IStock Photo 4854568 © Dmitriy Shironosov

Take one instrumental track, add some off-key singing and a bar full of pop music fans, and you have the ingredients for one of America’s popular pastimes: karaoke.

The odds an adult will participate in karaoke in a year are 1 in 24.31, a little bit less than the odds a person will attend a classical music or opera performance (1 in 23.77) and a little bit better than the odds a person will play chess (1 in 30.18). Some do it on a regular basis, too. The odds a person will participate in karaoke at least 2 times a week are 1 in 365.5.

Even celebrities like “Twilight” star Robert Pattinson and “Wolverine” star Hugh Jackman cannot resist—the two stars battled in a karaoke showdown in Tokyo back in February. And karaoke has been featured in many popular films, including the scene in “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” where Cameron Diaz’s bad singing wins over the crowd.

Some may be inspired by those stars or their favorite American Idol contestant. Others may truly believe they have a gift. And some—OK, most—may have just had a few too many drinks.

While it may be every participant’s dream to win over the audience, success is often hard to come by, as an unpopular song selection or poor performance can quickly turn the crowd. In September, 6 women in Stamford, Connecticut were charged with allegedly beating another woman because they didn’t like her performance. The following month, a brawl erupted outside a karaoke bar in Stanton, California, leading to one man being seriously injured. There was no mention of whether the fight was related to a bad song choice.

Originating in Kobe, Japan, in the 1970s as a means for entertaining guests at parties, karaoke found its way to the United States in the late 1980s. And it has expanded beyond barrooms. A karaoke machine was set up last December at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport so that passengers waiting for flights could belt out their favorite holiday songs. And the medium has even been used in a performance art installation at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston called “ Karaoke Wrong Number.”

But karaoke’s biggest spinoffs are undoubtedly the wildly popular video games, Guitar Hero and Rock Band. These games have taken karaoke a step further by not only allowing participants to sing their favorite songs, but also to create the music by “playing” instruments.

The popularity of these games has led bars and restaurants to host popular Rock Band Nights that attract large crowds. A moment in the spotlight, a talent show, some music, and a chance to cheer or jeer: it’s everyone’s American Idol.