Thomas Edison made the first machine that could record and play back sound in 1877. A new way of rec

Written: October 18, 2024

Thomas Edison made the first machine that could record and play back sound in 1877. A new way of recording sound on a flat disc was invented in 1888. The idea was simple: sound waves were captured as little bumps on the disc, usually made from a special material called shellac (from a beetle shell!). Most discs spun at about 78 times per minute, which is why they were called "78s." Other speeds like 80 or 100 were sometimes used too. Over time, these discs changed as people found better ways to make them or tried not to copy someone else's invention. By the 1950s, a new kind of record called the LP slowly started replacing the 78s, but some places still used them into the 1960s.
Why Should We Save 78s?
The 20th century is special because we have recordings of music, stories, and even sounds from everyday life. Before 1877, there was no way to capture someone reading a bedtime story, singing a song, or acting in a play. But for almost half of the 20th century, 78rpm records helped people around the world share their lives and entertainment.
During that time, people could suddenly hear sounds from faraway places, even before radio or TV existed! Through 78s, you could listen to traditional Hawaiian music or jazz, big band, and early rock n' roll like the Beatles. Concerts and theater performances, which could only be enjoyed by a small group of people, could now be played for everyone over and over again!
These records didn't just record music. They saved important moments in history. You could hear how people laughed at jokes in old comedy routines, learn about what people liked to do in their free time, or even understand the problems of the past, like how certain groups of people were treated unfairly.
78s captured the energy of happy times like the Roaring '20s and tough times like the Great Depression. They gave a voice to music from America, like jazz and blues, that grew from hard struggles. They also let us hear music from other cultures around the world that we might never have experienced otherwise.
With 78s, we can listen to important speeches, like those from World War II, and even hear the scary words of dictators. But we can also hear the music that lifted people's spirits and brought them together. The sounds of big bands, swing, and early rock 'n' roll all came after the war.
By saving these records, future generations can listen to how people felt, what made them laugh or cry, and what mattered to them. It's like having a time machine that lets us hear the past and learn from it!