The first widely consumed 331/3 rpm record was invented by Columbia in 1948. The speed had been invented previously but was held back from the wider market because there were doubts that customers would be willing to purchase new players so soon after buying and getting used to 78 rpm players.
Whilst the 78 rpm speed was created by fluke – the inventor found a motor that worked at 78 and invented the disc to accommodate the motor – Columbia saw an opportunity to create a unique speed that balanced fidelity with runtime. In doing so, they’d reinvent the wheel, so to speak, and gain a commercial advantage (at least, that was the intention).
This development left the other major US label, RCA in a tough position – hop on the 33 train or invent and push their own type of record. They saw the opportunity to compete and took it - they released 45rpm records in 1949.
RCA promoted 45s as being a cheaper and more compact way to enjoy music. They were pushed as the ‘best’ way to consume popular music, and the public believed it. In many ways, it’s true and gave rise to the release of hugely popular singles and their B-sides, which is still the way the commercially popular tracks are released and referred to.
These were released on seven different vinyl colours to denote different genres.
And here is an early video advert for the RCA Victrola...
Of course, you may be reading this knowing that players nowadays such as jukeboxes only take 7” 45s with large centre holes. Record player manufacturers quite quickly realised the need for players that took 33 and 45 speed records, and so the War of the Speeds was no more. Columbia started producing 45rpm records in 1951 & RCA began to manufacture 33s in 1950, only one year after they’d launched the 45rpm speed.
Both record sizes and speeds were very valid and useful in their own right, so that initial business minded battle was definitely worth it.
Because of the development of players that take both speeds, it gave rise to the ability to press 12” singles that play at 45rpm, as well as records with different speeds on each side and even some records that can be played at both speeds on the same side.
Of course, there are also many records that are fun to listen to at the ‘wrong’ speed, which can be rather amusing – we're currently imagining a Leonard Cohen 45 being played at 33. Or do it the other way round and he might start sounding pretty normal – the same goes for an Aled Jones 45 being played at 33.
