by Sara Evans.

Karaoke is a Japanese word with two roots: "kara," or empty, and "oke," which is short for orchestra. Popular legend has it that karaoke was born roughly twenty years ago in a snack bar in Kobe, Japan. Quickly adopted by Japanese business types as a way of blowing off steam, karaoke has now stormed the world. In the United States and Europe it's mostly enjoyed in bars, but private karaoke rooms are the
norm in Japan.

By now karaoke has permeated pretty much every genre of music imaginable. Practitioners can choose from punk, metal, hip hop, and folk karaoke songs. You can even hear live karaoke bands, who play behind paying customers. Who's up for "I Will Survive?"