Sound compression is a process that reduces the size of audio files by removing unnecessary data. This makes it easier to store and transmit sound without significantly affecting its quality. Common formats that use sound compression include MP3 and AAC, which are widely used for music and podcasts. There are two main types of sound compression: lossy and lossless. Lossy compression removes some audio information, which can lead to a decrease in quality, while lossless compression retains all original data, ensuring the sound remains unchanged. Both methods help save space and improve streaming efficiency.