The vinyl record is an audio storage medium, most commonly used for preserving music. It is a subset of the family of analogue disc records (see).
A vinyl gramophone or phonograph record consists of a disc of polyvinyl chloride plastic, engraved on both sides with a single concentric spiral groove in which a sapphire or diamond needle or stylus is supposed to run, from the outside edge towards the centre.
Vinyl records are made in the following formats:
Common formats
Less common formats
Some 78rpm records were also pressed in vinyl, particularly the six-minute 12" 78rpm records produced by V-Disc for distribution to US troops in World War II.
Although replaced by digital media such as the compact disc as a popular mass marketed music medium, vinyl records continue to be manufactured and sold in the 21st century. Currently the most common formats are:
See also: DJ