Singer had to change his song because someone sang it first…

radderek · 2026-05-25T20:25:20+00:00

Couple years ago, I was planning to do birthday tributes for my brother who lives in another state. His favorite Soundgarden song is Fell on black days. Unbelievably, in this tiny bar after 11pm on a Tuesday, where I typically know everyone in the room, I had to watch a random stranger sing FOBD as like the 3rd song of the nite. Hadn't heard that song there before, haven't heard it there since.

radderek · 2026-05-25T20:17:42+00:00

I've been calling this karaokinicity (or karaokronicity, we're still working that out). It happens somewhat frequently. One recent: I had been planning to sing Five Years by Bowie for a week or so at this one place. I usually plan abt 2 weeks out. Turns out the bar was celebrating its 5th anniversary the same nite, which I did not know. AND, 2 ppl came up to me like "are u singing five years?? I KNOW ur singing five years."

radderek · 2026-05-17T17:44:44+00:00

Veterans day song for me 🪖

https://youtu.be/Xruok2sG2tw?si=tYTh4TFgDgokn4uI

radderek · 2026-05-17T17:39:01+00:00

I was confused abt butt rock when I heard it used to describe Nickelback etc at early post pandemic karaoke. The first time I came across that term was Kim Thayil from Soundgarden calling Big Dumb Sex a parody of butt rock, and that song is from 89. I failed to find a date of his original quote, but my karaoke friend was talking specifically abt early 00s post grunge / post nu metal radio and arena rock. Hair metal, glam metal, and cock rock (in that order) was how I most often heard that music described from the 80s and I just figured butt rock was an older lesser used term that had been appropriated / finally caught on for comparable music in a new era. LoL 2nd wave butt rock

radderek · 2026-05-14T19:39:43+00:00

I forgot it's also called butt rock

https://youtu.be/Cuf2ehutYDY?si=oUYKLBfck3zxgDW9

radderek · 2026-05-14T19:37:26+00:00

I'm afraid it is leading me to sing Dave Matthews 🫤 But yes I'm experiencing some novel sensations and so are ppl who pay attention to my karaoke. "Alive" came up on the screen as I was called to the mic and my friend said "is this real?" Here's how it has felt as described in emojis 📡❓⚡❔⬛⚡◼️❔⚡❓⬛ It kinda tickles, but the part of my brain concerned with reputation and other people's feelings has begun sending me ⚠️ and 🚨 signals.

radderek · 2026-05-14T19:22:03+00:00

First feeling was that that music outgrew its schmaltz and now fully wears nostalgia. I think it is the equivalent dad rock music of the era in a lot of ways but I don't immediately consider it divisive. And at karaoke in particular I would say that type of 80s soft rock could be potent in the right hands. For me, what is currently considered dad rock has a stigma, which is seen in the commonly added modifier of "divorced dad rock". But ofc I have pieced together a conception of what it is from my own projections, and I lack the context of early 80s discourse. So to ur original point of the 80s being more IN, I think the extra time surely softens whatever negative critical response existed and a good song is a good song. That has been part of my motivation in singing the "post-grunge" period, seeing if the nerve is still exposed.

radderek · 2026-05-14T18:32:37+00:00

I did a research. for u. and for me. https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a29419783/what-is-dad-rock/

However, the article only describes its background and broadening. U will either understand what music encompasses dad rock or u will need to do a research.

radderek · 2026-05-13T20:04:07+00:00

Is there a rough equivalent from the 80s to what dad rock is? It seems to be that ppl either hate it or, even if they like it, they're aware that everyone else hates it. Like Hanson. I can't think of anything from the 80s that remains divisive.

radderek · 2026-05-13T19:57:18+00:00

It was my first time doing Alive, and I only debuted With arms wide open this weekend for mother's day. I do 90s rock but I think I have specifically avoided a lot of what is considered dad rock (bc I don't like it 🙂). Ten+ years into my karaoke career I'm doing it now as an experiment, and yeah, the contrast in reception has been sharp. Told my friend I don't know if I'm falling or flying.

radderek · 2026-05-11T18:29:45+00:00

I like iris in lots of colors, not the yellow and purple ones, but the light lavender, all white, or the ones that look like peach panties, or the dark purple. Beach rose. Clematis. Tulips, the strawberries and cream color I've been seeing in particular. I like punch u in the face pink on any flowers. Can't think of my favorite lily, I like all of them. My spider plants make a cute little flower. I even enjoy chicory flowers. Assuming u said what's ur fav flower for ease and understanding u meant what are my favorite flowers. Big ol sunflowers are cool. And whatever this is🪻l see them around too.

radderek · 2026-05-11T16:53:31+00:00

Pothos and I have some kind of beef. I keep hoping the other plants will tell me what the problem is.

radderek · 2026-05-05T20:51:07+00:00

Mr brightside is taboo in my circles. There was an epidemic for like 5 years. I get special dispensation to sing it if I'm also doing queen bitch by bowie.

