[78-L] National Output

[Kristjan Saag]

Here are some yearly figures for record production, for a start:

US 1914   25 milliion
US 1921  100 million
US 1923    92 million
US 1927  104 million
US 1929    65 million
US 1932      6 million
US 1938    33 million
US 1941  127 million
US 1945  156 million
US 1946  275 million (all time high)
US 1947  400 million (all time high)


Germany 1904    9 million
Germany 1906  18 million
Germany 1927  27 million
Germany 1929  30 million
Germany 1933  10 million
Germany 1935    5 million
Germany 1951    6 million
Germany 1952  12,5 million
Germany 1953  17 million (88 percent of them 78's)
Germany 1954  25 million (57 percent 78's)
Germany 1955  31 million (highest since 1929 - percentage 78's not known)
Germany 1956  36,5 million (74 percent popular 45's)
Germany 1957  57 million (around this time production of 78's has ceased 
in Germany)

UK 1960 Still 2 million 78's sold in the UK
UK 1967 Only in May 40 000 78's pressed for export markets
UK 1968 Only in March 20 000 78's pressed for export markets
UK 1968 Only in September 12 000 78's pressed for export markets

France (Pathé) 1904  18 million (cylinders)

Japan 1962 44 million (less than 10 percent 78's)

Soviet Union 1926  900 000 (critically low - production was considerably 
higher before the revoultion)

Sweden: A total of about 50 million 78's produced from 1899-1958 
(averages nearly a million a year)


Most of these figures are production figures, not sales figures. But all 
countries imported records as well, and some countries exported a large 
part of their production. The German company Lindstrom, for instance, 
exported about 50 percent of its production as late as 1919. (In the 
first years of the 20th century German record industry, through its 
Hanover factory, served most of Europe, even Britain).
My guess is that the export-import ratio was much higher in the US than 
in other big record producing countries. American and British music was 
popular everywhere in Europe and sold well both in Germany and  France. 
Smaller countries, like the Scandinavian countries, had small export, 
and sales figures seem to indicate that about two thirds of the records 
sold were imports.

The sources for these figures are, principally, Gelatt's "The Fabulous 
Phonograph", Knaur's "Weltgeschichte der Schallplatte", Swedish National 
Discography, various 78-list-postings etc.

As for the post-78 rpm era there's a table with sales figures in dollars 
published in Pekka Gronow's "International History Of The Recording 
Industry" (link below) - where it's possible to compare different countries.

Kristjan

http://books.google.se/books?id=paPRxPJ7jjEC&pg=PA118&lpg=PA118&dq=%22record+production%22+uk+hayes+million&source=bl&ots=u1McbNojyB&sig=llyRMnNaa5Me9dwKIxTdNjnswsk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VwlZUP3AAozntQbmr4CwDw&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22record%20production%22%20uk%20hayes%20million&f=false

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On 2012-09-18 23:01, marimbamoods at comcast.net wrote:
> i wonder which countries produced what quantities of 78 records during the 78 era, as compared to one another? in other words, if all the 78 producing countries outputs are arranged by volume what does that comparison chart look like, and how does it evolve throughout the 78 recording era?
>
>
> as the initial invention and commercialization of disc records occurred in America, one would think that early output was greatest there. however, Berliners were also produced in London and Germany during that time. early single-sided discs were offered in Europe as well.
>
>
> also, when America experienced the market crash of 1929 with the ensuing depression, record sales dried up in the states for some time, but seem to have kept going strong in England. probably, English output surpassed USA during the early 1930's.
>
>
> during both World Wars, production must have waned in France and Germany, and at least during WWII in England as well. however, production in America was probably affected less at those times.
>
>
> then there are Canada, Spain, Denmark, Russia, Australia, India, and the Far East as well as other nations - all of whom produced 78 records at one time or other.
>
>
> have any studies been done on this topic? any opinions?
>
>
> best, david harvey
>
>
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