The compact disc, a joint project by Sony and Philips, debuted commercially in 1982 with ABBA's 'The Visitors'. While the first CD players cost over $1000 (roughly $3000 today), the format's superior clarity and durability quickly won over audiophiles. A key tipping point came in 1985 when Dire Straits' 'Brothers in Arms' became a million-selling CD, proving the format's mass-market appeal. Record labels rapidly shifted production, and by 1988, CD sales in the US surpassed those of vinyl records

The Compact Disc (CD) was launched commercially in 1982 by Philips and Sony, introducing the first mass-market digital audio format. Heralded by science outlets like ABC Science as a revolutionary step forward, the format promised superior, noise-free sound quality that rapidly overtook analog vinyl records and cassette tapes. Credit: ABC Science | History In Pictures