When U2 released their album Songs Of Innocence in 2014, half a billion people got it in an instant. When they woke up in the morning, it was on their phones, laptops, desktops, tablets, and more. Unlike the days when the world's biggest artists released LPs, there was no need to rush to the record shop. Everyone connected to iTunes found themselves owning the album. This was a defining moment, a real revolution in changing the way we buy music. For the first time, people were choosing to get rid of music, not to have it.
In this day and age, it's taken for granted that there's music everywhere you go. Many of us have collections of records, CDs, cassettes, digital files, and other short-lived formats. So how do these influence the way we listen to music? And how have technological innovations changed the music we listen to?
Until recently in human history, music was hard to come by. Before Thomas Edison showed off his gramophone, if you wanted to listen to music, you had only two options. Either go to a place where musicians are playing music, or play it yourself. The idea of owning or buying music never existed.
And then, one day in 1877, everything changed. A young American inventor, Thomas Edison, shouted "Mary's Lamb" into the horn of his latest invention. The machine recorded the sound waves of his voice onto wax paper. When Edison applied a stylus to the paper, the same sound waves were reproduced and amplified through the cone. "I have never been so surprised in my life," he later said.
Edison's invention was not to store sound on a disc, but to record it on a cylinder of paper. However, it didn't take long for disks to become more popular than cylinders, and this imperfect first format was scrapped. In the years since, technology has made great strides, such as Emile Berliner's Gramophone (1887). At the end of the century, a record player was invented that worked when a coin was inserted. The prototype of this jukebox was installed in the phonograph parlors that were beginning to open all over America at the time, and soon spread around the world.
In 1901, the same year that the latest version of the Berliner Grammophone was introduced and put on the market by the Victor Talking Machine Company, the first commercial Gramophone Records, manufactured in Victor's music recording department released the disc of Italian tenor singer Enrico Caruso, whose popularity made him the first record industry star.
In the decades that followed, improving mass production was the biggest challenge for the pioneers of the record industry. Caruso's recording was released on a 78 rpm 10 inch disc. Cylinders may have had some advantages, but the means of mass production became increasingly necessary. To keep up with demand, musicians and singers would record and re-record songs over and over again. He even sang the same song 100 times a day.
Edison realized quite early on that recording music does not just provide music, but that the recorded music itself becomes a new instrument. It's the idea behind the sonic experiments we're used to today: sampling, synths, looping, and more. The record did not just record the performance, it became the performance itself.
For a while, the record remained its original purpose. People would go to the theater and listen to the symphonies and tunes playing from the record player on the stage. Edison took it one step further in 1915. A "test tone" was performed in a demonstration of the diamond disk phonogram. It played Mendelsohn's aria "Elijah" sung by Christine Miller, while Miller sang along to her own voice on the record. At the cue, Miller stopped singing and only her recorded voice played. This proved to the audience (the audience reportedly gasped at the result) just how accurate the playback had become. Such events have continued to attract large crowds over the years. The most famous test tone was held in 1920 at New York's prestigious Carnegie Hall.
In the first half of the 20th century, the 78 rpm 10 inch became the most popular format. This disc could hold 3 minutes per side. As a result, the length of most popular songs was dictated, and it was considered ideal even after technological developments eliminated this limitation.
Classics and readings were often released on 12-inch 78rpm. Victor releases George Gershwin's 'Rhapsody In Blue' on both sides of a 12-inch disc. Another way to circumvent the disc length limitation was to bundle several records into one package. This became known as the record album. An example of this is the 1917 HMV recording of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado (operetta).
In the 1920s, the popularity of jazz records soared, and some musicians became world stars. Chief among them was Louis Armstrong, who produced such hits as 'Potato Head Blues' and the seminal 'West End Blues'. These short jazzy records were instrumental in the birth of what came to be known as popular (or "pop") music. Charleston became popular, and orchestras led by Duke Ellington and others became big business. The 20s began in Chicago, which attracted Jelly Roll Morton and others, and ended in New York. Broadway songs by songwriters such as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter were replaced by jazz standards such as Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'" and began to gain popularity.
With the advent of microphone-based electrical recording, it became possible to capture subtle, romantic styles of singing without worrying that the vocals would be drowned out by the band, and jazz big bands became known as crooners. A singer with a style that speaks smoothly came to be welcomed at the front.
Rudy Vallee was the most popular of these new vocalists. The handsome, stylish American singer had hits like "I'm Just A Vagabond Lover" and "Deep Night," and was mobbed night after night by flapper girls at sold-out shows. Teen magazines published his photo, and girls wrote letters pledging their eternal love. Vallee was the first pop idol. That legacy still remains.
Vallee was quickly followed by handsome, gentlemanly singers like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, who stirred up the passions of young women and made their boyfriends jealous. Records laid the groundwork for pop stars, and the generations to come of teenagers were captivated by the succession of handsome, wholesome men.
