The Redoubtable Disc Record – And Why the Format Refuses to Die

Despite the way the Internet connects us with vast quantities of music, 43% of all albums sold in the U.S. last year were vinyl LPS. Why is this? Why is it that, today, the disc record is the only physical audio format with increasing sales?

A panel of industry and audio experts explores the 130- year history of the disc record and explains why – despite frequent predictions of its demise- the format’s popularity continues to grow. Intertwined with their presentations are demonstrations of period phonographs and recordings that reflect the changing musical tastes and technology since the disc first appeared in the 1890s.

Panelists
Richard Martin – Co-owner, Producer, Engineer, Researcher/Writer, Archeophone, Records
Nick Bergh – Sound Restoration Expert and Found, Endpoint Audio Labs, Inc.
Patrick Feaster – Sound Media Historian: Lead Researcher, First Sounds Initiative

Moderator
Yuri Shimoda – Supervisor of Preservation Services, Warner Bros. Discovery

Presented by the UCSB Library as part of the Early Recordings Initiative (ERI). The ERI is focused on the acquisition, conservation, maintenance, digitization, and study of the earliest and rarest early sound recordings. These records are primarily brown way cylinders but also include other early formats.

Register for the In-Person Event
Register for the Virtual Event