I get the impression that the popularity of karaoke and TV talent shows has encouraged many people to get over their inherent shyness about singing in public. Not so long ago anyone singing outside of an actual performance tended to be ridiculed, or assumed to be drunk, but now people are wont to sing lines from pop songs whenever prompted, when in the past they would have just whistled or hummed the tune for fear of rebuke. Look at also at the growth of community choirs, people getting together to sing pop songs, something that until recently had died out with the glee clubs and barbershop quartets, (apart from shanty groups and acapella folk groups valiantly keeping the faith). Or is this just another mad theory of mine?