The History of Vinyl Records

November 24, 2024

4 old vinyl records laying on a sheet on the floor

What is Vinyl

When we say Vinyl, what are we actually talking about? Vinyl refers to the material that the record is made of. This material is primarily polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a durable and flexible plastic material. Chosen for its strength, ability to hold fine grooves, and resistance to wear. However a vinyl record may contain other additives such as:

  • Black Carbon: To give the record its characteristic black color and improve strength and longevity by increasing resistance to UV light.
  • Lubricants: Help reduce friction and wear during playback.
  • Stabilizers: Prevent the PVC from degrading over time due to heat or environmental factors.
  • Pigments: Colored or clear records include additional dyes or pigments in the PVC.
  • Anti-static agents: These can be incorporated to minimize the static charge that attracts dust and debris.

The Beginning

The vinyl record story begins in the late 19th century with Thomas Edison’s invention of the phonograph in 1877. This ground breaking device could imprint vibrations of sound onto cylinders wrapped in tin foil. When a person spoke into a mouthpiece, the sound vibrations would be indented onto the tin foil wrapped cylinder by a recording needle.

A separate needle was used to play back the vibrations for up to 1 minute in duration.

Thomas Edison's Tinfoil Phonograph
Thomas Edison's Tinfoil Phonograph. Source [9]

In 1889 the Edison's phonograph was marketed with prerecorded wax cylinders. Unfortunately the cylinders would wear out after they were played 30 to 40 times. The buyer would then use a mechanism to shave smooth the cylinder surfaces so new recordings could be made on them.

Thomas Edison's Wax Cylinder Phonograph
Thomas Edison's Wax Cylinder Phonograph [8]

But it was Emil Berliner who introduced flat disc records in the 1880s with his invention of the flat disc gramophone. As shown in his patent:

A photo of Emil Berliners Gramophone patent.
Emil berliner's Gramophone USA Patent [15]

The flat disc eventually replaced the Edison cylinder as a recording and playback device. It laid the foundation as the vinyl format we know today. The first flat discs were made of vulcanized rubber and were between 12.5cm (4.92inches) and 18cm (3.15 inches) in diameter.

Vulcanized Rubber Flat Disc created by Emil Berliner
Vulcanized Rubber Flat Disc. Source [11]

Around the start of the 20th century, shellac was the dominant material used to manufacture the flat disc records. Shellac, a natural resin produced by lac insects, offered several advantages over other materials like wax and cardboard. Mainly being improved durability and sound quality. However, if dropped then it would literally smash into many pieces.

These early shellac records were fragile and limited in audio quality. But they gained popularity in the 1920s and 1930s, as record players became more accessible. Shellac records spun at 78 RPM and typically offered just a few minutes of music per side. Despite their limitations, they introduced the joy of owning and replaying music at home.

A shellac disc record used for playing music
Shellac Disk Record. Source [10]

The Golden Age of Vinyl

In 1930, RCA Victor introduced the first commercially available vinyl long-playing record, known as "Program Transcription" discs. These innovative records were designed to play at 33⅓ rpm and were pressed on flexible 12-inch plastic discs. However, this early venture into long-playing records failed commercially. Possibly due to the absence of affordable and reliable playback equipment and widespread consumer caution during the Great Depression.

The late 1930s and 1940s marked a turning point in vinyl history. During and after World War II when shellac supplies were extremely limited, some 78 rpm records were pressed in vinyl instead of shellac. It was found that Vinyl offered better sound fidelity and increased durability. This led to the introduction of 12 inch 33 1/3 RPM long-playing (LP) records by Columbia Records in 1948 which revolutionized the industry. These records used very fine grooves and could play up to 22 minutes of music per side, making them ideal for albums. RCA Victor followed suit with the 45 RPM single, a format perfect for individual songs and could play for up to 8 minutes per side.

The golden age of vinyl flourished in the 1950s and 1960s, as the format became synonymous with pop culture. Iconic albums from artists like The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and The Rolling Stones brought vinyl to the forefront of music consumption. The tactile nature of records, combined with vibrant album art, offered a listening experience unmatched by other formats.

The War of Speeds

The War of Speeds was primarily a competition between Columbia and RCA over the speed and size of vinyl records. The following outlines the details of each speed.

