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For those who want to sing karaoke but don’t have any music, they will likely browse online, perusing the expansive collection of CDs, CD Gs and DVDs. DKKaraoke’s collection is a great way to get started, featuring 25 discs of karaoke hits from Frank Sinatra’s “New York New York” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5″ to Bon Jovi’s “Bad Medicine” and U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” Chartbuster offers compilation karaoke music with themes like Broadway, Pop, Country, Gospel, Kids, Disney, Christmas, Patriotic Anthems and Hot Hits Monthly. The Sound Choice Star series has karaoke CDs with more modern musicians like Pearl Jam, White Zombie, Spineshank, Tool, Godsmack, Kelly Clarkson, Kid Rock and U2. Check www.amazon.com, www.karaoke.com and www.doowop.com for more karaoke discs.

Girls and guys have their favorite karaoke hits that have withstood the test of time, so be sure to add the following favorites to your karaoke song collection. Girls like empowering songs of survival, enduring sexuality and sass. To appease these spunky vixens include such tunes as “These Boots Were Made For Walkin’” (Nancy Sinatra), “I Will Survive” (Gloria Gaynor) “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” (Pat Benatar), “Venus” (Bananarama), “I Love Rock N Roll” (Joan Jett), “I’m Just A Girl” (No Doubt/Gwen Stefani), “Like A Virgin” (Madonna), “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” (Cyndi Lauper), “Feel Like A Woman” (Shania Twain), “You’re So Vain” (Carly Simon), “She Works Hard For The Money” (Donna Summer), “Respect” (Aretha Franklin), “Sweet Dreams” (Eurythmics), “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (Whitney Houston), “Listen To Your Heart” (Roxette) and “Black Velvet” (Alannah Myles).

Guys sometimes like to expose their sentimental side with slow tracks like “When A Man Loves A Woman” (Percy Sledge), “A Groovy Kind of Love” (Phil Collins), “Just the Way You Are” (Billy Joel), “I Will Do Anything For Love” (Meatloaf), “Brown Eyed Girl” (Van Morrison), “Have I Told You Lately” (Rod Stewart), “All My Life” (KC & Jo Jo) or “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” (Aerosmith). Other times, guys like karaoke music that speaks to their inner bad boy of rock n’ roll. Try “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” (Poison), “Girls, Girls, Girls” (Motley Crue), “Paradise City” (Guns N’ Roses), “Livin On A Prayer” (Bon Jovi), “You Shook Me All Night Long” (AC/DC), “Here I Go Again” (Whitesnake), “It’s My Body” (Alice Cooper) or “You Give Love A Bad Name” (Bon Jovi).

When it comes to karaoke music, there are just some songs that are must-haves for your collection. Even though you may not belt out Neil Diamond’s cheesy “Sweet Caroline” as you’re getting ready in the morning, you’d be crazy not to have it at your next karaoke party. Everyone will be chorusing the “bah bah bah’s” to make the karaoke party even more fun. Another famous group sing-a-long is Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer,” with everyone from 15-50 shouting out “whoaaaaa-ohhhhh, livin on a prayer” like an eighties rocker. Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin” is so corny it’s perfect for your next karaoke get together and don’t think you’ll get through the night without someone choosing Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” where all participants sing “sha-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-lad-di-da.”

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We are still far from having the perfect karaoke MP3 solution. Little by little, with the popularity of “American Idol” and video games like “Karaoke Revolution,” companies are beginning to sell devices that work with iPods to facilitate the downloading-singing process. However, for serious songbirds, an all-in-one karaoke system like The Singing Station is well worth the $149 and it plays every format imaginable.

There are several things to look for when downloading karaoke MP3 files. Some files feature recordings from the original band members, with the vocals removed. Others have professional recording artists performing the tracks, with the vocals removed. Other tracks come with the vocals and allow you to cancel out the vocals on your karaoke system, if your system comes with that feature. It is important to understand the features and the limitations of your karaoke equipment before you start browsing for music.

