MP3

MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3

MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer III) is a digital format for compressing and storing sound recordings. It reduces file size by eliminating certain parts of audio data that are less audible to human ears, while still maintaining a relatively high sound quality. This allows for efficient storage and streaming of music or spoken content.

MP3 became popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, revolutionizing how music is shared and consumed due to its ability to reduce file sizes without noticeable loss of audio quality significantly. It is widely used in music players, smartphones, and other devices for both offline and online audio content.