The term "vinyl record" is actually a misnomer for some of the most unusual audio recordings ever created. Throughout recording history, engineers and artists have experimented with pressing sound onto unexpected materialssome playable, some purely conceptual, and all highly collectible today.
Unconventional Materials That Actually Play
1. The Chocolate Record (1903)
Material: Playable chocolate disc
Origin: Early Edison experiment in edible media
Playability: Could be played 2-3 times before melting
Current Status: Only 3 known examples survive in climate-controlled collections
2. WWI Shellac Substitutes (1917-1918)
Material: Pressed on recycled x-ray film, cardboard, and even pasta
Origin: Shellac shortages during the war
Collector Value: $2,000-$5,000 for complete examples
Durability: Most degraded quicklyonly a handful remain playable
Modern Experimental Pressings
3. The Blood Record (2014)
Material: Pressed with human blood in the vinyl compound
Artist: Death metal band Bloodbath
Edition: Limited to 100 copies
Current Value: $1,200-$1,800
Controversy: Medical disposal laws prevented further pressings
4. NASA's Golden Records (1977)
Material: Gold-plated copper (Voyager spacecraft versions)
Content: Sounds of Earth for extraterrestrials
Earth Edition: Only 10 official copies exist
Auction Price: One sold for $51,000 in 2017
Failed Format Experiments
5. The Glass Record (1920s-1930s)
Material: Actual glass discs
Manufacturer: Pathe, Perfectaphone
Survival Rate: Less than 1% still exist due to fragility
Collector Tip: Listen with fiber needle only
6. The Steel Record (1940s)
Material: Stainless steel
Purpose: Military use in tropical climates
Sound Quality: Surprisingly good high-end response
Rarity: Most were melted down postwar
Where to Hunt for Non-Vinyl Records
Physical Locations
Science and technology museums
Military surplus auctions
Experimental music archives
Online Resources
Museum surplus catalogs
Industrial history forums
Aerospace memorabilia sites
Why These Oddities Matter
Beyond their novelty value, these unusual formats represent:
Solutions to historical material shortages
Early experiments in audio preservation
The outer limits of recording technology
Fascinating dead-ends in media evolution
For collectors, these objects exist at the intersection of audio history, material science, and pure eccentricity. They challenge our definition of what a "record" can beand prove that music has been pressed onto nearly every material imaginable.
Bollywood Vinyl Records Vinyl Records
Post je objavljen 26.06.2025. u 07:07 sati.