abstract
| - An adult digs up their old record collection out of the attic and their kid asks them what they are. The parent nostalgically names all the singers of their day whose works have been put to their vinyl discs. Then the kids says, "No, I mean, what are records?" Followup with the parent saying, "I was going to say these made me feel young again." This trope can also be used for 8-track tapes of course (arguably more understandable, since many people know of 8-track but don't know what the actual cartridge looks like). Expect it to be applied to audio cassettes any time now, VHS in about five years, and to CDs in 10-15 years or so, possibly taking the whole notion of going into a store and buying a physical object with recorded music on it into the history books with them. A subtrope of Technology Marches On. However, this trope is not nearly as Truth in Television as sitcom writers seem to think; most people born before the 90's will at least vaguely know what a vinyl record looks like, even if they've never listened to or owned one. Modern DJs still use them, for instance. They've also been undergoing a resurgence of popularity among audiophiles and indie music fans, since they're immune to the abuses of the Loudness War. It remains to be seen if their recent semi-popularity will show up on TV any time soon, but it's enough to make this a Discredited Trope. Examples of What Are Records include:
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