How a Suzanne Vega Song Helped Create the MP3

Karlheinz Brandenburg has listened to Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” thousands of times and never tires of it. In fact, the song holds a special place in his heart because it was instrumental in the creation of the MP3. The German engineer and mathematician is known as the father of the digital audio format. Brandenburg explains how he found a way to compress Vega’s a cappella track into an MP3 file that sounded as good as a CD, forever altering the way music is distributed. SUBSCRIBE: #mp3 #germany #SuzanneVega This story is a part of our Frontiers series, where we bring you front and center to the dreamers, pioneers, and innovators leading society at the cutting edge. Let us take you along for a trip to the oft-imagined but rarely accomplished. Got a story idea for us? Shoot us an email at hey [at] GreatBigStory [dot] com Follow us behind the scenes on Instagram: Make our acquaintance on Facebook: Give us a shout on Twitter: Come hang with us on Vimeo: Visit our world directly: