First jukebox installed | Techday, November 23rd
On this TECHDAY in history, on November 23rd 1889, the first jukebox was installed in San Francisco, at the Palais Royale Saloon. It quickly proved extremely successful, and this invention eventually spread all around the world. This machine was called “nickel in the slot”, developed by Louis Glass, who installed it alongside his business partner William S. Arnold. It was a coin-operated machine, based on an Edison Class M Electric phonograph, that was placed inside an oak casing, and, since it had no sound amplification, it had four “listening tubes” attached to it. Each of these was activated with the insertion of a coin. This made it possible for up to four different people to listen to the same song at the same time. The machine, only later known as jukebox, had unknown word origins.
Jukeboxes continued to evolve over the years. They eventually switched from playing phonograph cylinders to playing 78 RPM records and then 45 RPM records. In the 1950s, jukeboxes’ manufacture began with the ability to play multiple records. Jukeboxes also became more advanced, with the addition of lights, speakers, and other features that made them an integral part of the American culture. They were especially popular in the 1950s, with the rise of rock and roll music, and continued to be a staple in bars and restaurants until the rise of digital music in the 2000s.
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Author: PC-GR
The World of Technology