Another factor to consider is its extension. Most downloads will come as “.mp3″ files, although some may say “midi,”"mp3+g” or “mp4.” Midi sometimes sounds like keyboard music and is often a very different version, so you will want to avoid those. The MP3+G are good because they have the lyrics included that can be output to video. MP4 format may be a music file and an accompanying music video file, which is fine if you want the videos more than the lyrics.

Apple’s iPod changed how we experience music for the most part. We have come to expect music that travels with us everywhere and works across media formats, such as on stereos, in our cars, on television sets and on computers. So naturally, you may also want to blend your love of karaoke with your iPod technology. If you have an iPod and you shop at the iTunes store, then you may be surprised to see that your karaoke MP3 files don’t automatically come with the lyrics included! You can buy the iKaraoke microphone ($49.99 at www.griffintechnology.com) easily enough but you’ll need to get the lyrics manually by right-clicking on the song in iTunes, choosing “get info” and clicking on the lyrics tab. Once you find the lyrics online, you will need to cut and paste them into the box; then when you queue up the song, press the “select” button until the karaoke lyrics pop up. While it seems like a pain for every song in your collection, eventually iTunes will have a quicker way of doing this, just as they now have quicker methods of downloading artwork for the CDs in your collection.

There are a number of sites offering legal karaoke MP3 files for purchase. At www.singme.com, you can download karaoke MP3s for 88 cents and video karaoke for $1.50. They specialize in children’s music, nursery rhymes, gospel and holiday music. At www.amazon.com, you can download 73,219 karaoke MP3s for 89 to 99 cents each. Other sites with large selections are www.karaoke.com, www.karaoke-version.com and www.ez-tracks.com. With a monthly subscription to Napster for $12.95/month, you can download unlimited karaoke music files to be played on your computer or your iRiver.

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While the CD G continues to be one of the most popular formats for at home karaoke, the karaoke DVD is a sensible choice too. In addition to having scrolling lyrics moving across the screen, many video karaoke discs feature special bonuses unavailable on any other format. For example, Abba’s karaoke DVD is a video biography that goes from the band’s creation to their last performance. The Beatles karaoke edition features bonus interview clips. Additionally, the “Original Footage Music Video Karaoke DVD Pack” (found at www.acekaraoke.com) shows music videos and live performances to provide added value for buyers.

You don’t have to break the bank buying home karaoke machines. For instance, the Cavs 105G DVD ($119, www.sumamic.com) comes with a microphone, remote control, audio-video cable and karaoke DVD machine that plays music CDs, DVD movies and special karaoke CD Gs. Singers will enjoy key control, voice cancel, volume control, microphone mixing and superior 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Another option is the VocoPro DVG399K ($110 at www.zzsounds.com), which works exactly the same way. Or, if you would like a professional looking karaoke system, then you can try The Singing Machine’s STVD-1001 Pedestal DVD/CDG Karaoke System with Tower Speakers ($79 at www.amazon.com), which allows you to play both CD G and DVD karaoke songs.

According to online retailer Amazon, the kid karaoke DVD offerings tend to sell best. Disney’s “High School Musical” 1 & 2, “Hannah Montana,” “Disney Radio Hits” 1 & 2, as well as “Jump & Jive with Hi-5″ and Sesame Street’s “Sesame Sings Karaoke” are all karaoke hits. For older teens and adults, Billboard released a “Top 10 Karaoke Box Set” that includes 40 songs including John Lennon, Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton and Sting, to name a few artists. Also, Party Tyme offers a multitude of karaoke songs on DVD for $13.99, with themes including: Broadway, Country, Old Country, Greatest Hits, Oldies, Pop, Rock and Love Songs. Startrax offers fun genre DVDs too, including 80s movies, 80s pop, alternative anthems, another top 20 hits, at the movies, back to school, boogie nights, classic R&B, country classics, dancing in the streets, disco classics, girls night and kids, to name a few.

