Compression is a tool, not a style. It has existed almost as long as recording itself. It solves fundamental problems. Problem #1 - Audio speakers are not the

Compression is a tool, not a style. It has existed almost as long as recording itself. It solves fundamental problems. Problem #1 - Audio speakers are not the same as instruments! If you've ever had the pleasure of getting your hair blown back by a cranked guitar amp or a drum kit... well, you just can't reproduce that experience through a set of earbuds. You can't exactly reproduce the sound of an acoustic guitar in your lap, or a violin in a beautiful hall. Speakers just aren't up to it. A recording is a miniature of a sound. Like all miniatures, it exaggerates some details and obscures others. Second, most modern music consists of many instruments of different volumes and dynamic ranges played together. Mixing the sounds so everything sounds clear and balanced is extremely difficult. Some of the most important instruments are the worst about it - acoustic guitars and drum kits in particular walk all over everything else, with wide dynamic and frequency ranges that compete with steadier sounds. And certain harmonically-dense sounds like female vocals and violins can easily distort the audio amps used in reproduction. Compression, and its close cousin equalization, help engineers "carve" spaces for each instrument to live in. You have probably never heard a recording without extensive compression, unless you've mixed records. And if you've been actively involved in recording, you'll already know all this.