Vinyl Records: Size, Speeds and Formats Explained

You’ve just bought your first record, but now you need to know how to play it. Each type of record should be played differently – speed being the most important factor – so you can enjoy the music as intended.

This blog will run you through the different types, speeds and sizes of vinyl records, what they’re used for, and how to play them.

LPs (or ‘Long Players’) are the most commonly pressed record format, especially now. They hold a full album of music and were first introduced in the 1940s. You’ll commonly find either an album from an individual artist, or a compilation album, combining several artists’ music.

A single usually has just one song on each side of the record, although sometimes there may be two songs on the B-side if there is space. Singles are often released ahead of an album to promote it. The release of singles on vinyl is having a resurgence, but they were at their most popular between the 1950s and 1980s.

An EP (‘Extended Play’) record is the bridge between an LP and a single. It typically contains more tracks than a single, but fewer than an album – commonly four tracks, with two on each side. They were favoured by those who wanted to release something on a lower budget, as they were cheaper to produce than a full album.

33⅓ rpm is most commonly used for LPs. This is the slower speed on your record player, which turns the record at a speed that allows for more music. Because it allows a longer playing time, many 12" EPs will also play at this speed, though 7" EPs usually play at 45 rpm.

If your record doesn’t sound quite right, check the speed on the label. If it sounds sped up, try a slower speed; if it sounds too slow, try a faster one.

If neither works, check that your turntable is set up correctly.

45 rpm is used for singles, which play at a faster rotation. It was introduced by RCA Victor in 1949 as a rival to Columbia’s LP, a battle known as the war of the speeds. The 45 was promoted as a cheaper, more compact way to enjoy music.

The 45 rpm speed has also been adopted for some audiophile LPs. A faster speed means more of the groove passes the needle each second, which can improve the sound, although less music fits on each side. Some LPs released by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, who specialise in remastering and audiophile pressings, play at 45 rpm for exactly this reason.

If the speed isn’t written on the label, try both speeds until one sounds right. Some ambient records are even made to be played at both speeds, for double the listening enjoyment!

Once the standard speed for records, 78 rpm is now almost extinct. Record players were built to run at 78 rpm before 33⅓ and 45 rpm came along, so you’ll mostly find 78s made before the late 1950s. Most are made from shellac rather than vinyl. Some modern record players do have a 78 rpm setting, but you’ll need a special stylus to play them. For more on how the formats developed, take a look at this brief history of vinyl records.

The 12" size is the largest standard size, and is used for both LPs and 12" singles. The larger surface area allows more music to be put onto the record, which is why 12" singles often have extended versions of their 7" counterparts, as the artists had more room to play with.

The 10" format bridges the gap between a 12" and 7" record. Usually containing a few songs, 10" records aren’t particularly common today, but can be quite collectable. They can be referred to as an LP, EP or single, depending on how much music the artist has chosen to include. It was also a common size for 78s and the earliest LPs.

The 7" size is the most common size for a single, but is also used for EPs. Because many were designed for jukeboxes, some 7" records have a large centre hole. You can still play these on a standard turntable by fitting a 45 adapter over the spindle.

Some records won’t fit the standard. When picture disc production was high in the 1980s, record pressing plants were releasing all sorts of sizes, from 5" upwards. They came in different shapes too, with the size measured by the play surface. The majority of non-standard record sizes play at 45 rpm.