Цитата:Oh mama, mia! Can you believe that ABBA was the first popular artist to release an album on CD? Yep, long before their discography became synonymous with over-the-top summer musicals, ABBA was breaking fresh ground in the audio world with the 1982 CD release of their 1981 album Visitors. I guess it makes sense that ABBA was among the first CD trailblazers. The band was probably just looking for “C” and “D” to help round out the first four letters of the alphabet.

Shortly after ABBA’s release, 50 more titles were released in Japan on October 1st, 1982, one of which was a re-release of Billy Joel’s 52nd Street. But for Americans, they’d have to wait a couple more years for their first stateside CD release when Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen released Born in the USA in September of 1984. A fitting album for a fitting time for a fitting first release. It may also be that Springsteen just wanted to show off his backside on as many different album covers as possible – America’s behind on full display in a pair of denim blues.

Fun fact: The first actual commercially produced compact disc was a 1979 recording of Chopin Waltzes by Claudio Arrau. And while it’s August 1982 release predates ABBA’s Visitors, it doesn’t get the crown for first popular music album release. Aww, poor Claudio.