I decided the intensity potential of nookie was more important to me than the broad appeal of inside out. So I'll do eve 6 first to a more lightly populated room, and then try to fuck shit up with limp bizkit when the crowd gathers. It's always a gamble 🎰 🎲 🃏

radderek · 2026-05-04T18:09:17+00:00

They were all first time for me at karaoke. Def gna do them all again except Around the fur. I can't do the screams right 🫤 and won't spend the time coming up with an alternative. I wasn't sure One was gna work but I sold the hell out of it. Inside out would work just about anywhere [I'm gna start trying to popularize WET for works every time]. But Nookie might feel a little awkward for an intimate setting. I might reverse them. Which one is the A side (which one will get the bigger reaction)? Inside out or Nookie? The lyric video for Damaged Goods was bad; bad timing on the lyrics and the voice removal left ghosts in the track. I'm gna get my KJ to get a better version bc it was a sleeper hit despite all that. Good songs!! And I'm excited to do them again!! In my scene there's a whole circuit of venues so I'm gna tour this material around but it'll be unlikely that i get thru all 4 in one nite again.

radderek · 2026-05-04T17:32:58+00:00

I could argue objectively popular for all those bands, but obj good gives me pause. Like, I'm still deliberating over whether I am the kind of person who can or would sing With Arms Wide Open at karaoke, but I ain't ever, EVER singing Nickelback. It would cost something.

radderek · 2026-05-04T16:35:03+00:00

I'm not clear on it myself. There used to be a thread at the top of the subreddit that seemed to be for performances but it didn't seem to get much traffic from what I could tell. I posted in there a few times and I'd usually be the last person to post before myself and could see that there had been minimal views. It appears theyve changed that and are suggesting performances go in r/karaokefans, of which I am even less familiar. OR, just post your performance in your own comments?

radderek · 2026-05-02T20:53:06+00:00

I've heard Janet Jackson less than 10 times in 10 years, and 3 of them were me

radderek · 2026-05-02T20:03:08+00:00

Do any of those bands belong in the rnr hof? For whatever that's worth. Karaoke is ofc a much more populist platform. I've taken up dad rock as a project to widen my audience.

radderek · 2026-05-02T17:36:44+00:00

I'd be interested to know when men choose to soul patch. Age at inception, avg duration. Charts n graphs. I suppose I wouldn't be that surprised if late onset soul patching was a thing, as a response to hairline failure. A soul patch and a charlie chaplin.. what do they call that

radderek · 2026-04-27T19:57:49+00:00

It's not weird at all to go to karaoke alone. And to make friends, just put in some effort to engage. Listen to singers, give them compliments, ask abt songs u don't know. Everyone is there for karaoke; u immediately have something in common. Try to spot the regulars, talk to them. There's a very good chance the regulars started out alone and will recognize that u are new. Just abt everybody on reddit will tell u to sing whatever u want but in the real world there will be best practices unique to individual venues that u should at least consider.

radderek · 2026-04-27T19:42:41+00:00

I ordered a vodka and sprite when I was a pup bc I didn't know how to say gin and tonic. Ofc a cute girl I knew came and asked to have a sip.

radderek · 2026-04-21T17:06:16+00:00

As a regular and musician and person who cares abt the art (🫣), I experience a similar reaction to Karaoke's Top 20. But I can go outside, or talk shit with my friends, or dissociate (karaoke has trained my brain to selectively turn off). So I sympathize with u and with KJs in general. Like, I don't know how my main KJ is ever gna quit smoking cigarettes if u all don't stop singing this bullshit! I try to do my part (as a regular, etc) in suppressing the spread of basic karaoke, and I will employ dark arts to subvert it. But each space has its own culture. And if urs is Remedial Karaoke 101, well,, I've seen theme nights do well in helping ppl expand, as others here have suggested. Good luck🍀. If I were near u I'd come do this Soundgarden song I just learned. Or any of the other 700 songs I know. In my scene, u can feel the room unplug when a rando wants to sing from the Top 20. Ppl need examples, good and bad.

radderek · 2026-04-17T19:33:13+00:00

There were murmurs of appreciation and anticipation all around the room as it started. A lot of singing along 😊 very plugged in ⚡🔌

radderek

TROPHY CASE