National Vinyl Record Day

Celebrated on the day Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, August 12, 1877. A vinyl record, also known simply as a record or an LP (short for "long-playing"), is a format for storing recorded music. It consists of a flat disc made of vinyl that is typically 12 inches in diameter and contains grooves that spiral from the outside edge of the disc to the center. When a stylus or needle is placed in the grooves and the record is rotated on a turntable, the grooves cause the stylus to vibrate, which in turn produces sound that is amplified through speakers. Vinyl records were the primary format for recorded music for much of the 20th century, from the 1950s through the 1980s, and remain popular among collectors and enthusiasts today. Vinyl records offer several advantages over other formats, such as their warm and natural sound quality, large album artwork, and the physical act of playing a record. They are also prized for their collectibility, with rare and vintage records often commanding high prices among collectors. While vinyl records were largely replaced by digital formats such as CDs and streaming in the late 20th century, they have experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years as a result of their unique sound and tactile appeal.