A Short History of the Vinyl LP
RCA Victor launched the first commercially available vinyl long-playing record in 1930, marketed at that time as (program transcription discs). The revolutionary records were designed for playback at 33⅓ rpm and pressed on a 12″ diameter flexible plastic disc.
RCA Victor’s early introduction of a long playing record was a commercial failure for several reasons including the lack of affordable playback equipment and lack of consumer spending during the great depression.
The lower playback noise level of vinyl compared to shellac was not forgotten. When shellac supplies were extremely limited during and after World War II some 78 rpm records were pressed in vinyl instead of shellac, for example the six-minute 12 inch 78 rpm records produced by V-Disc for the use of US troops in World War II.
During 1939,Columbia Records continued to develope this technology.
During this time Dr Peter Goldmark and his staff began to address the problems of recording and playing back narrow grooves and developing a reliable and affordable playback system.
In 1948, the 12″ Long Play (LP) 33⅓ rpm microgroove record was introduced by Columbia Records at a dramatic press conference New York.
The commercial rivalry between RCA Victor and Columbia Records led to RCA Victor’s introduction of what it had intended to be a competing vinyl format, the 7″ 45 rpm Extended Play (EP).
For a period from 1948 to 1950, in what was known as the war of the speeds record companies and consumers were unsure which of the formats would prevail
The the 12″ 33⅓ rpm LP established itself as the format for musical albums, and the 7″ 45 rpm EP became the single containing one song on each side.
The 45′s discs were the equal 78 rpm discs, while the LP discs could play half hour of music on each side.
In 1957, a system of cutting and playing back stereo was found and the stereo vinyl Lp as we know it today was introduced.
Many Vinyl LP’s are available here
