AM radio as we understand is quite a bit older than you think, while radios were just becoming commonplace in the 1930’s AM radio broadcasts as small and short as they were began in 1906. On December 24th, 1906 a Canadian Mr. Robert Fessenden made a short broadcast of himself playing the violin and speaking Christmas greetings to all the ships at sea. This single night began what we understand today as radio.
AM radio in its most early days was seen as very radical and very frowned upon by the older generations, not so unlike the personal computer was seen by older generations when it first came out. Just the same as the internet has early radio captured the youth of that generation and came to define much of that period of history.
AM radio even played a role in World War I. Radio transmitters were loaded in the back of wagons, most of the time still being pulled by mules. Radio played a part in the communication between ships, zeppelins and infantry which forever changed the face of warfare. But this is still not where AM radio began to shine and gain its fame.
After World War I AM radio began to cone into its own. Radio sets became much more affordable and broadcasting stations began cropping up everywhere playing all sorts of music and entertainment shows. The 1950’s are for the most part considered the golden age of radio. At this time in history almost 80% of North American households had a radio and were listening to it on a regular basis. This would decline in later years as television took a grip on the world.
AM radio brought entertainment to thousands of people in the early thirties and forties with music and radio comedies and dramas. AM radio was the center of the household world, much like television would be later. Great big band leaders dominated the airwaves as well as serial heroes and villains. Children would gather round the radio to hear the exploits of their favourite characters. Radio shows would continue on AM radio stations for almost 40 years, some still broadcasting their shows into the 1970’s. It was AM radio that brought people the fireside chats of FDR, it also brought the hysteria of Orson Welles broadcast of “War of the Worlds” and the detailed description of the Hindenburg’s explosion. AM radio is also responsible for presenting the world with Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
AM radio would later become the bastion of the youth of North America as it played the music called “Rock and Roll”. The sounds of this music controlled the air waves for almost thirty years. The adults had their stations to be sure but AM radio catered to the youth of the day. FM radio was created more as a way for adults to escape the youth dominated AM stations.
AM stations have now all but been forsaken by the music industry, being almost totally dominated by talk, sports and religious shows.