The Great 78 Project

Digitizes and preserves historic 78rpm records for research and public access, with over 180,000 recordings available.

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great78.archive.org
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Quick facts
What is it Digitizes and preserves historic 78rpm records for research and public access, with over 180,000 recordings available.
Pricing Unknown
Platform Web Application
Best for preserving historical audio recordings, researching early 20th century music
Domain registered 1995

Data updated Aug. 1, 2026

What does The Great 78 Project do?

The Great 78 Project is a digital preservation initiative focused on saving and providing access to historical 78rpm records. It systematically digitizes these fragile shellac discs, which date from approximately 1898 to the 1950s, capturing both the musical content and the distinctive surface noise that characterizes these early recordings. The project creates multiple digital versions using different stylus sizes and shapes to support various types of audio analysis.

What makes The Great 78 Project stand out is its dual preservation approach—it maintains both the physical discs and their digital counterparts. The team uses specialized equipment to safely handle these brittle records that can break apart during handling. They preserve the raw audio exactly as captured, including imperfections and noise, rather than applying modern cleaning or enhancement techniques that might obscure historical details.

This project benefits music historians, cultural researchers, and anyone interested in early 20th century music. It provides access to rare recordings that might otherwise be lost, including underrepresented artists and genres. Researchers can study performance practices, recording techniques, and cultural trends through this extensive digital archive, while music enthusiasts can discover historical performances that haven't been commercially reissued.

#digitization#research tool

Key features

What makes it stand out
01
Digitizes fragile 78rpm records using specialized equipment
02
Preserves both physical discs and digital audio files
03
Provides multiple audio files with different stylus settings for research
04
Offers free online access to over 180,000 historical recordings
05
Accepts physical donations of 78rpm collections for preservation

Who is The Great 78 Project for?

Who benefits most from this tool
preserving historical audio recordings
researching early 20th century music
accessing rare musical performances

Trust & presence

Domain Domain registered 1995

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