Definition of the word discography

The word "discography" can be traced back to the late 1940s, when the term "disc" was used to describe a phonograph record made of a thin, flat, and flexible material, commonly known as vinyl. The term "discography" was coined as a result of the growing popularity of recorded music and the rise of the music industry. At this time, record labels were establishing extensive archives, catalogs, and databases of the music they released. These collections were referred to as "discographies," and they served as a reference tool to help record store owners, radio DJs, and music enthusiasts identify and locate specific recordings. As the music industry evolved, and new technologies like CDs, cassettes, and digital music processing emerged, the term "discography" evolved as well. Today, it refers to the catalog of an artist's recorded work, spanning across all mediums of musical delivery. In other words, a discography is a comprehensive list of an artist's released songs, albums, and singles, in any format.