He invented karaoke, saw it take off, then walked away – Daisuke Inoue taught the world to sing, if not always in harmony

The man who helped teach the world to sing – although not always in perfect harmony – could have earned US$100 million in royalties last year alone, but he is not bitter about missing out on the money.

Daisuke Inoue, the inventor of karaoke, shrugs when asked if he regrets not taking out a patent on his creation, which today is ubiquitous around the world.