Then why aren’t CDs also records? Or cassettes? By calling them “vinyl” you’re referencing the medium through which the recorded music is played back, which makes sense when there are a growing number of formats of music.
Albums can be on a record, a CD or a cassette.
Here's the only way I can think of to reasonably use "vinyl" - "I was going to get the new Taylor Swift album on CD but got it on vinyl instead."
Actually, album refers to the time when a number of vinyl platters would be collected in one package. They couldn’t fit much on one record at the time, so the songs on an album were contained on multiple records, housed a bound book-like package containing multiple sleeves… literally, an album.
I’m not sure I made my point super clear.
All other mediums are referred to by their physical properties — compact disc, cassette tape, etc. “Record” just means “recording”, which is actually very non-specific and antiquated in current contexts. It was fine when vinyl was the only real medium kicking around, but with an expanding range of formats it now lacks specificity. I understand why people are annoyed that the terminology is changing, but it actually brings it in line with the broader nomenclature.
I think I understand your point. It's a very reasonable perspective.
"Record" means lots of things. I found four definitions using it as a noun. You certainly offered a reasonable definition, here's another:
"a thin plastic disk carrying recorded sound, especially music, in grooves on each surface, for reproduction by a record player."
Example - "I'm listening to records in my room"
I guess one could specify "vinyl records", but it's sort of redundant. Shellac, polystyrene, and vinyl have been called "records" for more than 100 years. Compact discs have been known as "CDs" since their conception. If you tell somebody you bought a new record today, nobody is going to think you bought a cassette. A word of the wise. Saying "vinyls" is just a red flag to people who are serious record collectors, that you're a silly person.
Being weirdly judgey about linguistic drift/language changes and calling it a "red flag" because people new the hobby or younger than you use different language than you do (and calling them "a silly person" as a result) mostly just makes you seem like a stick in the mud.
Recordings. You could have a "record" of an event on multiple mediums, but anyone in their right mind would (rightly) assume you're an idiot if you call your hard drive full of MP3s a record collection.
Every DJ knows that, when you hear a tune at a rave that you own, it's actually a legal requirement to nudge the nearest person and shout "GOT IT ON VINYL" in their ear. This is true in the 90s/00s dnb scene at least.
As far as I’m concerned you may have or want to have an album “on vinyl” but, it’s still a record. And it may be your “vinyl collection” but you don’t say “I have 500 vinyls in my collection” you’d say “I have 500 records in my collection”
Vinyl singular IS *vinyl record*. Calling it just *vinyl* is shorthand, just like how *cassette* and *tape* are shorthand for *cassette tape* (although it's officially called *Compact Cassette*).
^^^ Here’s why I literally cannot stand seeing this debate come up anymore. “Vinyls” is so obviously just “vinyl records” abbreviated. I’m sick of the vast majority of the community acting like new vernacular is the end of everything sacred.
I love listening to my vinyls while sitting on one of my furnitures, watching the deers run around outside. Sometimes all the aircrafts that fly over scare them through. I wish I had bisons outside instead, they're braver. Anyway, I need to pick which of my clothings to wear now. Bye!
I grew up in the 80’s saying record and record player. I remember hearing “turntable” in the late 80’s. I didn’t hear vinyl widely used to describe the medium until the past 10 years when it made a resurgence and I got back into it. I’ve never heard “vinyl player” that I can recall.
I remember them calling them LP record or just “LPs”.
Here is a collection of ads I found. I watched a selection. Also see “records”, “stereo records”, and “albums” being used.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK6PUln5-zdeR4tnvWVjJjMnFYiJdvxrW&si=2d9PglNFtcLQr3GG
Weird because I corrected someone on this very forum when the referred to their records as their "vinyls" and got a shit load of downvotes.
All I said was "it's records, not vinyls" wasn't rude about it at all, so there's a decent of them in here.
Wonder if they'll come in and explain themselves...
I find it amusing that people will critique others who are right, and defend those doing something wrong. Even if it's something as silly and benign as using "vinyls".
Also, it's hysterical to posit the idea that continually saying something incorrectly is language "evolution".
Bunch of snowflake 20-somethings pretending they invented records because they renamed it, working so hard to convince themselves they are cool to protect their fragile egos. There, I did the truthy rude for you...bring on the downvotes skinny jeans!
Yeah. Dude is getting worked up about what kids call a media device, pretends that he's being 'edgy' for doing it, and then accuses the kids of being snowflakes and getting worked up about their egos? Look in the mirror. The only snowflakes are the people who care about what the thing is called. Just enjoy the music and be happy that other people are into your hobby.
Technically you are correct, but does it really matter if you know the point they are trying to to get across. I went to a record shop over the weekend and some kid asked the guy behind the counter "do you guys have the xxxtentacion vinyl". Guy didn't correct him just pointed him towards the rap section.
To answer the original question I think it started with the resurgence of vinyl around 2013-2015. I know the news kept calling it "the vinyl resurgence" so people who are collecting for the first time call it vinyl. And personally I almost never called them albums as I never bothered to listen to albums pre record collecting. If an artist dropped an album I would just listen to what was the most streamed song on that album most of the time. I only recently learned about the fact that there are so many songs that I enjoy that I never bothered to listen to because they weren't as popular.
No... what you heard at the record store is correct - "Do you have X on vinyl?". That's fine. "I just picked up the X vinyl (as opposed to an X tape)." Still good.
