Popular Music History Timeline
1877
1887
1889
1892
1895
1914
1919
1924
1925
1926
1929
1931
1931
1936
1940
1945
1948
1948
1949
1952
1953
1954
1957
1959
1963
1969
1973
1975
1975
1976
1979
1980
1981
1982
1991
1992
1994
1995
1996
2003
2009
Thomas Edison invents sound recording
Emile Berliner builds the first gramophone - 78 rpm
Colunbia founded by Edward Easton
Era of Tin Pan Alley
Gugliemo Marconi invents the radio
ASCAP
American
Society
ofAmerican
Composers,
Authors
and Publishers
General- Electric
absorbs
the
branch
of Marconi
wireless founded
telegraph and
renames it Radio Corporation of America (RCA)
Music Corporation of America (MCA) founded in Chicago
78.26 rpm chosen as industry standard for recorded music
16 inch acetate-coated discs introduced (33 1/3 rpm)
Decca records founded in Britain
Abbey
recordingisstudio
openedof
inthe
London
AdolphRoad
Rickenbacker
the inventer
first modern amplifiable electric guitar. It
was a semi-hollow body guitar with sound holes.
Gibson company produces the ES-150 electric guitar
Disney's "Fantasia" introduces steroe sound
Les Paul invents echo-delay, multi-tracking, and other techniques
Columbia introduces 12-in 33 1/3 rpm vinyl record
Leo Fender introduces the Telecaster electric guitar
RCA Victor introduces the 45 rpm vinyl record
Sam Phillips founds Sun Records
Sun Records records first Elvis Presley record
Record companies switch from 78 rpm to 45 rpm
Dick Clark's American Bandstand takes to the airwaves
Barry Gordy founds Tamla Mowtown Records in Detroit
50% of American recordings made in Nashville, TN
Woodstock Music Festival - 300,000 people attend
George Lucas' film "American Graffiti" begins revival of 1950's and 60's music
SNL
on TVIndustry Association of America) establishes "Gold" award selling
RIAAdebuts
(Recording
over 500,000 copies & "Platinum" over 1,000,000
Marantz invents the "boombox"
Sony introduces the "Walkman"
John Lennon murdered in NYC
Michael Jackson 15 minute music video - "Thriller"
Sony and Philips introduce CD's
Lollapallooza Festival started & Protools recording software invented
MP3 is invented to store music on computers
First internet radio station at University of North Carolina - WXYC
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in Cleveland, OH
DVD introduced in Japan
Apple introduces iTunes
Digital sales account for 98% of all singles sold in the USA and Britain