Box sets are also a great way to boost your Karaoke DVD collection in a hurry. For $79, you can buy the “Hits of the Decades” DVD that includes ten DVDs spanning the fifties (Nat King Cole, Pat Boone, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Perry Como, Tony Bennett); the sixties (Simon & Garfunkel, Roy Orbison, The Beatles, Neil Diamond, Bobby Vinton, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino); the seventies (Styx, The Bee Gees, Don McLean, Kansas, Donna Summer, Elton John); the eighties (The Cars, The Bangles, Madonna, Culture Club, Bananarama, Billy Idol, Foreigner, Dire Straits, Bon Jovi, Blondie); and the nineties (Nirvana, Shania Twain, Aerosmith, U2, Sheryl Crow, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jewel, Oasis, Britney Spears). You can also buy the Singer’s Dream 18 karaoke disc box set for $149 that includes The Best of Grease, The Hits of Johnny Cash & George Jones, The Hits of Kelly Clarkson & Troy Aiken, The Hits of Gretchen Wilson, Pop Divas, Hot Pop Hits, Country Male Hits, Country Female Hits, The Hits of Avril Lavigne, Rock & Soul Classics, Karaoke Party Classics, The Best of Teen Pop, Kids Sing Christmas, Kids Christmas Favorites, Christmas Memories, Christmas Classics, Pop Christmas Party and Christmas Holiday Hits. Billboard Magazine also has a “Top 10″ box set series worth checking out.

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Karaoke has its roots in 1970s Japan. The Kobe City port was an international mecca, often referred to as “the gateway of fashion and trend.” In fact, instant noodles, automated ticket gates and saunas all stemmed from this region. Whenever a strolling guitarist canceled a gig, bar owners would bust out accompaniment tapes for their patrons to sing along to, which would up becoming a popular pastime not just in Japan, but around the world. Perhaps it was the suppression of individualism, the pent-up frustrations of working such long hours or the exportation of karaoke around the world that ensured the karaoke party never stopped.

In the 1980s, Pioneer started churning out karaoke songs on laserdisc. Japanese companies like Victor and DKK followed suit to produce English karaoke hits. When CDG karaoke came out, playing accompaniment tracks and bouncing lyrics across TV screens, the karaoke craze had officially hit America. Hudson marketed one of the earliest mainstream karaoke machines, the “TurboGrafx-16,” which sold for $400 and enjoyed a very short shelf life before dying off. In the early nineties, DK Karaoke produced a collection of ninety-nine karaoke hits, containing everything from Bel Biv Devoe to Lenny Kravitz, which became the standard in every venue. Entertainers hired for parties, weddings and other events added karaoke to their rosters, thus solidifying the pastime as a fun party activity.

At the turn of the millennium, karaoke took on a more serious note in American culture. With the advent of shows like “American Idol,” aspiring talent saw the opportunity to sing karaoke as pop star or rock star practice. In the past, the best singers would occasionally receive a standing ovation, a free drink at the bar or a small pot of prize money. Today, however, singers can get recruited by agents hidden in the audience and awarded with lucrative multi-million-dollar contracts. Everyone enjoys a good sing-a-long these days and Numark was quick to revolutionize karaoke equipment with the KMX01, KMX02 and CDN25+G, which make performances even more professional-sounding.

While there are thousands of karaoke songs to choose from, some reign supreme. Guys should try belting out Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In the USA,” which is a good beginner song that can’t possibly sound any more discordant than the original. To rock out with their inner rockstar, guys should also consider ACDC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long,” Bon Jovi’s “Livin On A Prayer,” Steppenwolf’s “Born To Be Wild,” Motley Crue’s “Girls Girls Girls,” Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” or Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Popular karaoke tracks for girls include: Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” Gloria Gayner’s “I Will Survive,” No Doubt’s “Just A Girl,” Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” Madonna’s “Like A Virgin,” Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock N Roll,” Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” Shania Twain’s “I Feel Like A Woman,” Britney Spears’ “Womanizer,” Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” Carole King’s “It’s Too Late” or Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walking.”

