Record World
Encyclopedia
Record World magazine was one of the three main music industry trade publications in the United States
, along with Billboard
and Cash Box magazines. It was founded in 1946 under the name Music Vendor, but since 1964 changed it to Record World, under the ownership of Sid Parnes and Bob Austin, both deceased. It ceased its publication in April 1982. Many music industry personalities, writers and critics began their careers there in the early 1970s to 1980's.
Record World was considered the hipper, faster-moving music industry publication, in contrast to the stodgier Billboard and the perennially-struggling Cash Box. A weekly, like its competitors, it was housed in New York City
at 1700 Broadway
, at 53rd Street, just across the street from the Ed Sullivan Theater
, now home to the David Letterman Show, and West Coast editorial offices in L.A. on Sunset & Vine. Rock bands frequented Record Worlds offices as part of their promotional tours, often leaving questionable promo items in their wake. The band Hot Rats
, for instance, presented each writer with a freeze-dried and shrink-wrapped rat to remember them by.
Record World showed musical diversity by printing a "Non-Rock" survey, comparable to Billboard's "Easy Listening" chart. This chart appeared 2/4/67 and disappeared essentially 5 years later, 2/5/72, having morphed to the name "The MOR Chart" by 1971. Several titles of interest appeared on this 40 position list without making the Billboard MOR survey.
Record Worlds peak years coincided with the infamous Studio 54
era, when disco was in full swing. Recording artists tottered through on platform heels, bedecked in rhinestones, often seriously impaired by the then-popular recreational drug cocaine
. Earnest young writers labored far into the night writing reviews of records, analyses of sales data and music-related current events. Staffers included Mike Sigman, editor-in-chief (who then went on to become publisher of the L.A. Weekly); Howie Levitt, managing editor (later of Billboard and BMI
, the music royalty service); Pat Baird, who went on to key publicity positions at both RCA and BMI; (Mike Vallone, editor, charts and statistics; associate editor Allen Levy, who went to become a public relations person for United Artists Records
, ASCAP and A&M
, and who is now a professor of mass communication at Chapman University in Orange, California; art directors Mitchell Kanner, who went on to become Director of Artist Development for Elektra/Asylum Records Records and later Art Director for PolyGram Records, Michael Schanzer, later Stephen Kling and David Ray Skinner; and writers Vince Aletti
(later of The New Yorker
); Marc Kirkeby (he went on to CBS
/Sony Records); Jeffrey Peisch (later of MTV
and independent producing); Dave McGee (later of Rolling Stone
); Laurie Lennard
(later as a talent booker on The David Letterman Show, then wife of comedian Larry David
, and producer of Al Gore
's An Inconvenient Truth
); columnist Sophia Midas; and chart editor and asst. editor Fred Goodman (later editor of "Cashbox" and current managing editor of "Pro Sound News" and a songwriter/music publisher); among many others.
Record Worlds collapse was the result of discord between the two owners, and a sudden downturn in record sales. Ironically, the introduction of the compact disc
as replacement for the vinyl 33 rpm record may have been a contributing factor. Disagreement over the future of the name of the magazine — with Record World becoming an obsolete moniker — may have presented an insurmountable obstacle to its continuation.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, along with Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
and Cash Box magazines. It was founded in 1946 under the name Music Vendor, but since 1964 changed it to Record World, under the ownership of Sid Parnes and Bob Austin, both deceased. It ceased its publication in April 1982. Many music industry personalities, writers and critics began their careers there in the early 1970s to 1980's.
Record World was considered the hipper, faster-moving music industry publication, in contrast to the stodgier Billboard and the perennially-struggling Cash Box. A weekly, like its competitors, it was housed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
at 1700 Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
, at 53rd Street, just across the street from the Ed Sullivan Theater
Ed Sullivan Theater
The Ed Sullivan Theater, located at 1697-1699 Broadway between West 53rd and West 54th, in Manhattan, is a venerable radio and television studio in New York City...
