The 45 Record

In 1948 Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) introduced inventor Peter Goldmark's "longer-playing" 12-inch 33 1/3-RPM record. With a capacity of 23 minutes per side, record companies could finally create an album of songs on a single record. This longer playing record became known as the long play record, "LP", or record "album".

Not to be outdone, RCA Victor introduced the seven-inch 45-RPM record in 1949. Compared to the 78 it was smaller, but at its slower speed it could hold more material. The "45" spawned two formats. One, the extended play record, or "EP", generally contained two songs per side. The other, the single play record, "SP", or "single" contained one song per side (called the A side and B side). Both CBS and RCA Victor began using each other's formats and gradually, the vinyl LP, EP, and SP became the industry standard in recorded music. The 78 format slowly faded away in the early 1960s.

We hope you enjoy our selection of 45 records.

Milepost Antiques and Currituck Trading Company 1211 Duck Road, Duck, North Carolina 27949