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Quick what is that photo of?
That my children is a 45 rpm record. You placed the piece of vinyl with grooves etched in it on a (turn) table, then placed a needle weighted by an arm on the vinyl and the table revolved 45 times every minute. The song emitted from a speaker. See that giant hole in the middle? You had to buy a special little plastic disc to pop in there so when you placed it on your turntable you wouldn't get a warbled wavy sound. I never could find the disc I had to line it up. So half the songs I heard as a kid were psychedelic not by the artists choice but cuz I cant tell when something is evenly placed.
These were also great as Frisbees and would provide hours of entertainment if you sat back and spun it on your finger like a circus act. Get one going on either hand and amaze your friends.
When my siblings pissed me off they would be greeted by a well scratched disc when they went to listen to Tull, or James Taylor.. cuz I would drag my Barbie camper across them in vengeance. They were tough vinyl but trust me they always scratched an popped even if you blew off the giant fuzzball on the needle.
Mercury Records is done with it.
No more vinyl 45s (seriously they were still making them?) or cd singles. Now, only digital.
In 2006 sales were near the million mark, but there has been an 85% decrease in physical single sales. According to the UK's Daily Mail, one recent week saw vinyl and CD singles making up just 0.16% of total overall music sales.
So that's that. No more. Mercury, part of Universal Music has shut off the lights.
I blame all of you instant gratification kids downloading singles. Digital singles sales are through the roof cuz you people don't listen to a whole album. You pick and chose your hits and click and you killed the 45 with your acts of passive aggression.
I kind of 'get it' though. Really aside from a few eccentrics who are on the new turntable kick really no one has the space on their shelf for a proper stereo system. Remember receivers and turn tables and tape decks? Dual cassette? Now you can tuck it in your shirt pocket.
It happened to televisions that were once an actual piece of household furniture so was the 'console stereo' the size of a wardrobe in some cases, ours was. Wish I still had that come to think of it it was freaking rad. I could stand on it and see over the wall and spy on people. Wow that was super cool come to think of it.
Sigh..
So the 45 is dead, its your fault and music will never be as fun ever again.
Thanks alot.