1877Reputable sourceWell documented
Edison Invents the Phonograph
On the timeline · around 1877 · The Recording Age
What happened
In 1877 Thomas Edison built the phonograph, which recorded sound as indentations on a tinfoil-wrapped cylinder and played it back — the first machine ever to capture and reproduce sound. He famously recorded himself reciting 'Mary Had a Little Lamb.'
Why it matters
Recorded sound severed music from live performance for the first time, creating the recording industry and eventually putting all the world's music within reach of anyone, anywhere. It opened the age we still live in.
Sources
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Edison's Talking Machine · Reputable source