Music · 1948
The Dawn of Vinyl and Modern R&B
In 1948, Columbia Records changed the music industry forever with the introduction of the long-playing microgroove vinyl LP. Meanwhile, lush pop ballads, avant-garde experiments, and early doo-wop defined a vibrant post-war musical landscape.
- June 21, 1948 | Audio Format | USA
Columbia Introduces the 33⅓ RPM LP Record
Columbia Records revolutionizes music listening by launching the microgroove vinyl LP, allowing up to 20 minutes of audio per side.
- March 1948 | Nat King Cole | Pop
Nat King Cole Releases 'Nature Boy'
Featuring lush orchestral arrangements, Nat King Cole's haunting melody captivates listeners and spends eight weeks at the top of the charts.
- October 5, 1948 | Avant-Garde | France
Pierre Schaeffer Premieres 'Concert de Bruits'
Composer Pierre Schaeffer broadcasts sound collages made from recorded train noises, giving birth to the revolutionary field of musique concrète.
- September 1948 | The Orioles | R&B
The Orioles Record 'It's Too Soon to Know'
Baltimore vocal group The Orioles release a soulful, intimate ballad that tops the race charts and lays the foundation for classic doo-wop.
- May 1948 | Pee Wee Hunt | Dixieland
Pee Wee Hunt Scores with 'Twelfth Street Rag'
Recorded as a lighthearted joke, this cheerful Dixieland revival track unexpectedly becomes the best-selling single of the entire year.
- March 1948 | John Cage | Classical
John Cage Completes 'Sonatas and Interludes'
Avant-garde composer John Cage finishes his masterwork for prepared piano, placing screws and rubber between strings to radically alter sound.
- 1948 | Mahalia Jackson | Gospel
Mahalia Jackson Hits Big with Gospel Classic
Gospel icon Mahalia Jackson sells over a million copies of 'Move On Up a Little Higher,' bringing sacred Black music into mainstream popular culture.
- October 1948 | Kay Kyser | Big Band
Kay Kyser Hits #1 with 'Slow Boat to China'
Frank Loesser's catchy romantic song becomes a major pop success for Kay Kyser's orchestra, defining the year's big band standard sound.
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