  • 78 RPM (revolutions per minute)
    • Introduced: Late 19th century, used primarily from the 1900s to the 1950s
    • Material: Early 78 RPM records were made from shellac.
    • Size and Capacity: Typically 10 inches in diameter, with about 3-5 minutes of audio per side.
    • Audio Quality: Due to the faster rotation speed, 78 RPM records could produce good sound quality for their time, but the material limitations resulted in higher noise levels.
    • Legacy: These records were used primarily for singles and short recordings. Today, they’re mostly collectible items, as turntables that support 78 RPM are less common.
  • 45 RPM
    • Introduced: 1949 by RCA Victor.
    • Material: Made from vinyl, which is more durable and produces better sound quality than shellac.
    • Size and Capacity: Typically 7 inches in diameter, with about 4-6 minutes of audio per side.
    • Purpose: Perfect for singles, making them popular in the 1950s and 1960s for radio hits and jukeboxes.
    • Audio Quality: Offers excellent sound fidelity for its size, making it a sought after by collectors.
    • Modern Use: Still produced today for limited-edition releases, especially for special singles and EPs.
  • 33 1/3 RPM
    • Introduced: 1948 by Columbia Records.
    • Material: Made from vinyl, designed for long-playing (LP) records.
    • Size and Capacity: Typically 12 inches in diameter, capable of holding up to 22-30 minutes of music per side.
    • Purpose: Designed for albums, allowing multiple songs to fit on one disc.
    • Audio Quality: Balances longer playtime with high sound fidelity, making it the standard for full-length albums.
    • Modern Use: The most common speed for modern vinyl records.

The War of Speeds ended when record manufacturers realized that players needed to accommodate both 33 and 45 rpm records.

The Vinyl Decline

The Cassette Revolution

In the late 1970s emergence of the compact cassette tape changed everything. Smaller, portable, and more durable than vinyl, cassettes quickly gained popularity. They provided the ability to record and create custom mixtapes. Walkmans (a small portable cassette tape player) and boomboxes (a large cassette player and radio) allowed people to carry their music wherever they went, making cassettes the format of choice for the 1980s. While vinyl still held ground among audiophiles, the cassette era signaled the start of vinyl's decline.

An old sony walkman cassette player WM-28
Sony Walkman [12]

The CD Takeover

In the early 1980s, compact discs (CDs) entered the market, promising even greater convenience. CDs offered crisp clear digital sound and were virtually scratch-proof compared to vinyl. Plus you could skip directly to any track. By the 1990s, CDs had firmly taken over as the primary format for the music playing public. Their sleek, portable design made them the new industry standard, leaving both vinyl and cassettes behind.

Multiple compact discs lying flat. Most are silver but one is blue and one is purple.
A Compact Disc [13]

The Digital Revolution

The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise of MP3s and digital downloads. Portable MP3 players like the iPod transformed music into a virtual experience. Listeners could carry thousands of songs in their pocket, and digital platforms like iTunes made buying individual tracks a click away. Streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music further cemented digital as the dominant format, rendering physical formats almost obsolete.

5 iPods standing upright. 2 white, 2 gold, 1 red
Various iPods [14]

The Vinyl Revival

Despite its decline, vinyl never truly disappeared. The 2000s brought a surprising resurgence in vinyl sales, fueled by nostalgia and a renewed appreciation for analog sound. While digital formats are still dominant, vinyl remains cherished by collectors and audiophiles, proving that even in the face of progress, some traditions don't go away.

From vinyl to digital, the evolution of music playing formats reflect our ever-changing relationship with technology and art. Each shift has reshaped how we interact with music, but vinyl’s ongoing presence reminds us that the past often has a way of coming back around.

A man and woman in a record shop looking at a vinyl record

Sources:

[1] https://www.sumtermuseum.org/blog-fromthecollection/the-edison-phonograph
[2] https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=533
[3] https://www.aes-media.org/historical/html/recording.technology.history/berliner.html
[4] https://www.britannica.com
[5] https://americanhistorynow.org/2014/01/27/the-history-of-vinyl/
[6] https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8100637/10-inch-shellac-78-rpm-disc-record
[7] https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
[8] By Norman Bruderhofer, www.cylinder.de - own work (transferred from de:File:Phonograph.jpg), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=427395
[9] https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/76722/
[10] https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk. Released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence
[11] https://www.aes-media.org
[12] By Retired electrician - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81742373
[13] By derivative work: Dzucconi (talk)CD_autolev_crop.jpg: Ubern00b - CD_autolev_crop.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5198534
[14] By Chris Harrison from Augusta, GA, USA - iPod(s), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2894869
[15] https://patents.google.com/patent/US534543A/en


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