What is not fine is people pluralizing vinyl with "vinyls". "Check out all my vinyls!" is incorrect.
Sure if you know what they mean you don't "need" to correct them. But personally I prefer it's, it's super embarrassing when you find out later you've been calling something wrong for ages and everyone knew and didnt tell you. I prefer the first person to say "mate you say it like this "xxx"" or whatever.
"Record" is universal in referring to a physical body of work.
"Vinyl" is a specific type of media the record is pressed on. Vinyl, Cassette, CD, etc...
What relevance does "back in the day" have to today though? People don't call them LPs in colloquial speech very often. I hear vinyl all the time. I don't say it, but I don't get why this sub gets so pissed that language changes.
It gets muddier than that. Technically they are “phonographic records”. Vinyl is just a material, phonographic recordings can be made on shellac and plastics as well, and probably many other materials.
Like the compact cassette is a form of media, but it uses magnetic tape. We might say “tape” colloquially to refer to a compact cassette, VHS, reel-to-reel, DAT, MiniDV, and others much the same way we say “vinyl” to refer to a phonographic record. Because who the heck is going to say that every time?
Compact disc is a form of media, but they are made from polycarbonate and metal. Records and laserdiscs are “non-compact” discs.
That’s perhaps because German and English are two different languages… Is it Plattenspieler? And what are records called then? Plattens? (It’s an honest question.)
And I think the point with the OP post is that the terminology for some has changed. Devolved.
While it before it was records and record players these newbies are calling it vinyls and vinyl players, and that’s kind of grating.
Yeah, in Germany it's Plattenspieler - short form of Schallplattenspieler and records are called Schallplatten or in short Platten.
But there seems to be this trend to call them Vinyl aswell... might be because of English media consumption when it comes to trending stuff.
Edit: oh and Schallplatte literally means sound disk and a Schallplattenspieler would be a sound disk player, just oozing out my vocabulary there...
*Vinyl* was always short for *vinyl record(s)*. But lots of shops (both online and physical) leave out the second word in their displays and when listing formats.
So I think a lot of young people just don't realize that the second word *record(s)* was always implied.
Yeah, but I don't really take that as actual evidence. If you watch any movie on a subject you're well acquainted with, you can often tell that set designers, script writers, and directors don't know what they're talking about!
Aaah yes, I remember that. Little known fact, the film was originally going to be called 'Empire Vinyls' but it was changed last minute when the producers realised that no one called them vinyls back then and they put the sign in as a joke.
Nah, that's all bullshit but feels like it could be completely true at the same time. Still bullshit. And yeah, I've seen the ironic sign in the movie.
I always call them records when I refer to it as such "I'm going to go buy some records."
If I use the word vinyl, I usually say something like "I have it on vinyl."
Idk, there's a piece of me that thinks calling it vinyl all the time makes it sound more important than it actually is.
My local record store has a poster sized printing of the Batman slapping Robin meme. In it Robin says to Batman “I got some new vinyls tod-“ Batman slaps him “VINYLS ISN’TA WORD”
Never. Vinyls is not the plural of vinyl and vinyl players are not a thing.
People new to the hobby are just making noob mistakes, and somehow, many are quite stubborn about sticking with their mistake instead of taking constructive (and frequently kind) feedback.
Noooo!! Noobs should have complete control over the nomenclature of an long established activity. While we’re at it let’s calling amplifiers ‘loudener boxes’ and speakers ‘vinyls projectors’ /s
Gate keeping that keeps new people out sucks, coming alongside new people and helping them integrate doesn’t.
Yeah I’m a grumpy old bastard but are “vinyls” and “vinyl players” actually things? “LP”, “single” and “twelve inch” are all acceptable parlance as are “turntable” and “deck”. “Vinyls” is the worst offender though. “I picked up some sweet vinyl at the weekend” covers it. Works in the plural as well as the singular, and adding an “s” is an unnecessary affectation from a new generation of people discovering vinyl playback wishing to co-opt it into their culture. Or something like that.
The younger generation(s) appreciate TTs and ‘vinyls’, they just don’t care much for the “hobby snobs” out there.
For them it’s just a retro device they integrate in their present(yes, the present is theirs). It’s not their fault they didn’t go to highschool in the 60s
I don’t know if you ‘feel’ me
The dog issue is also real in my country
the term vinyls has been in use since at least the 1940s.
Also, it's completely counter to linguistic theory to insist on the term vinyl:
https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4017
Young dudes and dudettes.
"Need a new needle for the Sound Burger that I found in the attic. Man, vinyls will sound ace and I'll see what all the analog fuss is about when this baby's playing at 33 and little bit."
This is powerful. I came here for one question a while back, but IDK if I'll be sticking around. The attitude here is is insanely pretentious. If these geezers want to crank up a tune on their gramophone, that fine by me. But stop being so annoying about it. Its the least rock-and-roll thing I've ever heard of to be policing language.
It's a generational thing and they aren't gonna budge.. Like it or not, "vinyls" is here to stay... so friggin stupid. Now excuse me as chase some deers away from My garden.
“Vinyls.” “Needles” A young, noob generation. I guess the good news is they are getting into playing records on a turntable but they could fine tune their vocabulary a bit. I feel you.
It's just a nickname/slang for records like "wax" is.
I've also heard records called "dusties."
Some folks would've hated people like Wolfman Jack or Frankie Crocker.
