The Discography of American Historical Recordings (DAHR) is a

database In computing, a database is an organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically. Small databases can be stored on a file system, while large databases are hosted on computer clusters or cloud storage. The design of databases sp ...

of master recordings made by American record companies during the 78rpm era. The DAHR provides some of these original recordings, free of charge, via audio streaming, along with access to the production catalogs of those same companies. DAHR is part of the American Discography Project (ADP), and is funded and operated in partnership by the

University of California, Santa Barbara The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, Santa Barbara, California with 23,196 undergraduate ...

, the

National Endowment for the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...

, and the Packard Humanities Institute.

Database catalog

The database catalog is essentially based on physically accessible archive material, stored at the companies that still exist and others that succeeded the production companies that were active at the time. Catalog compilations created by specialist authors are also used, supplemented by newly acquired research knowledge. *

Victor Talking Machine Company The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer that operated independently from 1901 until 1929, when it was acquired by the Radio Corporation of America and subsequently operated as a subsidi ...

releases, including RCA-Victor recordings, were made in the United States and Central and South America prior to 1939. This includes audio recordings that were borrowed from the Gramophone Company's recordings catalog. (Sources: Sony Music Entertainment Archive and the University of California, Santa Barbara). * Recordings for the Columbia Records label, made between 1901 and 1934. (Source: Columbia Master Book Discography by Tim Brooks and

Brian Rust Brian Arthur Lovell Rust (19 March 1922 – 5 January 2011) was an English jazz discographer. Career Rust was born in 1922 in Golders Green, then part of the Municipal Borough of Hendon in Middlesex. He collected records from the age of fiv ...

). * Pressings of the

Berliner Gramophone Company Berliner is most often used to designate a citizen of Berlin, Germany Berliner may also refer to: People * Berliner (surname) Places * Berliner Lake, a lake in Minnesota, United States * Berliner Philharmonie, concert hall in Berlin, Germany * ...

from 1892 to 1900. (Source: Berliner Gramophone Records: American Issues 1892-1900 by Paul Charosh). *

Edison Records Edison Records was one of the early record labels that pioneered sound recording and reproduction, and was an important player in the early recording industry. The first phonograph cylinders were manufactured in 1888, followed by Edison's found ...

Imprints Diamond Disc and Needle Type releases between 1918 and 1934. (Primary and secondary sources provided by

Thomas Edison National Historical Park Thomas Edison National Historical Park preserves Thomas Edison's laboratory and residence, ''Glenmont'', in West Orange, New Jersey, United States. These were designed, in 1887, by architect Henry Hudson Holly. The Edison laboratories operat ...

). * Pressings of the OKeh Records label, which were made from 1918 to 1934. (Source: Discography of OKeh Records 1918-1934 by Ross Laird and Brian Rust). * Releases from Zonophone Records. (Sources: Discographies The American Zonophone Discography: Volume I, Ten- and Twelve-Inch Popular Series (1904–1912) and The American Zonophone Discography: Volume II, Seven-, Nine-, and First Ten-Inch Series (General Catalog, 1900–1905), the latter unpublished, both prepared by William R. Bryant and Allan Sutton). * Recordings made by Decca Records between 1934 and 1974 (Source: The Decca Labels: A Discography by Michael Ruppli). * Pressings of the

Brunswick Records Brunswick Records is an American record label founded in 1916. History From 1916 Records under the Brunswick label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, a company based in Dubuque, Iowa which had been manufacturing prod ...

label. (Source: Brunswick Records: A Discography of Recordings, 1916-1931 by Ross Laird). * Releases from Leeds & Catlin Records. (Source: Leeds & Catlin Records by William R. Bryant and Allan Sutton).

Notes

The American Discography Project is partnered with the

National Jukebox The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

Project of the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

. As a result, Victor Talking Machine Company publications from 1900 to 1925, including additional recordings digitized by the University of California, Santa Barbara, are available.

References

Online music and lyrics databases Music websites Victor Talking Machine Company albums {{Music-website-stub