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Meaning & use

vinyl records

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈvaɪnəl ˌrekɔːdz/
US/ˈvaɪnəl ˌrekɔːrdz/

Meanings

  1. nounplural

    Flat black discs that store recorded music in grooves and are played on a turntable.

    Grammar: Almost always plural in everyday use; the singular is 'vinyl record'.

    Patterns

    • a collection of vinyl records
    • play vinyl records
    • on vinyl records

    My uncle still keeps hundreds of vinyl records in the attic.

    She bought a turntable so she could play her old vinyl records again.

    Vinyl records have become popular again with younger listeners.

  2. nounplural

    The music industry or market for discs played on a turntable, seen as a format.

    Grammar: Used as a fixed phrase when talking about the format rather than individual items.

    Patterns

    • the revival of vinyl records
    • sales of vinyl records
    • release something on vinyl records

    Sales of vinyl records have risen for several years in a row.

    The band decided to release the album on vinyl records as well as online.

    Stores that only sell vinyl records are opening in many cities.

Word forms

singularvinyl record

Common combinations

a vinyl record collection
His vinyl record collection fills two whole shelves.
press a vinyl record
The label pressed a limited vinyl record for the anniversary.
vinyl record player
She found a cheap vinyl record player at a yard sale.
on vinyl
The single came out on vinyl long before streaming existed.
a rare vinyl record
Collectors pay a lot for a rare vinyl record in good condition.

Synonyms and how they differ

LP
An LP is one specific long-playing disc, while 'vinyl records' can mean any size or playing speed.
album
An album can be a full-length release in any format, but 'vinyl records' means the physical discs themselves.
record
'Record' is the general word for any disc, including older shellac ones; 'vinyl records' stresses the plastic material and the modern revival.

Opposites

digital downloadsstreaming

Word family

vinyl noun
The plastic itself, or informally any record made from it.
record noun
A single disc or the music on it, in any material.
turntable noun
The machine you place a vinyl record on to play it.

Commonly confused: vinyl records or vinyls? vinyl records or CDs?

vinyl records vs vinyls

Some people say 'vinyls' as a plural, but many listeners find it wrong; the usual plural is 'vinyl records' or simply 'vinyl'.

vinyl records vs CDs

CDs are shiny digital discs read by a laser, while vinyl records are black grooved discs read by a needle.

Practice

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