Before there were MP3's Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cylinder

Thomas Edison invented the phonograph December 4, 1877. At first, the cylinders were wrapped with foil which would only last a short while. Alexander Graham Bell (the inventor of the telephone) came up with the idea of using wax instead. In 1891 you would have to pay up to $150 for a phonograph machine but by 1899 the price had dropped to just $20 for the deluxe model and $7.50 for the basic model.

The cylinders themselves were $.50 and played at 120 RPM.

Answer: 78 RPM

Around 10 inches in diameter the 78 RPM record was made of shellac and as such they were very heavy and as breakable as a china plate. The grooves were placed so far apart that you could only have about three to four minutes of music per side. However, they retained their popularity until the 1960's.
A holdover from the old 78's is that many singles released today are only three minutes long, which was the length of one side of the old 78's.

Answer: LP (Long Playing)

The LP's could hold up to 60 minutes of music (hence the name). They were approximately twelve inches in diameter and were made of vinyl plastic so they were not near as breakable as the old 78's. Many older people still refer to LP's as "vinyl's".

Answer: 45's

Only about 7 inches in diameter these records were most popular among teenagers. If they had a favorite song they could get a 45 with that song on one side and not have to buy the whole album. For cash strapped teens this was a perfect solution. There were also recording booths where you could make your own record.

It is said that Elvis Presley went to one of these booths and paid $4 to make a recording for his mother's birthday.

Answer: Transistor Radio

In 1954 the world's first "Pocket Radio" was invented by Texas Instruments and the Regency Division of Industrial Development Engineering Associates (I.D.E.A). The original TR-1 measured 3 x 5 x 1.25 inches, and weighed 12 ounces. You could have this gem for only $49.95.

This model was only sold for one year. Sony then came out with several versions over the next few years, which were slightly smaller. The rest as they say is history.

Answer: 8 - Track Tape

The 8 - Track tape was invented in 1965 by Bill Lear of Lear Jet fame. Lear managed to convince the Ford motor company to place the very simple players in the 1966 models of the Fairlane and the Mustang. Soon a home version was also available. These were popular well into the 80's when the newest gadget, the CD, hit town. The 8 - Track tapes measured 5.25" x 4" x 0.8".

Answer: Cassette tape

Cassette tapes were invented in 1962. With this technology, we were able to record our favorite songs all in one place. Their rise to popularity could be followed just by seeing where they would turn up next. After the portable player became popular, cassettes and players turned up in cars, alarm clocks and even in your shower.
Sony revolutionized the industry when they introduced the "Walkman", a cassette player that would clip on your belt and had headphones so you could listen without disturbing others.

Answer: Boom Box

Introduced in the late 70's, boom boxes were very popular among young people. The bigger the better seemed to be the motto of that time. They were also known as "Ghetto Blasters", or "Jam Boxes". They were made even more popular through breakdancing and music videos.

Answer: CD's

CD's were invented in the late 70's and came to widespread use in the early 80's. Whereas most formats up to this time were noisy and could hold between 45 and 60 minutes of music, a CD could hold up to 80 minutes with much better sound quality. Soon after they were released for music, they began to be used to store data as well.

Answer: Live band

Although it is nice to be able to listen to music whenever you want, nothing compares to listening to a band live. Whether it is three kids in a garage or a world famous band nothing can compare to seeing and hearing your music live.