Even through the recession of the 1920s and '30s and the post-war depression, the recording industry was thriving. Jukeboxes became familiar throughout the United States and soon expanded overseas. During this period, the entertainment trade magazine Billboard began publishing charts, the first record chart being published on July 20, 1940. ).
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Billboard originally had separate charts for jukebox divisions, radio plays, sales, etc., and records were divided by genre. Among them was the Rce record chart. Later R&B charts. It was based on blues records recorded in the 1920s and 1930s and field recordings where record companies sent producers and engineers to the South to find interesting musicians. Robert Johnson was the first artist recorded in this way in San Antonio. So did Blind Willie McTell and Big Bill Broonzy, who later became inspirations for young white musicians. These 78 rpm records were collected by musicologist Harry Smith and dubbed "The Music of the Mysterious Gods" and spread in a new and more convenient format after World War II.
Another chart was the Harlem Hit Parade. Nat King Cole's 'Straighten Up And Fly Right' topped the charts for ten weeks in 1943. The soft-voiced jazz pianist signed with up-and-coming Capitol Records, and his phenomenal record sales are said to have enabled the company to build Hollywood's famous Capitol Tower. . It's called "The House Nat Built".
At this time, records from emerging crooner stars were dominating the charts. Frank Sinatra had perhaps the most unique talent. Seeking attention, he performed in New York and New Jersey (sometimes for free) and recorded several records with band leader Harry James (including "My Buddy" and "All Or Nothing At All"). Sinatra soon joined Tommy Dorsey in one of America's biggest bands, producing successful records like 'I'll Be Seeing You'. Recorded in February 1940, it became an integral part of his repertoire after America entered World War II. In the 40s, Sinatra played venues filled with screaming girls and the hits continued.
In the immediate aftermath of the war, America's two biggest record labels, Columbia Records, and their more successful rival, RCA Victor, became known as the "Speed Battle." started things. RCA flirted with new long-play records in the '30s, but it didn't go well, and in the late '40s, they turned their attention to reliable 7-inch 45rpm discs.
Columbia, with the help of a former RCA Victor employee, developed a proprietary 12-inch disc that spins at 33 1/3 rpm. This was called LP or long player. A 10-inch was also introduced, one of its first releases being 'The Voice Of Frank Sinatra'. This battle unfolded over the years, resulting in 45s of superior quality being chosen for the short, pop song format, and LPs for classical music fans who usually stick to high quality but prefer long play. accepted by
In no time, all record companies were producing discs in styles appropriate for their respective markets. At first, RCA even color-coded their records: black for popular music, red for classical, green for country, and orange for blues and R&B. Among the first releases of Orange's R&B series were Tampa Red & Big Maceo's 'If You Ever Change Your Ways' and Delta blues singer Arthur Crudup's 'That's All Right'. . The latter took the world by storm a few years later when it was covered by Tupelo, Mississippi truck driver Elvis Presley.
Record labels popped up in almost every city across America. Some were short-lived successes, others became legends. Especially what was called “Race Music (*African American Music)” at the time. Labels like LA's Specialty, Chicago's Chess and New York's Atlantic produced some of the most influential and timeless classics of the 20th century.
In the jazz realm, Blue Note Records emerged, a vibrant label producing ten-inch albums by Charlie Parker, Thelonious Sphere Monk, Miles Davis and Oscar Peterson. However, the major labels were in the process of transitioning from 10" LPs to 12" records. This was a headache for smaller independent labels. They were always cash-strapped and not as deep-pocketed as the big ones, so changing to a bigger format was difficult and expensive, and some small record labels couldn't even try. During this period, jazz labels released 45s of long-playing LP-ready artists, a surprise in this day and age. As a matter of fact, it had to be released on 45s to get radio play and a nationwide jukebox.
By this time, music was being recorded using magnetic tape, and inventors such as guitarist Les Paul were experimenting with overdubbing, tape echo, and multi-track recording. Each studio has its own sound, and that's what makes them successful. Few studios, however, boasted more sound than Sam Phillips' Memphis record label, Sun Records.
It was here in 1950 that Ike Turner recorded 'Rocket 88' with the help of vocalist Jackie Brenston. The single is often cited as the first rock and roll record. Turner's amplifier is said to have broken on the way to the studio, resulting in a distorted guitar sound. Musicians and engineers loved it so much that they not only recorded it, but made it a song highlight. "Rocket 88" was a smash hit, reaching No. 1 on the US R&B chart. Hundreds of imitators appeared. Phillips then discovered and recorded Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison.
Rocket 88From the early days of recording to the mid-50s, a lot of it happened as much by accident as it was on purpose. there were. People liked convenient formats, and music chose formats that suited them. But what Capitol released in 1955 changed all that. In the early '50s, Sinatra's popularity was on the decline, but he was quickly revived when he was signed to Capitol and starred in the Academy Award-winning film From Here To Eternity. His third album for the label, In the Wee Small Hours, isn't technically his first "concept" album, nor is it the first popular music release on a 12-inch LP. It was the first concept album released on a 12-inch LP.
