Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox ‘Karaoke’ app to charge singers by the hour

In the real world, it’s not uncommon for karaoke bars to charge customers an hourly rate to use their facilities and equipment. We’ve rarely seen such a model go digital, but that’s exactly what Microsoft is reportedly poised to attempt with its upcoming Karaoke app for Xbox 360. Produced in tandem with The Karaoke Channel, the app will require gamers to purchase “blocks” of singing time: you’ll need to pick between two, six, and 24-hour allotments before belting out your favorite tunes.

That fee will grant you access to what Microsoft calls “a complete library of karaoke songs” containing over 8,000 tracks. Thankfully a rotating selection of free titles will be available for those looking to try the app. Moreover, rather than making users download content, songs are streamed from the cloud. And with Karaoke being a Microsoft Studios game, it should come as no surprise that SmartGlass integration will be on full display, allowing players to piece together a song queue from a supported smartphone or tablet. Karaoke is set to arrive on Xbox Live “in time for the holidays.” The move comes after Sony transitioned to a freemium model with its own SingStar karaoke franchise.