National Vinyl Record Day is a holiday that’s observed on August 12 annually and is a day when people can listen to their favorite music on vinyl records. Even though Sony decided in 1989 to stop making vinyl records due to the increased popularity of easier-to-transport music formats, in 2017 they started to make vinyl records again due to increased demand. Nowadays, vinyl records have come back and are the preferred listening format for many people who feel that digital formats create a sound that’s devoid of character or charm.

The History Of National Vinyl Record Day

National Vinyl Record Day was created by Gary Freiberg in Los Osos, California. He set the holiday on August 12 because that’s when Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877. He intended it as a day when people could appreciate the fond memories they have of vinyl records.

The History Of Vinyl Records

In 1877, Thomas Edison created the phonograph. He based this invention on the Phonautograph that was invented in 1857 by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville—a French inventor. A few years later, Emile Berliner patented the gramophone in 1887, which is considered to be the first vinyl record player. Thirty-four years later, the Victor Company released a record player they called the Red Seal. This record player played 10-inch vinyl records.

Columbia Records released 33-1/3 RPM records in 1948. These were made out of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, and the sounds are recorded in the grooves in the vinyl. Vinyl records continued to be popular until Sony invented the compact disc in 1982. This led to the slow decline of vinyl records until Sony decided to stop making them altogether in 1989. Fortunately, this was only a temporary stop because 28 years later, increased demand for vinyl records resulted in Sony making them once again. Records had begun to be reintroduced in 2006, and by 2017, they were popular enough for Sony to start making them again. They would continue to grow in popularity until 27.5 million records were sold in the U.S. in 2020—a figure that’s 46% higher than the number of records sold in 2019.

Some Interesting Facts About Vinyl Records

During our research, we not only uncovered the history of vinyl records but also uncovered some interesting bits of trivia about them. So we decided to round out this holiday article by listing some of the things we’ve learned.

• The first commercial LP released in 1930 by RCA Victor was a failure.
• The largest LP collection is believed to be owned by Paul Mawhinney. It has over a million LPs.
• Clear and colored vinyl records usually have more surface noise than standard black vinyl records do.

Observing National Vinyl Record Day

National Vinyl Record Day can be observed by taking the time to listen to some of your favorite music that you might have on vinyl. It’s also a good day to make some new vinyl record purchases. While you’re enjoying this day, don’t forget to also use the hashtag #NationalVinylRecordDay on your social media accounts to spread the word about this holiday.