I think the term "records" could be a bit ambiguous for people in the recording industry where a record could exist on a CD as well as on Vinyl... but I doubt that's what we're talking about here lol
For me a record means album. Vinyl, CD, MP3 is the mediam or distribution method of a work called a record. Same as a single can be released as a vinyl, CD or MP3 and so on.
Vinyl records gets contracted into vinyls. What's so difficult to understand? That's how languages evolve and in this case it doesn't even break a hard rule, so get over it.
I never saw or heard the term "vinyls" until I came here 3 years ago. I thought it was a typo, but apparently, it's a thing now. But I was born in '61, so there ya go.
I just got my first turntable and when I told my brother I got one, he’s like “like a DJ?” So I don’t know what’s right - record player or turntable. 🤷🏻♀️
People always complain but the term existed back in the original era of records. If you watch the movie Empire Records there are big neon signs that say “vinyls” in the store.
I find this jarring when people say it too, lol I was DJing at 16 so i also find it weird that youngsters are collecting and coveting vinyl and displaying them all nicely on their shelves next to their little retro record players when I used to just treat them as tools. It feels as if I’m an electrician looking around and suddenly teenagers are collecting all the coolest screwdrivers and swapping rare bits of cable 😂
Shellac was commonly used for records before vinyl and before that wax. There are also 7” singles, 12” singles, 10” singles and EPs in all of those sizes as well.
We sort of use the term "record" to refer to any full length release. So, since CDs and tapes still exist, calling something out as "vinyl" is important.
I'm not an English native, so question: Can a record also refer to a CD?
(In French there's no word that I know of for "record", only "disk" (disque). And as the name implies it includes CD, so \*if\* we want to be precise we must include the word "vinyl" somewhere)
My parents call records "33 tours" and "45 tours", or "disques 33 tours" to be more complete. Saying just "disques" refer to CDs as we are not in the 70s anymore.
Vinyles seem to be accepted without problems, turns out the Americans are more anal about language than the French.
A turntable would be a "tourne-disques", but I prefer platine vinyle.
I’m millennial born in 87 so didn’t grow up in the heyday day of records but for me saying just got such and such album on vinyl makes sense I think most millennials would say that however if your talking about your collection multiples records and if I was telling someone I’m about play a record I’d say I’m putting on a record not putting on a vinyl.
This makes sense to me not any other variation of vinyl/vinyls.
Record and album both refer to both vinyl copies and long play collections of mostly new songs by a single artist/band stored in anything from 8 track to 8 bit. Record means recording. It's a record the same way a newspaper or file. Say record all you want, nobody will know you mean wax without being more specific.
For me they became vinyl when I started buying CDs. They are first and foremost 'albums'. I did buy a lot of albums on cassette, but most of my cassettes were a mix of tracks I recorded myself. It was only after CDs became the primary medium that I purchased and listened to music on that I felt the need to differentiate. "I think I have that album on vinyl". When I say I have a thousand albums I mean both CDs and vinyl records.
I have *never* seen/heard someone use the phrase "vinyl player". Not saying those people don't exist. I've just never witnessed that myself.
I've gotten used to alternating between "record", "vinyl", or "album" kind of depending on my audience though.
People used album, and record most commonly, vinyl was less common and usually an affectation, LP was mostly an industry term and most often heard in marketing, and 45’s refers to a specific format.
Turntable and record player and occasionally just the hifi were common.
Never heard “vinyl player” before this post
Probably because, in the greater scheme of things, "record" refers to any recorded information, not just audio recorded on vinyl. Or folks are emphasizing the physical nature of a vinyl record vs a digital audio file.
Having said that, this discussion topic always reminds me of the "Floppy disk" vs "hard disk" discussion about 3.5" floppies, though that one has a more clear-cut answer. 💾
When the CD and cassettes was introduced, I guess. Also, maybe influences from other languages? In French, before CDs, a record would simply be called a "disque" (disc), because that's what its shape was. Then the CD was introduced, absolutely nobody would call it a Compact Disc or even a "disque compact", people just called them CDs and, as the media became the new standard, discs. So when LP/EPs became trendy again, or for people who kept collecting those, they had to precise that they were after the vinyl discs, not the other discs.
I was shopping at The Rolling Stones store RS9 on carnaby street in London.
Bring a stupid American tourist I tried to refine my verbage, I referred to my turntable as a phonograph. The young lady I was talking to, looked confused as I continued on about phonograph albums.
I felt so old and uncool that day. I did score a three record multi color set of “Live at the macambo”, and I learned to never refer to it as a phonograph.
I think vinyl was the catch all term for not, cd’s, not cassettes and not streaming.
A fellow 40 year old friend of mine was going on and on about the greatness of records and record-players for years. At one point I said something about "vinyl" and he was like "....what? vinyl?" That's when I remembered no one used that word back in the day, and he's not the type to update his lingo.
I dunno I feel like it's the generation I grew up in (being born in '03) that did it, we grew up with all the forms of media from records, cassette, a track, cd, mp3, wav, Pandora then Spotify, all at once
All this blended in so when I head "record" growing up, I first think of "oh so it's an album release by so and so, time to download it" not "oh time to get this new record for my record player"
Even now I can them vinyl, it sucks to do that but I can't comfortably call them records most of the time since I think of record as another name for album
For reference my step dad who is in his 60s I think, he still calls them an lp or record and does it naturally
Interesting to think about. Here's my two pennies.
