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Humanities LibreTexts

Media Chronology

  • Page ID
    172091

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    1877 Edison phonograph invented

    1910s 78 rpm records widely available (not the only recording speed)

    1925 Electric recording available (via microphones)

    1930s Magnetic tape used by German government for propaganda recordings

    1946 Only 0.5 percent of US households have television sets

    1947 Magnetic tape available for commercial recordings; can be spliced to edit

    1948 33 1/3 rpm long-playing (LP) records available

    1949 45 rpm “singles” (1 song on a side) cheaply available

    1954 More than 55 percent of US households have television sets

    1958 Stereophonic sound, multitrack magnetic tape

    1966 Compact cassette tape in wide circulation

    1983 Compact discs introduced

    1980s Internet access available to consumers

    1998 First music stores appear on the internet

    2001 Apple begins selling the iPod. More than 98 percent of US households have color television sets

    2002 Streaming begins to become widespread

    2006 Apple’s iTunes surpasses one billion songs sold

    2018 Apple announces it will phase out downloadable music files

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