Long-playing (LP) record albums are 33⅓r rpm, typically vinyl, gramophone records (phonograph records), generally either 10 or 12 inches in diameter. They were introduced unsuccessfully by RCA in 1931 and successfully by Columbia in 1948, and served as a primary release format for recorded music the second being with extended play or EP albums. In the 1980s the cassette began to significantly displace them, followed by the compact disc in the 1990s and the MiniDisc. In the 21st century, a renewed interest in vinyl has occurred and the demand for the medium has been on a steady increase yearly in niche markets.[1] The long-playing record is an analog format.