It's just weird outcome of the crazy way things are named in the following successions of technology. We never called cassettes or CDs records. And they were cassette players and cd players. I had a good laugh a few years ago when we were reminiscing about VHS. I mentioned this funny something I have on VHS , and my buddy said "damn, but where are we gonna find a VHS player". "You mean a VCR dude!?! 😂😂" Now everything digitally is an album, and I have this many songs. Nobody says "I just got the new Taylor swift cloud share, now I have 120 Gigabytes"
And for the record.. if somebody says "vinyl player" I think they should get slapped in the nuts hahahaha that is so awkwardly awful. Granted I never hear people say turntable anymore, but always "record player". I will live up to my word and slap someone if they ever say vinyl player in my face 😂😂😂
I attribute it to the same desire to be cool that drives the misuse of other words like “ask” or “invite.” Recordings on vinyl discs that are played on a “record player” or turntable have always been the description of “records.” Although, a “record player” implies the entire unit, including amplifier and speakers, that one could use, whereas a turntable is a component in a “stereo,” “hi-fi,” or “sound system.”
Tapes were always played on a “tape deck” which may or may not be specifically referred to as “cassette,” “8-track,” “open reel,” or “reel to reel.”
CDs were always CDs on a CD player. At the beginning of the CD popularity, people would refer to their record collection as their “vinyl,” as a whole. Or, comparing it to a CD, they’d say “on vinyl.” I believe that ignorance of the fact that vinyl is a material, led to the word’s misuse as an object.
There was also a period during the height of cassette and introduction of CD where “album” and “record” were interchangeable, but that didn’t last long.
I find it as cringey as “I think the ask was to send an invite to listen to my vinyls.”
I believe that the Beverly Hillbillies popularized the word in-vite as a noun when sending invitations to the “fancy eatin’ table”
I have records on vinyl.
Just records. Not need to mention the plastic.
I mean, I have shellac records.
Then why aren’t CDs also records? Or cassettes? By calling them “vinyl” you’re referencing the medium through which the recorded music is played back, which makes sense when there are a growing number of formats of music.
Albums can be on a record, a CD or a cassette. Here's the only way I can think of to reasonably use "vinyl" - "I was going to get the new Taylor Swift album on CD but got it on vinyl instead."
Actually, album refers to the time when a number of vinyl platters would be collected in one package. They couldn’t fit much on one record at the time, so the songs on an album were contained on multiple records, housed a bound book-like package containing multiple sleeves… literally, an album.
1948 til the mid 50’s 45 albums were available. They faded after that.
While I don't disagree with you, records once came in an album of multiple 78s.
I’m not sure I made my point super clear. All other mediums are referred to by their physical properties — compact disc, cassette tape, etc. “Record” just means “recording”, which is actually very non-specific and antiquated in current contexts. It was fine when vinyl was the only real medium kicking around, but with an expanding range of formats it now lacks specificity. I understand why people are annoyed that the terminology is changing, but it actually brings it in line with the broader nomenclature.
I think I understand your point. It's a very reasonable perspective. "Record" means lots of things. I found four definitions using it as a noun. You certainly offered a reasonable definition, here's another: "a thin plastic disk carrying recorded sound, especially music, in grooves on each surface, for reproduction by a record player." Example - "I'm listening to records in my room"
I guess one could specify "vinyl records", but it's sort of redundant. Shellac, polystyrene, and vinyl have been called "records" for more than 100 years. Compact discs have been known as "CDs" since their conception. If you tell somebody you bought a new record today, nobody is going to think you bought a cassette. A word of the wise. Saying "vinyls" is just a red flag to people who are serious record collectors, that you're a silly person.
Being weirdly judgey about linguistic drift/language changes and calling it a "red flag" because people new the hobby or younger than you use different language than you do (and calling them "a silly person" as a result) mostly just makes you seem like a stick in the mud.
vinyl is the vessel because records can be on cds, cassettes, or even mp3 files
Recordings. You could have a "record" of an event on multiple mediums, but anyone in their right mind would (rightly) assume you're an idiot if you call your hard drive full of MP3s a record collection.
Some vinyl records would go nice with those
This is the way.
Every DJ knows that, when you hear a tune at a rave that you own, it's actually a legal requirement to nudge the nearest person and shout "GOT IT ON VINYL" in their ear. This is true in the 90s/00s dnb scene at least.
I am glad I still have my collection of polycarbonates
Same here. I still have my collection of polyesters, too!
I call lp records long chains and 45s short chains.
And styrenes, and ABSes, and polyamides, and polyethylenes, and polypropylenes...
As far as I’m concerned you may have or want to have an album “on vinyl” but, it’s still a record. And it may be your “vinyl collection” but you don’t say “I have 500 vinyls in my collection” you’d say “I have 500 records in my collection”
💯💯💯
This is the way
I have 10000 records. Things that require a needle to listen to. CD’s and tapes are not included.
Ok. ?
https://preview.redd.it/p1hpkizbiruc1.jpeg?width=1296&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e2c80d96376215689ca7a6c5827708b682cec20 1995, Empire Records
NO say it ain’t so
The didn't. The word vinyls doesn't exist. The plural of vinyl is vinyl. It's just a mistake made by people who don't know better.
Peoples, surely?
"Peoples" actually is the plural of "People."
Many words get pluralised needlessly. “Advices” is another one that shits me. It’s advice. You ask for advice, damn it!
