It may have been declared dead on numerous occasions over the past few years but the humble 7in 45 rpm single has somehow survived long enough to reach its 60th birthday.
On this day in 1949, RCA Victor released the first 45 rpm Texarkana Babyby Eddy Arnold and in doing so gave birth to what became a phenomenon.
Intended as a smaller, more durable and better quality replacement for the old 78 rpm shellac discs, the 45 rpm single became so popular that during its peak in the late 1970s, as many as 89 million singles were sold in the UK in just one year.
By 2001, sales had dropped below 200,000 as music fans ditched vinyl for compact discs, leading many to declare that the single was, if not dead, then close to death . However, in recent years it has staged something of a comeback with bands such as The White Stripes and Arctic Monkeys releasing 7in singles over the past few years.
The best-selling single ever is reputed to be Elton John's song Candle in the Windwhich was re-written as a tribute to Princess Diana in 1997. It has sold 37 million copies worldwide.
