A compact disc (CD) as some of you might know is a digital data storage format. Released in 1982, it was originally developed to store and play sound recordings alone. Only later was it adapted for storage of data.
With the advent of digital sound recordings and the CD, significant improvements were made in the durability of recordings. The CD, particularly, initiated a massive wave of change in the music industry by the mid-1990s.
When introduced, a CD could store much more data than a personal computer hard drive, which would typically hold 10 MB.
As technology improved, better versions appeared, like write-once audio and data storage (CD-R), rewritable media (CD-RW), Video Compact Disc (VCD), Super Video Compact Disc (SVCD), Photo CD, Picture CD, CD-i, and Enhanced Music CD.
Although they are being replaced by other forms of digital storage, CDs still remain one of the primary distribution methods for the music industry.
