Useless Trivia - 1st one to answer gets to ask

What composer and composition is responsible for the modern CD.

 

I think Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA was the first album released on CD, if that's what you mean.

 

Sorry. No.

 

Duetsche Gramaphone released a bunch of symphonies on CD first, I didn't buy any of them.
The first one that sold lots was Dire Straits' album with "Money for Nothing" on it, but that was because it was shamelessly promoted by MTV about the time affordable CD players went on sale for xmas that year (my wife got me a sony which is still working, bless her heart)

(sorry Boo, been workin' - no long holiday weekend here)

 

Re-reading Godiva's question, I'm not sure what she's asking. I can't tell whether the answer(s) she's looking for is subjective or objective. The word "responsible" throws me off.

Godiva - Are you asking what is the first CD ever released?

 

No. Huge hint: format. This composer and his composition were responsible for the format of the modern music CD. I.E. you don't have a VHS and BETAMAX music version. You have ONE format.

 

Hmmm ... Gershwin?

 

Nope.

Composer and composition. Huge influence on the business decision-making, major factor in compromise.

 

Wrong, I have two: one in front of the kitchen sink and one on the bathroom floor that matches the toilet seat covers.:second:

 

Anyone ready to cry "Uncle" yet?

 

I am. "Uncle!"

 

Almost uncle --

Names like -- Jerry Goffin, Quincy jones, somehere in that catagory?

 

Nope. Wrong century.

 

Did Philips electronics have something to do with it?

 

Yes.

 

Beethoven and his Ninth Symphony. Sony founder Akio Morita wanted the whole thing to fit on one side. (Wait, "Philips"?)

 

YES!

Before the CD and player went into production, the parties involved decided to get together and standardize it. Phillips was pushing for a 11.5 cm 1 hour version that would essentially play two sides of an LP. However Sony insisted that the new technology be able to play Beethoven's 9th symphony completely. They did some research and found the longest version was 74 min. So the CD became 12 cm and the play time approx. 75 min.

In this way the technology was standardized. Too bad the video people never learned this lesson. First Beta/VHS. Now it's bluray/HDVD.

Beethoven more important than technology.

BTW the first commercial CDs pressed were The Visitors by Abba and a recording of Herbert von Karajan conducting the Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss. In 1985 Dire Straits' Brothers In Arms became the first CD to sell more than one million copies. It is still the world's most successful CD album.

 

Rock on Richard & Godiva :first:

 

What trivia question should I ask?

 

That's kind of a trivial question, don't you think?