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Album
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is aout music alums! For other uses, see "lum #disamiguation$!
%arly record alums were packages of &' (PM records in ook form
"n album is a recording originally issued in gramophone format, followed y the vinyl format,
and has then een issued in other formats such as )ompact )assette, )ompact disc, and
increasingly in digital formats such as MP*, ""), "L"), or FL")! "udio alums in physical
form are often provided with decorative covers #cover art$ and liner notes and inserts aout the
music and recording, giving ackground information and analysis of the recording, lyrics and
lirettos, images of the performers, and other images and te+t, as well as thanking contriutors!
,-.

When supplied with compact discs they are known as )/ ooklets!
,0.
1istorically, the term 2alum2 was applied to a collection of various items housed in a 2ook2
format, and in musical usage the word was used for collections of short pieces of printed music
from the early nineteenth century!
,*.
Later, collections of related &'rpm records were undled in
ook3like alums
,4.
#one side of a &' rpm record could hold only aout *!5 minutes of sound$!
When long3playing records were introduced, a collection of pieces on a single record was called
an alum6 the word was e+tended to other recording media such as compact disc, Mini/isc,
)ompact audio cassette, and digital or MP* alums, as they were introduced!
,5.
The introduction of )/s to radio caused a it of a crisis for a generation of /7s, who didn8t know
whether an alum of music on a )/ should still e called an album, as they had all grown up
with **3rpm LPs, which they considered synonymous with alums!
Contents
- 1istory
0 Length
* 9inyl records
4 )ompact cassette
5 )ompact disc
: MP* alums, and similar
& ;tudio alum
' ;ee also
< (eferences
History
"n alum is a ook used for the collection and preservation of miscellaneous items such as
photographs, postage stamps, newspaper clippings, visitors8 comments, etc!
,:.
The word later
ecame widely used to descrie a collection of audio recordings #e!g!, pieces of music$ on a
single gramophone record,
,:.
cassette, compact disc, or via digital distriution !
,citation needed.,original
research?.
=n musical usage the word was used for collections of short pieces of printed music from the
early nineteenth century!
,&.
Later, collections of related &'rpm records were undled in ook3like
alums!
,'.
When long3playing records were introduced, a collection of pieces on a single record
was called an alum6 the word was e+tended to other recording media such as compact disc,
Mini/isc, )ompact audio cassette, and digital or MP* alums, as they were introduced!
,5.
The word derives from a )lassical Latin word for a lank #albus>white$ talet, later a list!
,:.,<.
Length
"ccording to the rules of the ?@ )harts, a recording counts as an 2alum2 if it either has more
than four tracks or lasts more than 05 minutes!
,-A.
;ometimes shorter alums are referred to as
2mini3alums2 or %Ps!
,--.
"lums such as Tubular Bells, Amarok, Hergest Ridge y Mike
Bldfield, and Ces8s Close to the Edge, include fewer than four tracks! Bther artists such as
Pinhead Dunpowder refer to their own releases under *A minutes as 2alums2 despite the normal
distinction!
=f an alum ecomes too long to fit a single vinyl record or )/, a recording artist may make the
decision to release a doule alum where two vinyl LPs or compact discs are packaged together
in a single case, or a triple alum containing three LPs or compact discs!
(ecording artists who have an e+tensive ack catalog will often re3release several )/s in one
single o+ with a unified design, often containing one or more alums, or a compilation of
previously unreleased recordings! These are known as o+ sets! ;ome musical artists have also
released more than three compact discs or LP records of new recordings at once, in the form of
o+ed sets, although in that case the work is still usually considered to e an alum!
Vinyl records
Two vinyl records with inner and outer alum sleeves
Main article: LP record
9inyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the alum! =f a pop or rock alum
contained tracks released separately as commercial singles, they were conventionally placed in
particular positions on the alum!
,5.
" common configuration was to have the alum led off y
the second and third singles, followed y a allad! The first single would lead off side 0! =n the
past many singles #such as the Eeatles8 21ey 7ude2 and Eo /ylan8s 2Positively 4th ;treet2$ did
not appear on alums, ut others #such as the Eeatles8 2)ome Together2 and /ylan8s 2Like a
(olling ;tone2$ formed part of an alum released concurrently! Today, many commercial alums
of music tracks feature one or more singles, which are released separately to radio, T9 or the
=nternet as a way of promoting the alum!
