How the USSR Illegally Recorded Music on X-Rays: The Story of Bone Records

During the Cold War, Soviet citizens faced severe censorship and restrictions on Western music. Rock & roll, jazz, and other "decadent" foreign genres were banned by the government, which sought to control cultural influences. However, music lovers found an ingenious and rebellious way to listen to the forbidden tunes—by pressing records onto discarded medical X-rays. These underground recordings became known as "bone records" or "ribs", a unique and eerie testament to human creativity under oppression.

How Were X-Ray Records Made?

Resourceful bootleggers discovered that X-ray film, which was thin yet durable, could be repurposed as a medium for recording sound. Here's how the process worked:

1. Sourcing X-Rays – Medical X-ray films were often discarded by hospitals or sold cheaply as scrap. These films, featuring ghostly images of bones and internal organs, became the unlikely foundation for music recordings.

2. Recording the Music – Using modified phonographs and homemade cutting devices, bootleggers etched grooves into the X-ray films, just like a traditional vinyl record. The process was crude, but it worked well enough to reproduce the music.

3. Trimming and Punching – The irregularly shaped X-rays were trimmed into rough circles, and a hole was burned or punched in the center so they could be played on turntables.

4. Distribution and Risk – These records were sold secretly in markets, passed hand-to-hand among music enthusiasts, and played at underground gatherings. Owning or distributing them was risky, as Soviet authorities frequently cracked down on bootleggers, sometimes imprisoning them.

The End of Bone Records

By the 1960s, Soviet authorities intensified their efforts to suppress illegal music distribution. Crackdowns on bootleggers and improvements in official Soviet music production reduced the demand for X-ray records. Eventually, with the rise of tape recorders, magnetic tape became the preferred method for smuggling and copying music, rendering bone records obsolete.

Legacy of Bone Records:

Though they were a short-lived phenomenon, X-ray records remain a powerful symbol of resistance against censorship. They represent the lengths to which people will go to access and share music, even under authoritarian rule. Today, bone records are rare collector’s items, prized for both their eerie aesthetics and their historical significance. The next time you listen to your favorite song, remember that for some, music wasn’t just entertainment—it was an act of defiance.