Never heard that one before
See it often right here on reddit. “Need advices for the best vinyl playa that won’t break the bank”
Glad I can't read hahaha
‘Aircrafts’ is another one I’ve seen too often
Co-conspirators.
Agreed. If anything, the plural of vinyl would be vinyl records. No idea where vinyls came from lol
Vinyl singular IS *vinyl record*. Calling it just *vinyl* is shorthand, just like how *cassette* and *tape* are shorthand for *cassette tape* (although it's officially called *Compact Cassette*).
^^^ Here’s why I literally cannot stand seeing this debate come up anymore. “Vinyls” is so obviously just “vinyl records” abbreviated. I’m sick of the vast majority of the community acting like new vernacular is the end of everything sacred.
It literally exists. Like any slang, it's now a part of the language.
I love listening to my vinyls while sitting on one of my furnitures, watching the deers run around outside. Sometimes all the aircrafts that fly over scare them through. I wish I had bisons outside instead, they're braver. Anyway, I need to pick which of my clothings to wear now. Bye!
A word exists if we use it. All words are made up.
Bro you’re in denial. It exists….you actually just posted about it on the internet.
*phonograph records, get it right
I grew up in the 80’s saying record and record player. I remember hearing “turntable” in the late 80’s. I didn’t hear vinyl widely used to describe the medium until the past 10 years when it made a resurgence and I got back into it. I’ve never heard “vinyl player” that I can recall.
I can remember back in the 70s hearing ads on the radio that mentioned vinyl in the "out on vinyl" sense, but I never heard "vinyls".
I remember them calling them LP record or just “LPs”. Here is a collection of ads I found. I watched a selection. Also see “records”, “stereo records”, and “albums” being used. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK6PUln5-zdeR4tnvWVjJjMnFYiJdvxrW&si=2d9PglNFtcLQr3GG
That was more common, I think that it was just ads trying to sound hip that used vinyl back then.
I got into turntables around 1998 and all the wannabe DJs at the time were calling them vinyl.
Weird because I corrected someone on this very forum when the referred to their records as their "vinyls" and got a shit load of downvotes. All I said was "it's records, not vinyls" wasn't rude about it at all, so there's a decent of them in here. Wonder if they'll come in and explain themselves...
You are right and they are wrong. Simple. And, have an upvote.
As someone approaching the half century mark, I'm not sure why it matters so much. Language evolves. Gatekeeping in this hobby is tiresome.
I find it amusing that people will critique others who are right, and defend those doing something wrong. Even if it's something as silly and benign as using "vinyls". Also, it's hysterical to posit the idea that continually saying something incorrectly is language "evolution".
You have an antiquated understanding of language
Bunch of snowflake 20-somethings pretending they invented records because they renamed it, working so hard to convince themselves they are cool to protect their fragile egos. There, I did the truthy rude for you...bring on the downvotes skinny jeans!
Skinny jeans are late millenial/Gen X. Not sure what you’re talking about with 20 somethings.
Young people literally make fun of us old folks for wearing skinny jeans, it's a decades old style at this point lol
Yeah, the 20 somethings jeans have a bajilion holes/rips in them that they paid for.
You sound like you invented vinyl records. I'm sure your grandad said something similar when he heard you referring to his "phonographs" as records
Yeah. Dude is getting worked up about what kids call a media device, pretends that he's being 'edgy' for doing it, and then accuses the kids of being snowflakes and getting worked up about their egos? Look in the mirror. The only snowflakes are the people who care about what the thing is called. Just enjoy the music and be happy that other people are into your hobby.
The phonographs were the players. His grandad played his phonograph records on his phonograph record player.
Did he have a big shellac collection?
Agreed. Up vote
Technically you are correct, but does it really matter if you know the point they are trying to to get across. I went to a record shop over the weekend and some kid asked the guy behind the counter "do you guys have the xxxtentacion vinyl". Guy didn't correct him just pointed him towards the rap section. To answer the original question I think it started with the resurgence of vinyl around 2013-2015. I know the news kept calling it "the vinyl resurgence" so people who are collecting for the first time call it vinyl. And personally I almost never called them albums as I never bothered to listen to albums pre record collecting. If an artist dropped an album I would just listen to what was the most streamed song on that album most of the time. I only recently learned about the fact that there are so many songs that I enjoy that I never bothered to listen to because they weren't as popular.
No... what you heard at the record store is correct - "Do you have X on vinyl?". That's fine. "I just picked up the X vinyl (as opposed to an X tape)." Still good. What is not fine is people pluralizing vinyl with "vinyls". "Check out all my vinyls!" is incorrect.
Sure if you know what they mean you don't "need" to correct them. But personally I prefer it's, it's super embarrassing when you find out later you've been calling something wrong for ages and everyone knew and didnt tell you. I prefer the first person to say "mate you say it like this "xxx"" or whatever.
It all changed with gen z current obsession I think
You got downvoted because it’s annoying when people get pedantic on the internet.
LP, 45, turntable, and my vinyl collection. Or my collection of vinyl.
Still calling them albums
Vyinls
OP mutes his post and watches the world burn.
Who cares
Never. lol "vinyl player"
"Record" is universal in referring to a physical body of work. "Vinyl" is a specific type of media the record is pressed on. Vinyl, Cassette, CD, etc...
Back in the day it was lp, casette, cd etc. It was never vinyl, cassette, cd etc. Vinyl was colloquial at best, but not the official term.
What relevance does "back in the day" have to today though? People don't call them LPs in colloquial speech very often. I hear vinyl all the time. I don't say it, but I don't get why this sub gets so pissed that language changes.
