In the mid-90s I lived in walking distance of Tower Records and spent a large amount of time there. That was also a time in which CD-singles were popular. The same physical size as a standard album on CD, the single usually contained only one track. However, there were often variations in the form of instrumentals or remixes.
Having collected many 7-inch 45 RPM records when I was a kid, the idea of a digital single on CD struck a chord with me and I began amassing a decent collection of them at the time. As vinyl has surged in popularity in the last several years, so too has the 7-inch 45 RPM. I wish I still had all those 45s from childhood, but again I find myself collecting some of my favorite artist’s songs on this smaller vinyl format.
Smaller Than Classic 45s, Comes the 4-Inch Tiny Vinyl Record
I’ve read stories quoting statistics that a large percentage of vinyl is purchased for decoration! I’m not sure I completely believe this, but apparently a lot of vinyl has become wall-art by people who don’t own turntables. To further the collectability of vinyl comes a new venture, Tiny Vinyl.
Tiny Vinyl has partnered with Target (more merchants to follow) to be an exclusive reseller of a new highly collectible vinyl format- Tiny Vinyl. Similar to the 45 RPM records with a 7-inch diameter, Tiny Vinyl is a mere 4-inches but is still packaged like a standard size LP in a cardboard sleeve with an inner sleeve to protect the vinyl. Very often they also come with swag, like mini posters or stickers, to boost interest. Thus, cuteness has entered into record collecting.
Cute Is Collectible Even with Vinyl Records
Many collectibles are nothing more than miniatures of things we already enjoy. We’ve seen this happen with everything from plush toys to game consoles. Tiny Vinyl seems to be employing this strategy. Smaller = cute, and sales often skyrocket which is the hope of retailers lining up to carry this new album format. We can only wait to see if it catches on or becomes a limited fad.
Tiny Vinyl records play on standard turntables at 33 RPM, but their small size presents an interesting issue. Some turntables have an auto-stop feature that stops playing when it reaches the end of an album. Tiny Vinyl is so small that most of the playable portion is beyond the auto stop sensor and they can cease playing in the middle of the song! Make sure your turntable doesn’t have auto-stop or the feature can be disabled.
One of the benefits of CDs was their ability to fit an entire album (and more) on one side, thus eliminating the need to turn it over as we did with records. These Tiny Vinyl records are cute and I’m betting this will translate into large sales figures, but is this really a playable format? They only offer a handful of artists at this time but have a lot of range from Ariana Grande to The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath. I’m sure the catalog will grow as the format gains traction.
Tiny Vinyl Comparison to 45 RPM Vinyl
Back in the day, 45s were a way to obtain a popular single, from an album, at a much-reduced price. Today’s 45 RPM releases are not significantly cheaper than a full album – and neither are Tiny Vinyl releases. Currently, Tiny Vinyl records are available for $14.99 which is about the same rate as today’s 7-inch 45 RPM releases.
I love 45s but will admit it’s annoying to have to flip them over after only one song. Very often the B-side is a less desirable song than the popular singles that encourage the sales in the first place. I think Tiny Vinyl’s success will rely on consumers adopting the cuteness factor in relation to their favorite musical artists. When it comes to enjoying music, I feel these smaller formats have little advantage to traditional sized records.
It’s all about cuteness and nostalgia in some cases. However, am I buying the Black Sabbath release? Absolutely!
Find out more about the 4-inch format at the Tiny Vinyl website: tinyvinyl.com where they say, “Tiny Vinyl is a fully functional, collectible, and traditionally pressed 4-inch vinyl record that fans absolutely adore.”
By CapeCod.com Staff
