In 2002 the University of Santa Barbara began digitizing a collection of over 10,000 wax cylinders, the recording precursor to vinyl. This method was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which makes it a particularly useful resource for studying the recordings of that era. In addition to a database of recordings, there are curated playlists as well as articles on the historical background of wax cylinder recordings. There is also a Vernacular Wax Recordings Database which includes at-home recordings of American life from as early as 1890.
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