In the late 1940's, the 45-RPM record replaced the 78-RPM



record. The 45 was smaller, less breakable and could be

made and sold more cheaply. Despite these advantages, it

took ten years before the 78 became obsolete, and in the

meantime, record companies sold their product in both

formats. In 1982, the major record companies introduced

the compact disc, which offered a smaller size, ?perfect?

sound, and less likelihood of damage in day to day use.

As the compact disc offered a much larger profit margin

than did the long-play record album (LP) the record

companies were eager to rid store shelves of records

once and for all. Given that the 78 lasted ten years

after the introduction of the 45, it seemed likely that

the LP would be gone from the market by 1990. The

expected disappearance of the LP never happened.

Despite the efforts of the music industry, music fans

and collectors not only continue to buy records today,

but sales of records and record-playing equipment are

on the rise.

Each year in January, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES)

is held in Las Vegas. At this event, audio and video

manufacturers show off the latest and greatest in their

product lines. An unusual sight this year was not the

large number of cutting-edge compact disc players, but

the largest number of record turntables that had been

seen at the event in years! Sales of both new and used

records are hot, and equipment manufacturers are eager

to reintroduce the turntables they quit making years

ago. Why are record sales increasing when compact

discs are supposed to provide perfect sound in an

unbreakable format? There are several reasons:

# Price. Price is always a factor when consumers buy anything

and the prices of new and used record albums are less than the

prices of new and used compact discs, respectively. Used CDs

may sell for $5-8; used record albums sell for $3-5

# Physical size. A lot of people prefer the larger size of

record albums. They don't store as easily as compact discs,

but the covers and lyrics are easier to read, and the

product feels more substantial. Buyers feel like they're

getting ?more? for their money, even if it's just extra

weight.

# Sound. The digital sound of compact discs has a certain

cleanness and purity to it, but many listeners find the

sound of compact discs to be ?artificial? or ?metallic?,

lacking the ?warmth? of the sound of a record. Arguments

have been going on for years, and fans of compact discs

claim that there really is no difference in sound, but

millions of record fans would probably disagree.

# Nostalgia. A lot of Baby Boomers grew up listening to

records, and records have a fond familiarity to them

that listeners like.

New record albums continue to be released every day. Aided

by artists who are still recording who demand that their

albums be released as both records and compact discs, such

as Diana Krall, Pink Floyd, and Metallica, record album

sales continue to thrive. Despite industry efforts to kill

the format back in the 1980's, It appears that the record

album will continue to live on, well into the twenty-first

century, and music fans couldn't be happier about it.