Although pre-recorded CDs have lost their luster due to the convenience of digital music streaming and downloads, the CD was the catalyst for the digital music revolution. Many fans still love CDs, purchasing and playing them regularly. Here’s everything you need to know about audio CDs and other disc-based formats.

CD stands for compact disc. Compact disc refers to both the disc and the digital audio playback format developed by Philips and Sony. The format refers to audio digitally encoded as computer data (1s and 0s) in pits on a disc using a process called PCM. PCM is a mathematical representation of audio and music in digital form.

The first CD recordings were produced in Germany on August 17, 1982. The title of the first complete CD test recording was Richard Strauss' Alpine Symphony. Later that year, on October 1, 1982, CD players became available in the US and Japan. The first CD sold in Japan was Billy Joel's 52nd Street, previously released on vinyl in 1978.

The CD started the digital revolution in audio, PC gaming and PC storage applications. It also contributed to the development of the DVD. Sony and Philips jointly hold the patents on the development of the CD and CD player technology.