I still remember the big technology news 30 years ago today. The shameless hype and publicity about a new way to play back recorded music was launched in the United States and Europe. In the previous months, the press had already published a few sneak previews of something called the Compact Disc. The articles gushed about how the recording industry and consumer electronics were in for a total sonic revolution. However, the Japanese manufacturers were sitting on the goods, and we’d all have to just wait.
Finally, March 2, 1983, the very first commercially available Compact Disc playback units and records were put on sale in the U.S. The technology was very expensive to own, though. The first couple of years, only well-to-do audiophiles and classical music fans had a CD player. My friends and I waited with baited breath for the inevitable price drop and the availability of units in our area.
I had anticipated getting my own player by several months by purchasing two Beethoven CDs and a demonstration sound effects record before the players were available in Nebraska. Then I simply waited.
That day arrived in early 1985, when I plunked down $300 for an off brand player. At
last, I was in audio-nirvana. Until it malfunctioned two months later. I exchanged it on the 90 day warranty and used the replacement for another two months until, it too, broke down. I obtained a full refund, then purchased a portable player that served me well for several years.
After 1984, consumers watched as refinements to CDs were introduced to replace analogue audio, video and data storage needs. In late 1984, the very first CD-ROM technology was made available to the public. Interactive CD-I or interactive compact discs appeared in 1986.
The VCD, video compact disc was marketed in 1987, not to be confused with the later DVD. In 1990, the very first commercially available recordable CDs came on the market.
By 1996, DVD, Digital Video Disc, technology was introduced, signalling the end of CD dominance of the market. DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD became competitors for awhile, but neither were accepted by much of the music buying public. Then in 2000, the first Blu-Ray players and discs are introduced.
Recently, of course, sales of CD only releases of music have declined because of online downloads and MP3 recordings. However, 30 years after the introduction of CDs to the non-Japanese world, we can still purchase and enjoy Compact Discs.
Ciao
The Blue Jay of Happiness notes that the sales peak for CD audio happened in the year 2000.
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