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

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