[78-L] Albums

[DAVID BURNHAM]

I'm afraid common sense is in the minority now. Any CD release is called
an "album" these days, whether it has one disc or multiple discs. The
"album" label was put on LPs almost from the very beginning of their
existence. So this egregious and nonsensical error is fully engrained
into the public's lexicon and there's nothing we can do about it.

Cary Ginell 



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It is true that that the term "album" was used throughout the LP era, but 
usually to refer to a record containing several songs.  This, of course, evolved 
from the fact that an LP was equivalent to an album of 78s.  But I don't think 
the term "album" was used as often to refer to an LP with one work on it unless 
you are referring to a collection of such records -  you might look at a shelf 
of records and call them classical albums, but I don't think you'd look at a 
recording of Schubert's 9th and call it an album.

I don't hear the term applied to a CD very often, simply because "CD" is easier 
to say.

But I agree with Dr. Biel, I have never heard of a single 78 referred to as an 
album.

db