In 1956, the recording industry is in tremendous transition. This is obvious at a record store like Spin City. Since the dawn of the industry, the prerecorded music market has been geared toward adults. In 1955, a new style of music started being heard around the nation which targeted a teenage audience. A (so-called) "rock & roll" singer from Tennessee is creating quite a stir these days...

There are currently so many different music formats, that it might be a good idea to explain all of the different record sizes and speeds. New releases are still available on the traditional 78 disc, but industry insiders believe that these could be phased out completely by 1958.
Image from the Radio Corporation of America / http://auction.graceland.com

The 12 inch -33 & 1/3- LONG PLAY album is the new recording industry standard (replacing the 78). The discs are available in a "monophonic" (single channel) format and have a capacity of twenty-three minutes of programming per side. Harry Belafonte's "Calypso" recently became the first LONG PLAY record to sell a million copies.
Image from the Radio Corporation of America 

The 10-inch diameter "33 & 1/3" LP can hold up to seventeen minutes of programming (or four average-length songs) per side.
Image from EMI-Capitol Records

The third "33 & 1/3" record format is contained on a 7 inch disc. Known as an "Extended Play," or EP, these can hold up to ten minutes of programming -or three songs- per side.

Image from Decca-Universal Music Group / https://www.wolfgangs.com