A Music Juke Box is a Part of American Culture

Music juke boxes are a true part of American culture. They are a symbol of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. They have been featured in many movie scenes from those decades, and were a precursor to things like stereo systems. But how did the music juke box evolve? The history of the music juke box is an interesting one.

About the Music Juke Box

A music juke box plays certain songs from self-contained media. They are usually operated by inserting a coin into the machine and then selecting a song from a music catalog that the machine displays.

Before the music juke box there were player pianos and music boxes. These were found most of the time at arcades, amusement parks, and fairgrounds. In Switzerland, train stations featured these devices. However, they ended up not being able to compete with music juke boxes, because they could not replicate the human voice, and they were limited to only certain instruments.

Just before music juke boxes were Coin-Slot Phonographs, which began to be mass-produced in 1889. These original machines could only play about 2 minutes of music at a time. In the 1910s, the gramophone became popular as they were the first devices that allowed for choosing from a selection of records.

The music juke box as it is known today came into existence in the 1930s. From this time forward, they became an integral part of social life, often being featured in dance scenes in movies. While the earlier versions used records, starting in the 1980s CDs took the place of records, and by the end of the 20th century the devices were digital and not longer needed CDs.

These newest digital versions get the music through special protocol over phone lines, or by downloading songs from the internet. Because they are digital, these newest versions can include more songs than ever before. These versions can also send information out regarding where and how often the songs are being played.

The music juke box is an excellent example of something that has been around for a long time and has evolved, but is still quite reminiscent of its earliest forms. They still can be found in many social places today, and there are some people that like to collect them. Whether they are being collected or just used as a source of amusement, music juke boxes are a true part of American culture.