Record collecting

From ArticleWorld

Record collecting is collecting recordings of music and other types of recordings, from the earliest types of discs to vinyl records. Some collections even include compact discs.

History

At first, only the rich enjoyed phonographs. First phonographs played cylinders made of wax, then shellac discs. Manufacturing of phonographs improved in the 1920's, and both the phonograph and recordings became lower in price. Thus, more people could have a phonograph in their home. In the late 1890's the modern home would have had sheet music and a piano for live entertainment. By the year 1910, radios, phonographs and records were very popular. Records at this time were 78 r.p.m. double-sided, and ten-inch shellac discs had about 4 minutes of music on each side. During World War II, phonographs were hard to make, because materials were scarce. Classical music was the most popular types of recordings at first, but popular music was gaining a following during this time. The introduction of the 33 1/3 r.p.m. LP record, and the 7-inch 45 rpm record added advantages in both storage and quality of sound. This break through came about in 1949-50.Vinyl was the material of the records. Rock and Roll became popular in the 1950's, and youngsters had spending money to use to by recordings. People probably did not take record recording seriously until the 1960s. Records archived the folk music that was so popular in the 1950's and1960's. Pre-World War II shellac discs (that is, blues, country blues and hillbilly music were the most popular older discs to collect.

Beatles and record collecting

The 'British Invasion' of the Beatles in 1964 changed the pop music scene in America. Many American bands were created, and cut small batches of recordings that have become highly collectible. The most infamous "collector's item" in record collecting is not a record at all, but merely an album cover. Record collecting became even more popular in the 1970's, because publications such as 'Goldmine', came out, listing rare and valuable recordings. The condition and rarity of the recording were, and still are, the deciding factor in the amount of money a record is worth. Compact disc was introduced in the middle 1980's. At this point, the rarer vinyl recordings became worth the most money. Blues, R and B , doo-wop, garage rock, and psychedelic rock became collectible. The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Madonna, and The Rolling Stones had recordings that were pressed for promotional purposes only, and in very small quantities. These recordings are now rare and quite valuable.