State of the Karaoke Nation by Ron Ralph
It’s a roller coaster ride, but the big sing-along continuesKaraoke has been a mainstay for bars, nightclubs, private parties and other special events since the 1980s. At one point it seemed like karaoke was available at nearly every nightspot in Anytown, USA. But lately, it seems like the Karaoke flame is dimming. So what in the world is going on in the Karaoke Nation?
Musical Migration
According to Toni Roberts, a representative from Chartbuster Karaoke, there are many changes going on in the karaoke industry. With record sales of karaoke players for home use, the bulk CD+G purchases has clearly shifted from KJs to the end user at home. People are staying home and hosting their own parties rather than going to bars.
With fewer people going out to sing, bar owners have resorted to alternative entertainment such as Bar Bingo, Texas Hold ‘Em, and video game competitions with games such as Rock Band, Dance, Dance Revolution, and Guitar Hero. Some have gone back to having a live band or DJ, while some have added an “internet jukebox” rather than pay for outside entertainment.
Chartbuster has recognized the shift and is preparing for the future. They are doing away with the 15-song instrumental Pop and Country Hits format and going to a 10+10 multiplex format. They are also releasing a One-Hit Wonders pack soon, and have completely upgraded their studios for the digital age.
Show Me Your License
There have been fewer cd+gs produced lately because of copyright and licensing issues. According to Chris Emrie of Sound Choice, the old policy was “Record Now, License Later.” However, that caused problems. Now manufacturers must apply for a license to record before the recording takes place. It could take up to 120 days or longer for approval from the record labels, which delays releases of CD+Gs. Sony has sued a number of manufacturers for copyright infringements, causing a few karaoke labels to shut their doors for good. In the end, there may only be four or five karaoke labels to choose from.
Assault on Sales
Even with the rise in popularity of home-based karaoke, according to ProSing, Sound Choice, Chartbuster, and Ace Karaoke, sales of CD+Gs are down drastically from a few years ago. They all stated that illegal file sharing, bootlegging, illegally copied hard drives being sold on eBay, and pirated discs, along with the state of the economy, have all hurt the sales of karaoke CD+Gs. Their legal teams are shutting down illegal websites daily, but as soon as one is shut down, another pops up. Until these sites are shut down for good, sales will continue to drop.
“With the decline in sales, it means less revenue for the manufacturers. With sluggish sales, it makes it hard to justify the cost of producing a CD+G, even with the proper licensing”, laments Emrie. But, he says Sound Choice is here to stay and is preparing for changes just like other manufacturers.
Karaoke Roller Coaster
I spoke with various DJs and KJs as I was gathering information to write this article. Some stated that karaoke has completely died out in their neck of the woods, while others reported that karaoke is as strong as ever. Some noted a shift from performing in bars to just offering karaoke at private events. Some KJs are still using CD+Gs, while some have gone completely digital. Some also observed that karaoke is more popular during the warmer months rather than the colder ones.
There will still be many changes in store for karaoke in the future; but I also feel that karaoke is here to stay. For those of us that offer it, we just need to hang on through the ups and downs-just like on your favorite roller coaster ride!
Ron Ralph is the owner and operator of A DJ To Go in Pensacola, with well over 15 years of experience as a mobile entertainer. He has performed at over 2,400 events. Ron served for 11 years in the US Army and also holds a BA in Elementary Education. Karaoke is a major component of his entertainment business.
Hey! I disagree Come to Washington DC. That’s all anyone wants here anymore is karaoke. It might be dimming across the country but not here. It works in reverse here. Karaoke is alive and growing in this area. It’s all I ever get calls for anymore and I don’t have it. Karoake is expensive. Hence my business is suffering because I am unable to keep up and don’t have equipment to do it.
I’ll be moving on to new opportunities in October and sinking the DJ business because I don’t have Karaoke. Makes me obsolete.
OK so I have to ask this question - is it now a copyright infringement if the bar I do my Karaoke singing at as well as sometimes hosting as well is using a Cavs JB199 that came loaded with 20 thousand titles???
This system was inherited by the previous ownerhip who was ALWAYS careful to use ONLY legitimate CD-G’s from people who brought their own discs. The system has not had any new music added in nearly 2 yrs under the new ownership, mostly because they don’t know how AND the cost involved to do so.
So, can they continue to use the music already loaded?
Karaoke is still alive and well in the Mid-West. Probably too alive and well for it’s own good. I have lost a considerable amount of business to bootleg companies that have no real overhead and come in and undercut my prices by as much as 50 percent. By the time the establishment owners realize the mistake they’ve made, the reputation has been made that the karaoke program is sub-par. And not only have they lost me as a host, they have lost a strong base of good core singers. And I have moved on to another establishment. I don’t have a problem getting another gig, however it gets frusturating spending time to build a good reputation for a karaoke venue and then the bootlegger comes in and offers a price you can’t beat with a stick. I have reported bootleggers to ASCAP but it seems like these karaoke clown bootlegger companies are too small of potatos to bust. I understand that the larger bootleg disc producers are the ones being hunted down but these little bootleg karaoke clowns are like bugs destroying an apple orchard.
So, since my last post I sent e-mail to Ascap and they tell me, that despite the fact that the music that’s on the system at my favorite bar, that they STILL HAVE TO PAY A LICENSING FEE TO PLAY IT!!!
This to me seems like double dipping!!!! Why on earth should we pay to play if the company seeling the karaoke music has already paid a fee for the music. Seems to me that the one gettin rich here is ASCAP!
I actually wonder what the writers of the original song’s think of what ASCAP is doing. Seems to me that they more than benefit when people hear a song and then people go out and buy the original music.
This little bar I used to karaoke at can’t afford the nearly 500 bucks ASCAP wants to keep playin’ karaoke without worrying about being fined by them, or worse yet…taken to court.
I dunno, seems kinda goofy to me.
I am a small DJ / KJ here in Indiana. I have been in business since 1999. I have noticed that several of the manufacturers I prefer have gone out of business. This hurts me, despite the fact that my company is comprised of me & my 2 partners.
My understanding of the licensing fees for a KJ to play the music are paid by the KJ when he/she buys a legitimate CDG. If I am wrong, then I apoligise for my misinformation.