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Karaoke CD software will help people who are serious about their singing to take any song and subdue the vocals, while ramping up the accompaniment. They can then infuse their own vocals and save the new version. They can take advantage of pitch correctors, echo effects, mix the sound or create a CD+G with lyrics to sing on a karaoke system. Win CDG Pro 3 is a popular program that does just that. However, not everyone is so computer savvy or dedicated. Others may wish to just peruse the online offerings to get their karaoke fix.

When regard to karaoke CDs, few compilations got people as excited about karaoke music as the DKKaraoke collection that came out in the nineties, featuring 25 discs of karaoke hits, spanning several decades of music. For instance, you could get Frank Sinatra’s “New York New York” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5″ on the same CD as Bon Jovi’s “Bad Medicine” and U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” From slow ballads and lounge tracks to crooning love songs and shout-it-out rock karaoke, there is something for everyone on these CDs. This is the ultimate collection for anyone who is serious about karaoke music and wants to have all the best karaoke songs at their disposal.

Entertainment Weekly recently published their list of “top karaoke songs” to help you make your own karaoke CD. Not surprisingly, the B52’s rowdy “Love Shack” made the list, as did Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On a Prayer,” which features the chorus that every drunk loves to shout out, whether they were born in the eighties or not. Other eighties classics like Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” The Eurythmic’s “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These),” Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin,” Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” Bananarama’s “Venus,” Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock N Roll,” Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” Blondie’s “Call Me” and “Every Breath You Take” by the Police also made the list. Representing the seventies, The Pretender’s “Brass In Pocket” (1979), Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” (1973) and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” (1978) are some of the oldest surviving karaoke hits. The only newcomer is Kelly Clarkson, with “Since U Been Gone.”

Over at www.karaokewh.com, there are a number of top-selling karaoke CDs to choose from. The Sound Choice Star Series offers a karaoke CD specializing in Journey tracks, as well as one for Kid Rock, Steve Miller, Dr. Hook and AC/DC. If you don’t feel so passionately about any of the aforementioned artists, then you can try their top-selling Hard Rock Hits Volume 4 instead, which features nineties rock like Korn, Slipknot, Coal Chamber, NIN, Tool, Godsmack, Rage Against the Machine, Spineshank and White Zombie. Backstage Karaoke has a karaoke CD with “today’s classic rock” like Pearl Jam, U2, The Eagles, The Knack, Joe Cocker, Melissa Etheridge, and Hootie and the Blowfish.

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Karaoke songs have migrated from bars and nightclubs into American living rooms. While the karaoke machine concept has been around for 30 years now, a number of upgrades have made to these systems to make them even better. For instance, the Playstation (2&3) and the Xbox (original & 360) both have karaoke hits games. They allow consumers can sing karaoke, surf the internet and play video games all on the same console. Some DVD players will also play CDGs or karaoke DVDs, as well as movies. Most karaoke systems today play DVDs, CDs, mp3s and CD Gs to provide the most value to the consumer.

So which systems are getting the most buzz? The $60 doPi Karaoke “Party in a Pod” system can turn a video iPod into a karaoke machine. Consumers will also get a microphone, a mixer box with two inputs, echo effect, video in/out ports and all cables needed to connect an iPod to the box, which plugs into the wall. A song card comes with three free downloads and many karaoke songs come with video too. This system, which has been featured by InStyle, People, Seventeen, WIRED, Mac Life, iLounge, FHM and Entertainment Magazine, as well as Good Morning America and The Early Show, can be purchased at www.dopikaraoke.com.

For consumers who would rather not buy a bulky karaoke machine to take up more space in the living room there is an alternative. It called the Leadsinger Microphone LS-3000 (available at www.leadsinger.com) which has a built-in processor capable of storing 300 karaoke hits, although additional song cartridges can also be purchased. Singers simply plug the microphone into their television sets, choose the song and watch the high-resolution graphics and highlighted lyrics on their screens. For $149, this affordable karaoke solution is perfect for kids and teens who love “American Idol.”

