Records

As recent as 20 years ago, most people purchased music on records, not on compact discs. A record is a medium that records sound in analogue. It is made of vinyl, and is shaped like a flat disc.

Types of Records

By the end of their popularity, most record collections consisted of what were called 33.5's. These 12 inch discs spun at 33.5 revolutions per minute (rpm), and were in long playing (LP) format; they were also referred to as albums or LPs. Another popular format was the 45 rpm single. These are 7 inch discs that usually had two songs on them. The "A" side had what was considered a hit song and the "B" side had a less popular song, usually from the same album as the "A" side's song.

These two record formats became popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Previously, the common format had been a 12 inch, or 10 inch, 78 rpm disc. These were thicker and heavier than the 33.5's, and could only hold about 3.5 minutes of sound per side, as compared to the 30 minutes of sound per side that a 33.5 could hold.

Novelty Records

With the 1950s and the introduction of rock-n-roll came a burst in the popularity of records. The recording industry became big business, and with big business comes competition. To competitively promote their artists, many recording companies created novelty or promotional records.

One form this took was cardboard records on the back of cereal boxes. The first ones appeared on boxes of Wheaties in the 1950s, and the trend lasted through the 1970s. These cardboard records needed to be cut out of the box, and could be played on standard record players.

Other novelty records included postcard records, small records that came inside of magazines, and records in colors or with pictures on them.

Modern Records

Although most people now purchase music on compact disc or MP3 format, it is not uncommon to hear people talk about an artist putting out a new "record" or "album." The terminology has not changed as quickly as has the technology.

Also, some people believe that the sound quality on a record is superior to that of a compact disc, and they still listen to their music on "vinyl," a term used today for traditional records. Some musicians release a limited number of record albums for their fans who are vinyl purists. Other musicians, however, only release their recordings on compact disc or MP3.

It is not difficult to get your hands on older records. Used music stores carry them, often for as low as $1 each. They are easily found at yard sales, too. However, not all old records are so affordable. If considered collectable, some rare albums can sell for hundreds of dollars.

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