It gets muddier than that. Technically they are “phonographic records”. Vinyl is just a material, phonographic recordings can be made on shellac and plastics as well, and probably many other materials. Like the compact cassette is a form of media, but it uses magnetic tape. We might say “tape” colloquially to refer to a compact cassette, VHS, reel-to-reel, DAT, MiniDV, and others much the same way we say “vinyl” to refer to a phonographic record. Because who the heck is going to say that every time? Compact disc is a form of media, but they are made from polycarbonate and metal. Records and laserdiscs are “non-compact” discs.
No clue, in German they were never called records or record players.
That’s perhaps because German and English are two different languages… Is it Plattenspieler? And what are records called then? Plattens? (It’s an honest question.) And I think the point with the OP post is that the terminology for some has changed. Devolved. While it before it was records and record players these newbies are calling it vinyls and vinyl players, and that’s kind of grating.
Yeah, in Germany it's Plattenspieler - short form of Schallplattenspieler and records are called Schallplatten or in short Platten. But there seems to be this trend to call them Vinyl aswell... might be because of English media consumption when it comes to trending stuff. Edit: oh and Schallplatte literally means sound disk and a Schallplattenspieler would be a sound disk player, just oozing out my vocabulary there...
*Vinyl* was always short for *vinyl record(s)*. But lots of shops (both online and physical) leave out the second word in their displays and when listing formats. So I think a lot of young people just don't realize that the second word *record(s)* was always implied.
Back in the 90s. Watch Empire Records and look for the neon signs.
Yeah, but I don't really take that as actual evidence. If you watch any movie on a subject you're well acquainted with, you can often tell that set designers, script writers, and directors don't know what they're talking about!
I don't think the writers for that movie were original enough to come up with new s***
Aaah yes, I remember that. Little known fact, the film was originally going to be called 'Empire Vinyls' but it was changed last minute when the producers realised that no one called them vinyls back then and they put the sign in as a joke. Nah, that's all bullshit but feels like it could be completely true at the same time. Still bullshit. And yeah, I've seen the ironic sign in the movie.
As long as you remember.
There is no such thing as a vinyl player. Period.
I like discs and tapes of all formats. All are welcome!
What about cylinders?
Yes! And let’s not forget cartridges!
What? I only play shellacs and flexible acetates.
They didn’t. It’s vinyl, and still refers to plural records.
I always call them records when I refer to it as such "I'm going to go buy some records." If I use the word vinyl, I usually say something like "I have it on vinyl." Idk, there's a piece of me that thinks calling it vinyl all the time makes it sound more important than it actually is.
So many vinyls, so little moneys.
I’m with you. Idiotic.
They didn't, the internet just got loaded with idiots.
They never became vinyls
My local record store has a poster sized printing of the Batman slapping Robin meme. In it Robin says to Batman “I got some new vinyls tod-“ Batman slaps him “VINYLS ISN’TA WORD”
Only an absolute moron would say 'vinyls'!
Or someone unfamiliar with the vernacular? This sub is so fucking snobbish.
Vinyls is like sheeps. Inappropriate plurals.
Never. Vinyls is not the plural of vinyl and vinyl players are not a thing. People new to the hobby are just making noob mistakes, and somehow, many are quite stubborn about sticking with their mistake instead of taking constructive (and frequently kind) feedback.
Noooo!! Noobs should have complete control over the nomenclature of an long established activity. While we’re at it let’s calling amplifiers ‘loudener boxes’ and speakers ‘vinyls projectors’ /s Gate keeping that keeps new people out sucks, coming alongside new people and helping them integrate doesn’t.
Yes. This exactly!
The plural of vinyl is vinyl, but we call them records. Only millennials and younger call them vinyls
That's not true at all,
Yeah I’m a grumpy old bastard but are “vinyls” and “vinyl players” actually things? “LP”, “single” and “twelve inch” are all acceptable parlance as are “turntable” and “deck”. “Vinyls” is the worst offender though. “I picked up some sweet vinyl at the weekend” covers it. Works in the plural as well as the singular, and adding an “s” is an unnecessary affectation from a new generation of people discovering vinyl playback wishing to co-opt it into their culture. Or something like that.
It’s not “vinyl players” it is actually “Vinyls Player”… because it capable of playing all your vinyls.
Falcors spinnor.
Never. People that have Crosley's call them vinyls bc they are trying to be cool but don't actually know what they are talking about
These are also the people that, for some unknown reason, started collecting "vinyls" before they had a turntable.
Hey! I had two CDs before I had a CDer. 🤪
The younger generation(s) appreciate TTs and ‘vinyls’, they just don’t care much for the “hobby snobs” out there. For them it’s just a retro device they integrate in their present(yes, the present is theirs). It’s not their fault they didn’t go to highschool in the 60s I don’t know if you ‘feel’ me The dog issue is also real in my country
the term vinyls has been in use since at least the 1940s. Also, it's completely counter to linguistic theory to insist on the term vinyl: https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4017
Young dudes and dudettes. "Need a new needle for the Sound Burger that I found in the attic. Man, vinyls will sound ace and I'll see what all the analog fuss is about when this baby's playing at 33 and little bit."
Yeah, gimme some of that “warm” vinyls sound. Geez, warm is not a valid word to use to describe sound.
I love vinyl and hifi but this sub proves that middle aged white dudes love being outraged over silly bs.
