[ARSCLIST] The dawn of commercial digital recordings

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All:

I'm working up an article on the early days of digital recording, back in ye days of digital-to-LP 
recording. A few questions, which I'm hoping some collectors and discographers on this list will 
have answers to:

1. as far as I can tell, the first system used to make an all-digital recording released on LP was 
the Nippon Columbia/Denon system, developed in 1973. I guess the first question is, true or false on 
Denon being first?

2. what were some of the early Denon recordings and were they released on LP in the USA? Were these 
earliest digital recordings ever put out on CD?

3. Soundstream made what is widely called the first US commercial digital recording at Santa Fe in 
1976. What was the LP generated from this recording (title, performers, label)? Was this ever 
reissued on CD?

4. Was Ry Cooder's "Bop Til You Drop" the first created-in-studio multi-tracked rock album to be 
done all-digital? What were some other early all-digital rock albums?

5. What was the first all-digital (digital basic tracks, digital master) recording to hit #1 on the 
Billboard charts?

I hope this next request is taken in the proper spirit -- answers of facts only please. Citations 
would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance to all the experts on this list.

-- Tom Fine