,-0.
"lums have also een issued that are compilations
of older tracks not originally released together, such as singles not originally found on alums, 3
sides of singles, or unfinished 2demo2 recordings!
,5.
"lum sets of the past were seFuenced for record changers! =n the case of a two3record set, for
e+ample, sides - and 4 would e stamped on one record, and sides 0 and * on the other! The user
would stack the two records onto the spindle of an automatic record changer, with side - on the
ottom and side 0 #on the other record$ on top! ;ide - would automatically drop onto the
turntale and e played! When finished, the tone arm8s position would trigger a mechanism
which moved the arm out of the way, dropped the record with side 0, and played it! When oth
records had een played, the user would pick up the stack, turn it over, and put them ack on the
spindleGsides * and 4 would then play in seFuence!
,5.
(ecord changers were used for many
years of the LP era, ut eventually fell out of use!
Compact cassette
" lank compact cassette tape and case
Main article: )ompact )assette
The )ompact )assette was a popular medium for distriuting pre3recorded music in the late
-<&As through to the -<<As! The very first 2)ompact )assette2 was introduced y Philips in
"ugust -<:* in the form of a prototype!
,-*.
)ompact )assettes ecame especially popular during
the -<'As after the advent of the ;ony Walkman, which allowed the person to personally control
what they listen to!
,-*.,-4.
The Walkman was convenient ecause of its siHe, the device could fit in
most pockets and often came eFuipped with a clip for elts or pants!
,-*.
)ompact cassettes also
saw the creation of Mi+tapes, which are tapes containing a compilation of songs created y any
average listener of music!
,-5.
The songs on a Mi+tape generally relate to one another in some way,
whether it e a conceptual theme or an overall sound!
,-5.
The compact cassette used doule3sided
magnetic tape to distriute music for commercial sale!
,-*.,-:.
The music is recorded on oth the
2"2 and 2E2 side of the tape, with cassette eing 2turned2 to play the other side of the alum!
,-*.

)ompact )assettes were also a popular way for musicians to record 2/emos2 or 2/emo Tapes2
of their music to distriute to various record laels, in the hopes of acFuiring a recording
contract!
,-&.
The sales of )ompact )assettes eventually egan to decline in the -<<As, after the
release and distriution )ompact /iscs! "fter the introduction of )ompact discs, the term
2Mi+tape2 egan to apply to any personal compilation of songs on any given format!
,-5.
(ecently
there has een a revival of )ompact )assettes y independent record laels and /=C musicians
who prefer the format ecause of its difficulty to share over the internet!
,-'.
Compact disc
" compact disc within an open 87ewel )ase8
Main article: )ompact disc
The )ompact /isc8s format replaced oth the vinyl record and the cassette as the standard for the
commercial mass3market distriution of physical music alums!
,-<.
"fter the introduction of
music downloading and the iPod, ?; alum sales dropped 54!:I from 0AA- to 0AA<!
,0A.
The )/
is a digital data storage device which permits digital recording technology to e used to record
and play3ack the recorded music!
,-:.,-<.
MP3 albums, and similar
Main article: Music download
The MP* audio format has come along, revolutioniHing the concept of digital storage! %arly MP*
alums were asically )/3rips created y early )/3ripping software, and sometimes real3time
rips from cassettes and vinyls!
The so3called 2MP* alum2 isn8t necessarily Just in MP* file format, in which higher Fuality
formats such as FL") and W"9 can e used on storage mediums that MP* alums reside on,
such as )/3(3(BMs, hard drives, flash memory #e!g! thumdrives, MP* players, ;/ cards$, etc!
Studio album
" studio alum is an alum of audio recordings made up of tracks recorded in a recording studio!
" studio alum contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remi+ed
material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue alum of previously recorded
material, or live recording made at a performance venue! " studio alum is usually planned and
scheduled in advance, and may take anywhere from a few days to several years to complete!
