1880, Chichester Bell (brother of Alexander) and Charles Sumner Tainter experimented on the telephone but shifted interests to the gramophone. While Edison was toying around with his tin record creation, B&T created a record using a cardboard cylinder covered with Ozercite wax. B&T asked Edison to join together, but were turned down. B&T patented many of their new inventions for the gramophone and records they produced. B&T patents were controlled by Volta Graphophone Company, later the American Graphophone Company. These companies were controlled by a group of Washington D.C investors. One in particular was Edward Easton, who later became president of Columbia. Columbia's name is derived from the District of Columbia, its hometown.

1894, Columbia severs ties with North American Phonograph Company (Edison) and begins to sell only Columbia records and phonographs.

1901, Columbia begins to sell their own line of flat disc needle cut records.

1907. The first "Grafanola" was born. Grafanola was made to compete with Victor's Victrola. Grafanola was a phonograph made to look like a piece of furniture or cabinet. The external horn becomes extinct.

1912, The cylinder record is no longer produced.

In 1925, Columbia was bought by their English subsidiary, the Columbia Graphophone Company. This same year, Columbia started to record their music with a new electric process. "Viva-tonal" records set a benchmark in the recording process and quality of tone.

1926, Columbia acquired Okeh records with an already impressive line of jazz and blues artists.

A lot more happens throughout the history of Columbia but too much to write about here. More detailed information can be found in your local library. By the 1980's Columbia became part of Sony Corporation of Japan.