When did records become mainstream?

When did records become mainstream?

Vinyl records have been delighting listeners and collectors since the 1900s. Since RCA Victor launched the first commercial vinyl long-playing record in 1930, vinyl has continued to grow in popularity. Last year in the United States, vinyl sales were over 1,000% higher than a decade prior.

How much did records cost in the 1930s?

By the late 30s, a price war erupted between the majors vying for space in jukeboxes, lowering the price of records sold to their operators to as little as 20 cents each.

What is a shellac record?

Any flat disc record, made between about 1898 and the late 1950s and playing at a speed around 78 revolutions per minute is called a “78” by collectors. Generally 78s are made of a brittle material which uses a shellac resin (thus their other name is shellac records).

Are old 78 records valuable?

He said that on average a rare jazz 78 might sell for $1,500 to $5,000, whereas sales for a comparable blues record would start at $5,000. Paramount’s blues releases — especially its “race” records with label numbers in the 12000s and 13000s — are among the most coveted records in the world.

What were records made of in the 1930s?

Record Material – Mixtures of shellac and vinyl started to be introduced as early as the 1930s, but early results were met with mixed feelings.

What’s the difference between 78 and 33 records?

78 RPM records have no grooves, meaning they can only hold one song. 33 RPM records can hold nearly an hour’s worth of music, which is why they are also referred to as LPs (long playing).

When did they stop making 78 records?

1959
In just ten years, 78s plummeted to only 2% of music sales. And in 1959, the last US-made 78 record was produced. Not all sales went directly over to 33s, however. Although many did, there wasn’t always a need to use up all 40 minutes of an LP.

How are albums certified for double album sales?

Conversely, the certification level for double albums that fit onto one compact disc such as the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack reflect the actual number of copies sold. The albums in this list are ordered first by number of units, then by platinum awards received, and finally by artist name and album title.

How many copies of “it’s now or never” has been sold?

According to Murrells, “world sales were estimated at 16,000,000 up to 1970” for Haley’s record, while “global sales were reported at 20,000,000” for the Presley platter. At this time, “It’s Now or Never” has an RIAA Platinum Record Award for 1,000,000 sales in the US, while “Rock Around the Clock” has never been certified.

Why are there so many double albums on the RIAA’s best sellers list?

As a result of the RIAA’s methodology of counting each disc in a multi-disc set as one unit toward certification, most double albums on the list—such as Pink Floyd ‘s The Wall and Outkast ‘s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below —have been certified with a number double the number of copies sold.

Where can I find out how many records have been sold?

The Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) database available website under the heading “ Gold & Platinum .” Joseph Murrells’ book Million Selling Records from the 1900s to the 1980s: An Illustrated Directory.