The question of the first album made entirely on a computer is difficult to answer definitively, as the history of computer music includes many pioneering moments.
However, several milestones mark the path toward fully digital music production.
While early computer-generated music dates back to the 1950s with projects like Christopher Strachey’s medley of ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ and ‘God Save the King’ on the University of Manchester’s Ferranti Mk 1, or Max Mathews’ 17-second composition on the IBM 74 in 1957, these were more scientific experiments than commercial music releases.
In terms of commercial albums, the 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of digital recording and music production technology.
Albums like Ry Cooder’s Bop Til You Drop (1979), the first digitally recorded pop album, and the use of digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools in the late 1980s, played crucial roles in pushing the boundaries.
Some notable early albums made with full digital technology include Gorillaz’s The Fall (2010), largely recorded on an iPad, and Prince Harvey’s Phatass (2015), created entirely on Macs at a Soho Apple Store.
These examples demonstrate the shift toward fully computerized music production, but the question of the “first” is more about the evolution of technology in music than a single definitive moment.
