The history of sound recording, which has progressed in waves, driven by the invention and commercial introduction of new technologies, can be roughly divided into four main periods:
* The Acoustic era (1877-1925)
* The Electrical era (1925-1945)
* The Magnetic era (1945-1975)
* The Digital era (1975-present)

Experiments in capturing sound on a recording medium for preservation and reproduction began in earnest during the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s. Many