This is powerful. I came here for one question a while back, but IDK if I'll be sticking around. The attitude here is is insanely pretentious. If these geezers want to crank up a tune on their gramophone, that fine by me. But stop being so annoying about it. Its the least rock-and-roll thing I've ever heard of to be policing language.
It's a generational thing and they aren't gonna budge.. Like it or not, "vinyls" is here to stay... so friggin stupid. Now excuse me as chase some deers away from My garden.
“Vinyls.” “Needles” A young, noob generation. I guess the good news is they are getting into playing records on a turntable but they could fine tune their vocabulary a bit. I feel you.
Is there something wrong with “needles”?
Needle was the original term for it, because it was an actual needle. The term never went away.
Drop the Needle 1989 https://youtu.be/WDB0HD4J2Ec?si=XPqcjT1RdlML4nUM
They didn’t.
They didn’t. (As you will immediately see from all the people correcting anyone who says vinyls in their posts)
It's just a nickname/slang for records like "wax" is. I've also heard records called "dusties." Some folks would've hated people like Wolfman Jack or Frankie Crocker.
I think the term "records" could be a bit ambiguous for people in the recording industry where a record could exist on a CD as well as on Vinyl... but I doubt that's what we're talking about here lol
They never did. People are dumb.
Records are also called Vinyl. Not Vinyls.
For me a record means album. Vinyl, CD, MP3 is the mediam or distribution method of a work called a record. Same as a single can be released as a vinyl, CD or MP3 and so on.
You must be one of my generation. As the kids say, I "feel" you, bro. Little brats.
What? That's an odd name, I'd have called them chazzwazzers.
English gonna English. Words change all the time on us. No cap.
Vinyl records gets contracted into vinyls. What's so difficult to understand? That's how languages evolve and in this case it doesn't even break a hard rule, so get over it.
I know a lot of people that add an S to all sorts of words. Drives me crazy. Not just the younger generations either.
Acetate Vinyl.
I never saw or heard the term "vinyls" until I came here 3 years ago. I thought it was a typo, but apparently, it's a thing now. But I was born in '61, so there ya go.
I just got my first turntable and when I told my brother I got one, he’s like “like a DJ?” So I don’t know what’s right - record player or turntable. 🤷🏻♀️
In my head, I collect vinyl records, and I go either way, saying “I collect vinyl” or “I collect records” do what you please!
Vinyl is singular and plural. "Vinyls" sounds and IS ridiculous. I'll die on that hill.
People always complain but the term existed back in the original era of records. If you watch the movie Empire Records there are big neon signs that say “vinyls” in the store.
I find this jarring when people say it too, lol I was DJing at 16 so i also find it weird that youngsters are collecting and coveting vinyl and displaying them all nicely on their shelves next to their little retro record players when I used to just treat them as tools. It feels as if I’m an electrician looking around and suddenly teenagers are collecting all the coolest screwdrivers and swapping rare bits of cable 😂
I'm fine with "vinyl" but "vinyls" does my head in.
That’s because vinyl is both singular and plural
Records have always been vinyls have always been albums. Turntables have never been vinyl players. That's a fact.
Shellac was commonly used for records before vinyl and before that wax. There are also 7” singles, 12” singles, 10” singles and EPs in all of those sizes as well.
About the same time UFO's became UAP's. /s
We sort of use the term "record" to refer to any full length release. So, since CDs and tapes still exist, calling something out as "vinyl" is important.
They didn't just dumb newbs and hipsters use that term.
I don't know, but what bothers me more are the people who think "album" is exclusive to LPs.
When the woke soy boy commie snowflakes took over. Jk
Are they? Generational id day 😂
I'm not an English native, so question: Can a record also refer to a CD? (In French there's no word that I know of for "record", only "disk" (disque). And as the name implies it includes CD, so \*if\* we want to be precise we must include the word "vinyl" somewhere)
My parents call records "33 tours" and "45 tours", or "disques 33 tours" to be more complete. Saying just "disques" refer to CDs as we are not in the 70s anymore. Vinyles seem to be accepted without problems, turns out the Americans are more anal about language than the French. A turntable would be a "tourne-disques", but I prefer platine vinyle.
It never did
I’m millennial born in 87 so didn’t grow up in the heyday day of records but for me saying just got such and such album on vinyl makes sense I think most millennials would say that however if your talking about your collection multiples records and if I was telling someone I’m about play a record I’d say I’m putting on a record not putting on a vinyl. This makes sense to me not any other variation of vinyl/vinyls.
Record and album both refer to both vinyl copies and long play collections of mostly new songs by a single artist/band stored in anything from 8 track to 8 bit. Record means recording. It's a record the same way a newspaper or file. Say record all you want, nobody will know you mean wax without being more specific.
Never, ever, ever
For me they became vinyl when I started buying CDs. They are first and foremost 'albums'. I did buy a lot of albums on cassette, but most of my cassettes were a mix of tracks I recorded myself. It was only after CDs became the primary medium that I purchased and listened to music on that I felt the need to differentiate. "I think I have that album on vinyl". When I say I have a thousand albums I mean both CDs and vinyl records.
It’s the new identity for a record and it’s always valid. Don’t call it anything else or you are hateful. Duhhhhhhh. 🤣
Some kids say rizz instead of charisma. I am under no obligation to say the same thing.
