1982

The Compact Disc is introduced in 1982 by Sony and Philips.
It stores music in a digital format instead of analog.
The data is encoded as microscopic pits on the surface of a plastic disc.
A laser reads this information without physical contact.
This results in very clear sound with almost no background noise.
A CD can store around 74 to 80 minutes of music.
Unlike vinyl records, there is no mechanical wear during playback.
CD players quickly spread in home Hi-Fi systems, car stereos and portable players.
During the 1990s, the CD becomes the dominant music format worldwide.
Millions of albums are released on digital compact discs.
The CD marks the beginning of the digital revolution in audio technology.