The $199 Singing Machine Pedestal CDG Karaoke system offers a more professional singing and recording experience than the average karaoke machine. In addition to having two microphones, the system also comes with a built-in camera so singers can watch themselves on the video monitor. Additionally, the RCA output allows singers the ability to tape themselves on a VCR or DVD recorder as well. Unlike other systems that are all-vocals or no-vocals, this unit comes with Auto Voice Control so the vocals are eliminated when the singer starts to sing and returns when the singer stops singing. This function is ideal for practicing a new song. Additional features for this CD/CD G player include key, echo, balance and pitch control. Ipod-compatible systems also exist for $249. Consumers can purchase this product at www.singingmachine.com.

There are a number of places that sell the karaoke machine and karaoke equipment. Amazon, 24 Electrics, Argos, Empire Direct and Tesco are a few online retailers that have a great selection and reasonable prices. For kids, KB Toys, Toys R Us and Amazon offer karaoke machines as low as $30 that meet the basic needs. In addition to the karaoke system, consumers will need to buy CDs, DVDs, CD Gs or digital copies of karaoke songs. While most set-ups come with at least one microphone, extra microphones can be purchased. Goodmans GMM28RF Wireless Karaoke Microphone, Philips MD650 Microphone and the Singing Machine SMM108 Wireless Microphone are good bets.

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The smell of roast duck emanates from the kitchen. The living room is bordered with cozy red and green lights, with the hulk of a pine tree twinkling in the corner. Your family members begin showing up, handing you their heavy coats and carrying shiny gifts with brilliant bows and curled ribbons. Yet sometimes when you haven’t seen your relatives in a while, it can be a little awkward. You need something to get the party more animated, something that will make precious memories for years to come. How about some Christmas karaoke? This is something that the whole family can enjoy.

To host a karaoke party at Christmas, you will need a karaoke system to play the songs, videos and scrolling words. Aim for an all-in-one that comes with all necessary cables and microphones. You may want to wrap it up and give it as a gift or you might want to have this item set up as guests arrive and keep it at your house to entertain guests year after year. Set it up after dinner to stave off the food comas and keep the party going. For $100, you could buy the SDAT Professional Karaoke Machine with MP4 Playback and it plays karaoke songs on CD, mp3, DVD and CD G. Or for $117, you can get the Emerson GM955, which includes a 7-inch monitor and speakers, but also connects to separate units as well.

This all-in-one karaoke system also includes a special tone-control microphone and comes with features like echo and auto voice control. The Singing Machine STVG-718 CD+G Karaoke System is a very similar system for $150 that includes a camera too. Lastly, The Song Station, recommended by People and Rolling Stone magazines, is one of the more impressive units to look at, boasting a tall stand which scrolls lyrics and equally tall detached speakers for superior sound quality. Ranging between $200 and $250, this machine comes with a number of special features, as well as 53,000 built-in songs, and is a must for anyone looking to host a karaoke party a few times a year.

Next, you will need music for your Christmas karaoke, merrymaking party. The general rule of thumb is to get a good selection, and the more the merrier! There are a number of bundled CDs to meet your needs. Chartbuster has been a classic creator of karaoke music CDs for decades so it stands to reason that their “Christmas Hits Volume 1″ is a must-have to kick off your collection. For $40 you’ll get three discs of traditional Christmas songs spanning oldies like Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” to country favorites like Alabama’s “Santa Claus I Still Believe In You” to traditional versions of “Nuttin’ For Christmas.” There are two other multi-disc volumes you can add as well. Chartbuster also offers an R&B Christmas album, seven volumes of Country Christmas, a Hip Christmas album, Redneck Christmas songs and two volumes of Easy Listening Christmas. You can buy these karaoke discs at www.karaokewh.com.

Since the show “American Idol” came out, the general public has been fascinated with exploring their vocal tones, ranges and inclinations. There are stars embedded within us, but how will we know if we never try? The microphone has a tremendous ability to skyrocket our sound from amateur shower-singer to big-stage superstar. A Christmas karaoke event can discover those stars within your family, help everyone de-stress from the hectic holiday season and keep everyone entertained for hours to make your gathering the best one yet!

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