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Re: [ARSCLIST] Stereo records.
steven c wrote:
>
>
> LP's first emerged as a major format (versus singles) around 1966-67...
> primarily due to the immense popularity of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's..."
> LP, and the fact that it was probably the first popular/"rock" album to
> be reviewed by major record/music critics.
>
> However, the single record (available only as a 45, except for a
> handful of 33-1/3 singles intended for jukebox use) remained, and
> was the standard format for AM radio, until at least the early
> 1990's (as I recall, that was the last time I saw 45 singles
> being sold in record stores...and they were being dumped at
> bargain prices).
>
> What "put the kibosh" on singles was the replacement of the analog
> record by the digital CD. There was some experimentation with CD
> singles, but they were the same physical size as CD albums...so
> buyers felt they were being "ripped off" by several songs...and
> didn't buy the dommed things!
There were also smaller-size CDs, which were a nuisance because they required an
adapter. I still have one around here..it came in a normal-sized CD sleeve from
EMI and held a 3" sample disc, the point of which is still lost on me, and one
manufacturer actually did put out a 3" CD in a small sleeve, containing only
Ravel's Bolero (the 1930 recording supposedly conducted by the composer).
>
>
> However, at the same time, the other idea that failed was jukeboxes
> offering complete albums (but for a higher price than one song).
> The consumers were so used to putting a nickel(/dime/quarter) in
> and hearing their favourite song, the idea of playing an entire
> album for several of them just never caught on...as well, if
> jukeboxes played entire albums, imagine how long you would have
> to wait until your selection was played?!
Weren't those so-called "albums" actually 33RPM 7" discs containing 3 tracks per
side? I also have a number of 33rpm juke box singles with ONE stereo track per
side, along with 7-inch album slicks to display in the juke box. I'm sure
patrons couldn't wait to listen to Roger Williams and the Ray Charles Singers in
stereo while they downed their cheeseburgers.
dl