What was the first ever music player?

Answer 1

This depends on what you call a music player. In the 9th century the Banū Mūsā brothers invented a hydropowered organ which could play cylinders with raised pins, much like the cylinders found in Music Boxes. Many other instruments using similar cylinders have been invented since, as well as instruments like the player piano which plays from cards with holes punched in them. These instuments could play music automatically, but not arbitrary sounds. The first recording (with playback) was the phonograph, invented by thomas Edison, which would record by cutting the waveform into wax cylinders that could later be played back, just like a vinyl record player, but on wax cylinders. This device was invented in 1877 and patented in 1878.