30 years of the MP3: The story of a breakthrough that changed music

By the summer of 1995, vinyl records were almost obsolete. People listened to music on the radio, cassettes or CDs. Then along came an invention from Germany that would change the global music industry. — Photo: Gero Breloer / dpa

ERLANGEN: It turns out the invention of the MP3 format was a combination of vision, overtime and stubbornness – as well as a good dose of luck.

Thirty years ago, on July 14, 1995, a new file format called MP3 emerged, aiming no less than to revolutionise the world of music listening and the music business with it.