, now home to the David Letterman Show, and West Coast editorial offices in L.A. on Sunset & Vine. Rock bands frequented Record Worlds offices as part of their promotional tours, often leaving questionable promo items in their wake. The band Hot Rats
Hot Rats
Hot Rats is the second solo album by Frank Zappa. It was released in October 1969. Five of the six songs are instrumental . It was Zappa's first recording project after the dissolution of the original Mothers of Invention...
, for instance, presented each writer with a freeze-dried and shrink-wrapped rat to remember them by.
Record World showed musical diversity by printing a "Non-Rock" survey, comparable to Billboard's "Easy Listening" chart. This chart appeared 2/4/67 and disappeared essentially 5 years later, 2/5/72, having morphed to the name "The MOR Chart" by 1971. Several titles of interest appeared on this 40 position list without making the Billboard MOR survey.
Record Worlds peak years coincided with the infamous Studio 54
Studio 54
Studio 54 was a highly popular discotheque from 1977 until 1991, located at 254 West 54th Street in Manhattan, New York, USA. It was originally the Gallo Opera House, opening in 1927, after which it changed names several times, eventually becoming a CBS radio and television studio. In 1977 it...
era, when disco was in full swing. Recording artists tottered through on platform heels, bedecked in rhinestones, often seriously impaired by the then-popular recreational drug cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
. Earnest young writers labored far into the night writing reviews of records, analyses of sales data and music-related current events. Staffers included Mike Sigman, editor-in-chief (who then went on to become publisher of the L.A. Weekly); Howie Levitt, managing editor (later of Billboard and BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
, the music royalty service); Pat Baird, who went on to key publicity positions at both RCA and BMI; (Mike Vallone, editor, charts and statistics; associate editor Allen Levy, who went to become a public relations person for United Artists Records
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
, ASCAP and A&M
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
, and who is now a professor of mass communication at Chapman University in Orange, California; art directors Mitchell Kanner, who went on to become Director of Artist Development for Elektra/Asylum Records Records and later Art Director for PolyGram Records, Michael Schanzer, later Stephen Kling and David Ray Skinner; and writers Vince Aletti
Vince Aletti
Vince Aletti is an American music journalist and photography critic.Vince Aletti was the first person to write about disco , writing a weekly column about disco for the music trade magazine Record World and reporting about early clubs like David Mancuso's Loft for The Village Voice in the late...
(later of The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
); Marc Kirkeby (he went on to CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
/Sony Records); Jeffrey Peisch (later of MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and independent producing); Dave McGee (later of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
); Laurie Lennard
Laurie David
Laurie David is an American environmental activist. She serves as a trustee on the Natural Resources Defense Council and a member of the Advisory Board of the Children's Nature Institute and is a contributing blogger to The Huffington Post.-Personal life:David was born as Laurie Ellen Lennard, and...
(later as a talent booker on The David Letterman Show, then wife of comedian Larry David
Larry David
Lawrence Gene "Larry" David is an American actor, writer, comedian and producer. He is best known as the co-creator , head writer, and executive producer of the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1996, and for creating the 1999 HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, a partially improvised sitcom in...
, and producer of Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
's An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth
An Inconvenient Truth is a 2006 documentary film directed by Davis Guggenheim about former United States Vice President Al Gore's campaign to educate citizens about global warming via a comprehensive slide show that, by his own estimate, he has given more than a thousand times.Premiering at the...
); columnist Sophia Midas; and chart editor and asst. editor Fred Goodman (later editor of "Cashbox" and current managing editor of "Pro Sound News" and a songwriter/music publisher); among many others.
Record Worlds collapse was the result of discord between the two owners, and a sudden downturn in record sales. Ironically, the introduction of the compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
as replacement for the vinyl 33 rpm record may have been a contributing factor. Disagreement over the future of the name of the magazine — with Record World becoming an obsolete moniker — may have presented an insurmountable obstacle to its continuation.