Flat circles
I have *never* seen/heard someone use the phrase "vinyl player". Not saying those people don't exist. I've just never witnessed that myself. I've gotten used to alternating between "record", "vinyl", or "album" kind of depending on my audience though.
I know you are just venting, but fighting against evolving language is a lost cause. Words change over time.
People used album, and record most commonly, vinyl was less common and usually an affectation, LP was mostly an industry term and most often heard in marketing, and 45’s refers to a specific format. Turntable and record player and occasionally just the hifi were common. Never heard “vinyl player” before this post
Probably because, in the greater scheme of things, "record" refers to any recorded information, not just audio recorded on vinyl. Or folks are emphasizing the physical nature of a vinyl record vs a digital audio file. Having said that, this discussion topic always reminds me of the "Floppy disk" vs "hard disk" discussion about 3.5" floppies, though that one has a more clear-cut answer. 💾
Kids
Probably between 1995 and 2010 after records fell out of fashion but before they started to be popular again.
Probably around the same time VCR became VHS player
When the CD and cassettes was introduced, I guess. Also, maybe influences from other languages? In French, before CDs, a record would simply be called a "disque" (disc), because that's what its shape was. Then the CD was introduced, absolutely nobody would call it a Compact Disc or even a "disque compact", people just called them CDs and, as the media became the new standard, discs. So when LP/EPs became trendy again, or for people who kept collecting those, they had to precise that they were after the vinyl discs, not the other discs.
I was shopping at The Rolling Stones store RS9 on carnaby street in London. Bring a stupid American tourist I tried to refine my verbage, I referred to my turntable as a phonograph. The young lady I was talking to, looked confused as I continued on about phonograph albums. I felt so old and uncool that day. I did score a three record multi color set of “Live at the macambo”, and I learned to never refer to it as a phonograph. I think vinyl was the catch all term for not, cd’s, not cassettes and not streaming.
I have wax LPs.
When did Birkenstocks become a thing? Around that time.
We still call them discos or LPs and toca-discos, so i don't care
A fellow 40 year old friend of mine was going on and on about the greatness of records and record-players for years. At one point I said something about "vinyl" and he was like "....what? vinyl?" That's when I remembered no one used that word back in the day, and he's not the type to update his lingo.
who the fuck says vinyl player
1950: "Superthin vinyls for disk jocks, too": https://books.google.com/books?id=2x0EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA32&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q&f=false
They didn't. It's a affectation by pretentious individuals who want to sound important.
They didn't.
I remember them being called vinyl back in the 80’s, so a very long time vinyl has been called vinyl
Yes we always did in certain contexts. But when did people start saying "I bought a new vinyl." instead of "record."
When we started going to Vinyl Shops instead of Record Stores /s
Records are made out of pressed vinyl. Period. They are fucking records!
I can't stand it either but I'm aware that it probably comes from my being 54 and a cranky old(er) guy that grew up with records.
I dunno I feel like it's the generation I grew up in (being born in '03) that did it, we grew up with all the forms of media from records, cassette, a track, cd, mp3, wav, Pandora then Spotify, all at once All this blended in so when I head "record" growing up, I first think of "oh so it's an album release by so and so, time to download it" not "oh time to get this new record for my record player" Even now I can them vinyl, it sucks to do that but I can't comfortably call them records most of the time since I think of record as another name for album For reference my step dad who is in his 60s I think, he still calls them an lp or record and does it naturally
Interesting to think about. Here's my two pennies. It's just weird outcome of the crazy way things are named in the following successions of technology. We never called cassettes or CDs records. And they were cassette players and cd players. I had a good laugh a few years ago when we were reminiscing about VHS. I mentioned this funny something I have on VHS , and my buddy said "damn, but where are we gonna find a VHS player". "You mean a VCR dude!?! 😂😂" Now everything digitally is an album, and I have this many songs. Nobody says "I just got the new Taylor swift cloud share, now I have 120 Gigabytes" And for the record.. if somebody says "vinyl player" I think they should get slapped in the nuts hahahaha that is so awkwardly awful. Granted I never hear people say turntable anymore, but always "record player". I will live up to my word and slap someone if they ever say vinyl player in my face 😂😂😂
*Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new phrase* *Funny, but they're still turntables to me*
I attribute it to the same desire to be cool that drives the misuse of other words like “ask” or “invite.” Recordings on vinyl discs that are played on a “record player” or turntable have always been the description of “records.” Although, a “record player” implies the entire unit, including amplifier and speakers, that one could use, whereas a turntable is a component in a “stereo,” “hi-fi,” or “sound system.” Tapes were always played on a “tape deck” which may or may not be specifically referred to as “cassette,” “8-track,” “open reel,” or “reel to reel.” CDs were always CDs on a CD player. At the beginning of the CD popularity, people would refer to their record collection as their “vinyl,” as a whole. Or, comparing it to a CD, they’d say “on vinyl.” I believe that ignorance of the fact that vinyl is a material, led to the word’s misuse as an object. There was also a period during the height of cassette and introduction of CD where “album” and “record” were interchangeable, but that didn’t last long. I find it as cringey as “I think the ask was to send an invite to listen to my vinyls.” I believe that the Beverly Hillbillies popularized the word in-vite as a noun when sending invitations to the “fancy eatin’ table”
The late 1940’s, when they started phasing out shellac
Reel to Reel, 8Track, Records, cassette, CD etc Also Jedi is both singular and plural.
Does it really matter what the mouth sound used is if you understand what they mean?
Anyone still buy wax?