;ome studio alums may include one or more covers, occasionally as live tracks within the
studio alum! ;tudio alums may also feature guest performers or session musicians that would
not usually perform live with the artist! " studio alum may also e released or rereleased years
after it has een recorded, or even posthumously, containing material recorded efore the death
of the artist! The maJority of studio alums contain an aundance of editing, sound effects, voice
adJustments, etc! With modern recording technology, musicians can e recorded in separate
rooms or at separate times while listening to the other parts using headphones6 with each part
recorded as a separate track! With a theoretically infinite numer of tracks availale with many
modern computer and hard disk ased recording systems #the only limit eing processing power
and siHe of the recording medium$, one song can consist of hundreds of recorded tracks,
employing doHens of overdus and comple+ layering of instruments! This allows studio alums
to e consideraly more comple+ than live alums, and can potentially e compiled of 8perfect8
takes of the same part!
"lthough studio alums can e recorded using large multitrack systems with many overdus and
different takes of the same instrument, many alums are still recorded live y the musician#s$, in
order to reproduce the feel and energy of a live performance! Bften asic parts such as drums and
rhythm guitar will e recorded live, then overdus such as solos and vocals recorded later! ;tudio
alums are often recorded, mi+ed and mastered at different facilities, often due to touring
restrictions and time constraints of the artist or financial considerations!
" studio alum will often consist of songs which will e played in a different order live, or in
some cases rarely or never played at all after the alum or its accompanying tour! )oncept
alums and rock operas, such as those y Pink Floyd, are often played in their entirety live,
usually in the same order as the alum, and featuring the same instrumentation #and even the
same sound effects$ in the alum8s accompanying tour! Though studio alums may not include
singles released at the same time, the single is usually one of the alum8s songs, and is meant to
promote sales of the alum as well as the single itself!
See also
Look up album in Wiktionary, the free dictionary!
Wikimedia )ommons has media related to Music albums!
"lum cover
"lum %ra
"lum3oriented rock
)ompilation alum
)oncept alum
/oule alum
%+tended play
List of alums
Live alum
(elease #music$
;olo alum
;oundtrack alum
;plit alum
Triute alum
References
-! 2"lum )over "rt ;eries2! (ock "rt Picture ;how! (etrieved *A May 0A-0!
0! 2The history of the )/ 3 The 87ewel )ase82! Philips (esearch! (etrieved *A May
0A-0!
*! 2 Mendelssohn And Schumann 2! Bld and ;old! (etrieved 0< May 0A-0!
4! http:KKwww!alancross!caKa3Journal3of3musical3thingsK0A-0K&K-5Klife3after3the3
alum3is3going3to3get3weird!html
5! 2"out 9inyl (ecords2! (ecord )ollector8s Duild! (etrieved 0< May 0A-0!
:! B+ford %nglish /ictionary, 0nd ed!
&! 2 Mendelssohn And Schumann 2! Bld and ;old! (etrieved 0< May 0A-0!
'! http:KKwww!alancross!caKa3Journal3of3musical3thingsK0A-0K&K-5Klife3after3the3
alum3is3going3to3get3weird!html
<! 2 Album 2! 1ow to )reative Write! (etrieved *A May 0A-0!
-A! 2(ules For )hart %ligiility 3 "lums2 #pdf$! The Bfficial ?@ )harts )ompany!
7anuary 0AA&! "rchived from the original on 7une 0&, 0AA&! (etrieved 0AA&3A430A!
--! 2"s alums fade away, music industry looks to shorter records2! "ssociated Press!
(etrieved - 7une 0A-0!
-0! 2)hronology: Technology and the Music =ndustry2! )allie Tainter! (etrieved *A
May 0A-0!
-*! 21istory of )ompact )assette2! 9intage )assettes! (etrieved *A May 0A-0!
-4! 1aire, Meaghan #- 7uly 0AA<$! 2 A Brief History of The Walkman 2! Time!
(etrieved *- May 0A-0!
-5! 2Mi+tape 1istory2! MT9! (etrieved 5 7uly 0A-0!
-:! 2The 1istory of (ecorded Music2! Music )d =ndustry! (etrieved *A May 0A-0!
-&! 2/emo Tapes2! /ave Mandl! (etrieved 5 7uly 0A-0!
-'! 2)assette (evival2! Mediageek! (etrieved 5 7uly 0A-0!
-<! 2The history of the )/ 3 The eginning2! Philips (esearch! (etrieved *A May
0A-0!
0A! 2;cary ;tat: "lum ;ales /own 54!: Percent ;ince 0AAA!!!2! /igital Music
Lewss! (etrieved 5 7une 0A-0!
sho!"
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