How many lives are hidden in a record? How many stories?
Stories of others, stories of our own.
Stories of others that became our own.

For the first time, ERT invites us to discover the fascinating history of Greek discography through a series of 12 documentary episodes.
A story spanning over 100 years.
From the birth of Greek discography to the present day.
From the era of the phonograph and the wandering “gramophone men” of the early 20th century, to the '60s, the “45 RPM records,” and the “jukeboxes”…
And from there, to the large vinyl records, the digital discs, and the internet.

Our guide on this journey is Haris Alexiou, the leading singer of her generation and one of the most beloved figures in the field of culture, who has left an indelible mark on Greek music and discography.

With the help of ERT's invaluable archive, as well as testimonies from people who lived through the golden years of Greek discography, the entire course of Greek song is sketched out as it was etched in the grooves of the records.

The documentary series "100 Years of Greek Discography" is a journey through time with all those who linked their lives to Greek discography and created, with inspiration and passion, the miracle of Greek music.

On this journey, we want you to be our fellow travelers.

With the entry of the Germans into Greece, the journey for Greek discography comes to a sudden halt. The Columbia factory closes and reopens five years later, on June 12, 1946.

A new generation of creators and singers rises, both in popular and light music. However, censorship also returns. Stricter than ever. Every day, new lists of forbidden songs are published in newspapers. We are in the midst of the Civil War. A wrong word could get you into trouble…

The popular records experience great success thanks to the works of Tsitsanis, Chiotis, Mitsakis, Kaldaras, and other gifted creators who dominate the popular music scene. Alongside them, new great voices leave their mark on the 78 rpm records. Yet, there is one voice that will draw all the attention in the mid-‘50s. The voice of Stelios Kazantzidis.

In light music, the signal is given by the revue and the orchestras of the nightclubs that feed the discography with new hits. Athens dances to the rhythm of swing, mambo, and rumba. However, at the end of the 1940s, a new genre appears — first in the theater and then in the discography — the "archontorebetiko".

As the 1950s progress, records firmly enter our lives. More and more homes acquire gramophones, mostly in the cities. And then, at the end of the ‘50s, a true revolution for Greek discography: the first 45 rpm records. The vinyl era begins…

At the same time, discography finds another valuable ally beyond the radio. Greek cinema experiences its first boom, and music is present everywhere.

A new composer, who until then had made a name for himself with his music in the theater, starts his journey in discography.

His name is Manos Hadjidakis.

In this episode, the following people speak, in alphabetical order:
Grigoris Vasilas / Musician
Dimitra Galani / Singer
Stelios Giannakopoulos / Sound Engineer, Columbia Studio
Phoebus Delivorias / Singer-Songwriter
Spyros Derveniotis / Cartoonist, Comic Creator
Aristomenis Kalyviotis / Civil Engineer (NTUA), Collector, Researcher
Giorgos Katsaros / Composer
Giorgos Kontogiannis / Journalist
Mario / Singer
Makis Matsas / President of MINOS - EMI Board of Directors
Giorgos Mitropoulos / Journalist
Christos Nikolopoulos / Composer, Musician
Sideris Printezis / Radio Producer
Angelos Pyriochos / Journalist
Panagiotis Timogiannakis / Journalist, Film Critic
Eleni Tsaligopoulou / Singer
Giorgos Tsampras / Journalist
Dimitris Chaliotis / Journalist, Screenwriter