Music recorded in May 1925
May 1925 was a month of significant transformation in the political, social, scientific, and cultural spheres. In Tennessee, USA, the evolutionary education controversy surrounding John Thomas Scopes (1900–1970) intensified, making the clash between religion and science education an international issue. In the Arctic, Roald Amundsen (1872–1928) departed on May 21st for a flight to the North Pole, marking a new stage in aerial exploration. In Japan, the Kita-Tajima earthquake struck on May 23rd, causing extensive damage to northern Hyogo Prefecture. In China, the May Thirtieth Incident on May 30th triggered a rapid expansion of anti-imperialist movements and labor disputes. In the Mediterranean, the Crown Colony of Cyprus was established on May 1st, clearly indicating a reorganization of British imperial rule. In Paris, the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts attracted considerable attention and helped to popularize the decorative style that would later be collectively known as Art Deco.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information regarding the May 1925 recording.
In May 1925, the recording industry was in a period when the transition from mechanical to electrical recording began to move from the experimental stage to actual releases and distribution. A comparison of contemporary industry magazines from that month, annual catalogs, and rigorous discography studies from later years confirms that major companies were simultaneously introducing new recording methods, reorganizing new releases, and updating their sales appeals. Companies whose activities can be confirmed in the records from that month include Victor Talking Machine Company, Columbia Phonograph Co., Inc., Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., and Okeh Records of General Phonograph Corporation.
Victor
At the Victor Talking Machine Company, electro-recorded discs entered the commercial sales stage in May 1925. Later empirical studies have confirmed that discs using electro-recorded masters from March were released in May, indicating that the company had moved from an era dominated by mechanical recording to the commercial operation of a new method.
- https://mainspringpress.org/2025/06/18/the-beginning-of-electrical-recording-part-2-columbia-victor-and-the-western-electric-system/
- https://archive.org/details/catalogueofvicto00vict_0
Columbia
Columbia Phonograph Co., Inc. can be confirmed to have released its earliest electro-recorded discs in May 1925. Later verification indicates that Columbia 326-D was released in May, and the release list also included electro-recorded discs recorded at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York that same month, although the change in recording method was not openly emphasized in the advertisements at the time.
- https://mainspringpress.org/2025/06/18/the-beginning-of-electrical-recording-part-2-columbia-victor-and-the-western-electric-system/
- https://archive.org/details/columbia-1925-catalogue_202205
Brunswick
May 1925 was a transitional month for Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., where mechanical and electrical recording coexisted. Later research has confirmed that the company began producing commercial masters for its electrical recordings on April 7th, and that both types of recording continued in parallel throughout April and May. Furthermore, the 1925 general catalog indicates that the company was in the process of supplying new releases and updating its product lineup.
- https://mainspringpress.org/2025/07/25/the-beginning-of-electrical-recording-part-3-music-by-photography-brunswick-and-the-pallophotophone-process/
- https://archive.org/details/brunswickrecords00brun_0
OK
Regarding Okeh Records, a subsidiary of General Phonograph Corporation, the May 15, 1925 issue of "The Talking Machine World" features an introduction to the company's recording studio and technical staff, confirming that recording operations were ongoing. The same issue also includes an advertisement for Okeh Records, indicating that the company was continuing to promote the sale of race records that month.
