Just had an idea which I know punters will love but David will no doubt consider a logistical nightmare (no offence m'lord heheheh)!
Picture a ''subscribers only'' section here at w2s with a song list incorporating all the song lists of all the karaoke operators, with the option of listing by either artist or song title. You click on the songs/artists you want to sing, select the state / city you're in (or going to be in) and ''hey presto!'' up come the relevant KJs who have those songs on their lists! So now you know whose gigs to look out for!
Plus, there could be a field to submit song requests to your favourite KJs if you find that they don't have the song(s) you desire. You enter the song title and click a ''Submit'' button. The song requests could be logged so that the most popular ones made of DIFFERENT KJ's could be tracked. That ''Most Popular Requests'' list could either be a regular feature of the newsletter or just a section on the site for KJs to check to see that they are fulfilling their punters' repertoire needs and order from their suppliers as desired.
Take it further and perhaps ''Most Requested'' songs could be submitted to companies like Capital Karaoke, Sunfly, etc, so that the songs we karaokers WANT to sing actually are noted and hopefully put onto disc as a result! I mean, think about how many songs on compilation discs, in general, that you actually know vs those you don't. Right now, karaoke discs (and the $ spent by the KJs purchasing them) are quite wasted really since many of the songs never get sung because people don't know them. If the most requested songs get put onto disc though, DIFFERENT story!
Those ''Most Requested'' songs would forever be updating as people find new stuff they want to sing whether from the Top 40 charts or wherever. Heck, David, you might have the opportunity to make some more moolah by providing a new service to karaoke disc manufacturers here!!
Oh and btw, if the title you request matches or partly matches entries already on the list, those matches with their relevant artists come up on screen first for you to make sure you're not doubling up with requests. THEN, you would be given the option of naming the artist whose version you desire before submitting your request.
Whether through word of mouth, human interest stories like Today Tonight did in October, 2004 or scenes in movies or television series depicting karaoke, once this new system is in place, when outsiders see that karaoke isn't just about drunks getting on stage performing the tacky classics (The Gambler, I Will Survive, etc) but actually stuff they themselves probably find popular, they might be attracted to giving karaoke a fair go. When I say, 'popular,' I mean of course that statistically, what punters request the most will likely be what the majority of the music listening population wish to hear. I know for myself that many people loathe karaoke even if they themselves have never tried or attended it simply because of misconceptions. The very mention of karaoke to the outsider can provoke expressions of 'Ugh!' or grimaces and other physical signs indicating they don't like what they have seen for themselves of karaoke - usually a bad experience which puts them off for life. Changing the perception could start with moving karaoke to provide what people really want to hear. Yes, we already have much on karaoke that we love but there's plenty MORE we'd love to see too. el barto and myself love many artists on karaoke but often its their songs NOT on karaoke that we want.
I for one would love to sing Right Said Fred's ''Don't Talk, Just Kiss'' but am yet to find it on karaoke anywhere.
Just to go even one step more, if the service is provided to the karaoke song manufacturers as I suggested, an optional survey on their behalf could be attached to the song request form with regards to which parts should or should not be provided on duet/group songs. The savvy supplier could use it as a tool for upcoming karaoke releases also or for reworking songs already available. I know the female version of ''Men In Black,'' for example, has an absolute CRUMMY rap rendition provided on it, nothing like Will Smith's vocals. The request system could remedy that.
The fact this request system would be so accessible by all in one location rather than juggling between w2s and host and supplier sites, I think it would provide a big boost to karaoke for punters, operators and suppliers alike and thus the industry as a whole. Well worth the subscription too as we would not only be getting great service but actually INFLUENCING karaoke song choice. What do you all reckon?
Submitted by Johnny B on 18-07-2006

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