In the Wee Small Hours is today considered the first "classic album". The album's themes were heartbreak, loneliness, introspection and grief, perhaps as a result of her broken marriage and affair with Ava Gardner. Everything about this record is high standard and, perhaps for the first time, elevated pop music to art. It became one that the position of the goal changed.
In the Wee Small Hours of the MorningOf course, Sinatra's LP didn't mark the end of the 45s. In fact, it was far from it. The rise of rock'n'roll and R&B music ensured a bright future for the 7-inch. Artists like Ray Charles have pushed the boundaries of microgrove singles by extending "What'd I Say?" to both sides of the disc. Innovative record producers such as American Phil Spector and British Joe Meek turned their short stories into miniature symphonies, not allowing format time limits to limit the imagination.
In the 60s, folk music's adoption of LPs was a significant event in promoting the format. Records by the likes of Nina Simone and Pete Seeger garnered great acclaim, but it was Bob Dylan's success that brought albums into the bedrooms of teenagers around the world.
Meanwhile, the astounding success of the vocal group that followed The Beatles kept the 7-Inch popular. The Beatles' double A-side 'Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane' is considered the greatest 7-inch of all time.
The Beatles – Strawberry Fields ForeverHowever, young musicians on both sides of the Atlantic took their music more seriously, and long-running albums began to take on greater importance. The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson has stopped touring with the group to focus on a pop symphony album. 1966's Pet Sounds remains one of the masterpieces.
Pet Sounds (Stereo / Remastered)The Beatles' answer was a record produced in the same format as Sinatra's groundbreaking LP more than a decade ago. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band shows the Fab Four exploring all the possibilities of an LP to make a great album. Innovations such as pop art sleeve designs by respected artists, printed lyrics on artwork, double-page spreads on pop records, full-color inner sleeves, and even recording looping sounds into the grooves. but combined with an innovative sound, made this album feel like a big event.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Remastered 2009)Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was the moment when the LP overtook the single, bringing together various elements into a pop album. Hit singles were by no means underestimated, but from here on critics became primarily interested in albums to gauge an artist's artistry, and singles still sell in the millions. However, they have come to be considered more disposable.
No one exemplified this better than Led Zeppelin. British heavy rock groups resisted releasing singles, strongly believing that listening to an album in its entirety was an experience. The 70's was arguably the golden age of LP. Thinking of Pink Floyd and David Bowie as works of art, they pushed the limits of pop music. In fact, the album sleeve itself is a work of art, and people of a certain age will admit that they bought the record because of the cover. Who doesn't remember In The Court of The Crimson King?
As the recording industry became a multi-billion dollar business, various new technologies were invented. Tape had long been the standard format in recording studios, but around this time manufacturers were turning to portable players and other conveniences. The 8-track cartridge system was developed by Learjet in the mid-'60s and made it possible to play music on airplanes. Ford Motor Company is one company that has installed similar systems in their cars. In the 70s, the advent of compact cassettes led to a proliferation of home-made tapes and at the same time the ability to take your music with you wherever you went. With the invention of the Sony Walkman, for the first time people could carry a music system in their pocket. Unexpectedly, cassettes also gave rise to the mixtape... Here, for the first time, music became a versatile medium of communication.
In the 1980s, we saw a different future. The world went digital, and the record industry soon followed. The big bang of digital music happened in Japan in 1982. It was the first commercial compact disc or CD. In 1985, the Dire Straits album Brothers In Arms became the first CD to sell a million copies. That same year, the entire David Bowie catalog was reissued on CD, transforming listeners around the world. Many people began replacing their existing collections with digital formats, discarding records and tapes.
At this point, manufacturers, not musicians, were once again at the center of invention. Major record companies spent a lot of money developing new formats. In 1992, Sony used Leaf's "Naked" as a commercial and announced a minidisc, or MD. This format was a small, practical hi-fi system, but struggled to surpass CD-R in the mass market. It was cheaper to burn CDs than copy them to MDs. But the advent of MP3 players signaled the end of these formats. Illegal file-sharing sites like Napster were rampant, and physical sales plummeted. However, I am now recovering...
In the 2010s, the recording industry stepped up and legalized music downloads. At the same time, the popularity of vinyl LPs revived, and a new generation took an interest in the format. Artists like American singer-songwriter Bonnie "Prince" Billy, French dance act Daft Punk, and indie rockers Arctic Monkeys have contributed to the format's revival. Consumers today can choose formats that suit their lifestyle and convenience.
And in 2021, downloads have completely disappeared, and instead, streaming has taken over the music industry, and in the physical realm, LP sales have exceeded CD sales in many countries. On the other hand, there are more and more luxury package products that tickle the hearts of fans, and on the contrary, some artists, such as Lord, have stopped selling CDs because they are environmentally conscious. What kind of music format will be established in the next decade, and how will artists' artistry change accordingly?
Written By Paul McGuinness
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