MP3 is a compressed audio format that was derived from the MPEG video format in the late 1980s. Files in MP3 format are not exactly small— approximately 1 megabyte per minute of CD-quality sound. However, they are a small fraction of the size of audio files found on commercially available compact discs, yet for most users the sound quality is comparable. Because of the small file size, MP3s are easily downloaded and managed by users with modest computer power and may be loaded into small portable devices that listeners can enjoy anywhere.