Now is the time to put the needle in the groove – the vinyl record turns 70

This week marks 70 years since Columbia Records released its first LP in New York. The exact date is a bit of a debate, but it was either June 18th, 20th, or 21st, 1948. So today is exactly 70 years since that event.

Columbia Records began developing a phonograph record in 1941 that could hold 20 minutes of sound on one side. World War II halted development until 1945, but it was completed seven years later. At the same time, 10- and 12-inch records were introduced, both spinning at 33,3 rpm.

Other major US record companies quickly adopted the new format, and by 1956 had largely abandoned the industry standard, the 78-rpm clay disc. The reason for its popularity was the better sound quality and, above all, the amount of music that could be stored on the disc, which was significantly larger than on a clay disc. The next step forward was stereo records, which became commercially available in late 1957 and early 1958.

Since then, the format has withstood the oil crisis that made production difficult, the advent of the CD and streaming, although at times the situation seemed bad. Despite his age, the old man is back to his best. If you want, you can enjoy a dose of vinyl knowledge to celebrate the occasion All about turntables from our guide, which appeared in AVPlus issue 7/2017.