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First gramophone records (vinyl)
A gramophone record is an analogue sound recording medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove. Gramophone records were the primary technology used for personal music reproduction for most of the 20th century beginning 1877 -
First UK BBC radio broadcast
The first daily radio service, was launched by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) in London. -
BBC TV first broadcast
First broadcast from Broadcasting House. -
The first singles chart
On November 14, 1952, just over 60 years ago, the first ever Official Singles Chart was published in NME. -
Elvis Presley first single
Elvis Presley’s first single was ‘That's all Right mama’ released 5 July 1954. -
First music synthesizer
It was developed by Harry Olson and Herbert Bella -
The Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan TV show
The Beatles were gaining coverage in the British press and were receiving tremendous radio and television exposure.The Daily Mirror described the hysteria as "Beatlemania!" The term stuck. -
BBC Radio One Launched
BBC Radio has expanded since 1967 with the launch of new national radio networks for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1978 and Radio 5Live in August 1990. -
Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody first music promo video
The genre-defying single was a hit when it was first released on Halloween in 1975. As the story goes, Bohemian Rhapsody came to Mercury in a dream. Immediately after waking, the double-jointed musician reached behind himself to pluck out the first notes on the piano he had fashioned into a headboard. And so the rhapsody was born. -
Sony walkman released
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The Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen banned by BBC
The Sex Pistols protest song God Save the Queen is to be re-released 35 years after its debut, in time for the Diamond Jubilee in June. -
MTV opens with its first video; “Video killed the radio star” by Buggles
‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ was written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley. A nostalgic yet techno-savvy rumination on the 1960s’ passing of a musical era that had previously been dominated by the radio, focusing on an artist whose career hit the skids thanks to the rising popularity of television. -
First CD
First prototypes of Compact Disc were demonstrated by Philips in 1979. Standard was proposed by Philips and Sony in 1980. -
First mobile phone
Cell phones have evolved immensely since 1983, both in design and function. From the Motorola DynaTAC to the iPhone 3G. -
Band aid charity supergroup Christmas single launched
Band Aid was a charity supergroup featuring leading British and Irish musicians and recording artists. Was found in 1984 to raise money for anti-poverty efforts in Ethiopia by releasing the song “do they know it’s Christmas?” -
Satellite TV
After testing, Astra 1A starts broadcasting, the satellite carries four channels from new broadcaster, Sky Television, all broadcasting free-to-air. -
World Wide Web Started
The world wide web lauched for the public in August 1991. -
First dvd was launched in the uk
hhome videos was one of the first to release a dvd -
Napster launches as first Peer to Peer file sharing website- in the same year they are sued by RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America sues Napster, the online, peer-to-peer file sharing service that’s allowing millions of computer users to score free, copyright music. -
Online music retail
CDs, tapes, vinyl, videotapes and DVDs are now available at over one hundred locations on the Internet, and new online stores pop up all the time. Many of these online retailers, however, are still developing their presence on the Internet. -
First iPod
In January 2001 iTunes digital jukebox software was introduced and in October the same year Apple presented the iPod, offering "1,000 songs in your pocket" -
Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” is the first uk number one based on download sales alone
Crazy by Gnarls Barkley has made pop history as the UK's first number one song based on download sales alone. -
The UK charts include download sales
Album downloads will count towards the UK's official album chart for the first time on a Sunday. -
iTunes becomes top US music retailer
The iTunes Store became the largest music retailer in the US based on the amount of music sold during January and February 2008. -
Cloud technology launched, allowing users to store their music online
The service has been described as an "amnesty for music pirates" although it does not formally protect users against copyright infringement prosecutions. -
The Big Three
Universal Music Group: Key artists are: Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, Gwen Stefani and Kanye West. Sony BMG Music Entertainment: Key artists are: Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Shakira and Britney Spears. EMI Group: The Beatles, Coldplay, Gorillaz, Rolling Stones and Robbie Williams
