Thomas Edison invented the phonograph on August 12, 1877. It "will undoubtedly be liberally devoted to music," Edison predicted with stunning accuracy in 1878.

From left, Uriah Painter, correspondent for the Philadelphia Inquirer; Edison assistant Charles Batchelor and Thomas Edison with the Edison phonograph in Mathew Brady?s photography studio in ...

This photo provided by the Museum of Innovation and Science in Schenectady, N.Y., shows Thomas Edison's 1878 tinfoil phonograph. Researchers have digitized what experts say is the oldest recording ...

That changed in 1877 when Thomas Edison unveiled his phonograph. ... “The music you want, whenever you want it,” as one phonograph ad boasted.

We're used to sound recordings. Music (in multiple genres), audiobooks, phone messages, recordings of family history, alert boops and beeps on our phones...even the happy little tune my hearing ...

After achieving great success with the incandescent bulb, Edison returned to the idea of a phonograph around 1887. During his absence in the field, others had made significant advances, including ...

Ironically, Edison was deaf yet still invented the phonograph. While he did create the working phonograph — his self-identified most important invention — the original invention wasn’t ...