formats

   The introduction of the compact disc (CD) in 1982 was the latest of the new formats to rival the longplaying vinyl record. The tape cassette and the (short lived) eight-track cartridge had briefly threatened vinyl in the 1960s. Conceived jointly by Phillips and Sony, the CD was easy to market: it was unbreakable, unscratchable and small, and these plus points meant that CD quickly became a symbol of the yuppies. The music industry cashed in on the market for both new material and reissued old products. In recent years other digital-based formats, such as DCC (digital compact cassette), minidisc and DAT (digital audio tape) have been introduced with varying success. DAT has become the industry standard, replacing reel-to-reel tape in many recording studios, but the music-buying public has proved largely reluctant to buy their collections for a third time, having already replaced their vinyl with CDs over the last fifteen years. The introduction of minidisc in the early 1990s to rival CD was ultimately deemed a failure, due to the prohibitive cost of the hardware required, although it did have advantages over CD.

   See also: music industry; music labels

   SAM JOHNSTONE