The diffusion of music
From the radio to the first music videos

Cinedelic Srl
News and curiosities

The history of music is a fascinating journey that spans centuries and cultures around the world. From prehistoric times to the present day, music has had a profound impact on human life, serving as a means of expression, communication and connection between people.

This article will explore the diffusion of music through time, analyzing its origins, development and evolution in different eras and cultural contexts. From the ancestral music of early humans to the sophisticated musical forms of the present day, we will seek to understand how music has shaped and reflected human experiences through the ages.

The spread of radio and the invention of music


The invention of the radio radically revolutionized the diffusion of music, opening new doors to its use and profoundly influencing world musical culture.
Before the advent of radio, access to music was limited primarily to live performances, record production, and music on sheet music. However, with the introduction of radio during the 20th century, music suddenly became accessible to a wider and more diverse audience.

Through radio broadcasts, music could be broadcast in real time and reach the homes of millions of people around the world. Radio stations spread a wide range of musical genres, exposing audiences to a variety of musical styles and influences they might not otherwise have discovered.

Furthermore, radio contributed to the spread of popular music, transforming unknown artists into international superstars through the broadcast of their songs. Radio hits influenced the musical and cultural trends of the time, shaping the musical taste of the masses and helping to define entire generations.

Furthermore, radio has played a crucial role in promoting new artists and spreading musical diversity, offering a platform for the discovery and sharing of new talent.


From the radio to the Jukebox


After the advent of the radio, another innovation that contributed to the spread of music was the introduction of the jukebox. The jukebox, an automatic machine that played recorded music, became extremely popular in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s, offering audiences a new way to listen to music outside of radio broadcasts and live concerts.

The jukebox brought music directly to public places, such as bars, restaurants, dance halls, and nightclubs, allowing people to select and listen to their favorite songs with ease. This innovation has further expanded the accessibility of music and transformed many venues into lively and fun meeting points.
With the jukebox, people could pay a small fee to listen to a single song, giving them the ability to customize their musical experience based on their tastes and preferences. This helped popularize popular music and gave artists greater visibility and opportunities for success.

Additionally, the jukebox played an important role in promoting musical diversity, as it offered a large selection of musical genres and styles to suit the tastes of a variety of people.

In summary, the introduction of the jukebox represented another significant milestone in the history of music diffusion, allowing people to enjoy their favorite music at any time and in any place, and thus helping to shape the musical culture of the era .


The first music videos with the Soundie


The first music videos, known as Soundies or Panoram Visual Jukebox, represent a milestone in the history of music dissemination and visual entertainment. These musical shorts, produced in the United States in the late 1930s and early 1940s, combined pre-recorded music with filmed images and represented one of the earliest forms of music videos.

The Soundies were typically filmed in a production studio and featured musical artists performing their hit songs in front of a camera. These shorts were then distributed to machines called Panoram Visual Jukeboxes, which allowed audiences to select and watch music videos for a small fee.

These musical shorts were often filmed with relatively simple, low-budget production, but they contributed significantly to promoting the artists and their songs, offering audiences a new form of visual entertainment.

Soundies are considered precursors of modern music videos and paved the way for the large-scale dissemination of this format in subsequent years. Their influence has also been felt in the world of music and entertainment, paving the way for new creative possibilities and new ways for artists to reach their audiences.
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Ernst Thoma

Reels 1977-1986
News and curiosities
(text by Soundohm)

The endlessly engaging Italian imprints, Soave and Orbeatize, deliver what is unquestionably one of the most important and ambitious archival releases of 2024: “Reels 1977-1986”, an astounding X14 CD box set... ➔

The diffusion of music

From the radio to the first music videos
News and curiosities
The history of music is a fascinating journey that spans centuries and cultures around the world. From prehistoric times to the present day, music has had a profound impact on human life, serving as a means of expression, communication... ➔