Hit of the Week was an American

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

founded in 1930 that sold low-priced records made of Durium instead of the usual shellac.

History

Around 1930, several types of thin, flexible records made of various plastic formulations were introduced in Europe, such as the German Phonycord, French Pathé Cellodisc, British Filmophone and Goodson, and Spanish Delfos records. In the US, this short-lived trend was represented by Hit of the Week records, which were made of a sturdy brown paper base coated with Durium, a lightweight synthetic resin. The records tended to have a low-frequency rumble due to their texture, and their audio fidelity was generally inferior than most ordinary shellac records of the time. Unusually, Hit of the Week records were recorded on one side only, an early practice in the disc record industry which most other manufacturers had generally abandoned around 1910. As a consequence of being uncoated on the other side, they have a strong tendency to curl and now often require the use of a clip or weight around the turntable spindle to keep them sufficiently flat during play. A few releases had the performer's portrait printed on the uncoated paper side, or were imprinted there with advertising matter. They were issued in flimsy rice paper sleeves, few of which have survived. A new issue featuring a current "hit" popular song was released every week. Unlike other records, they were sold at newsstands. Previous issues could be obtained by mail order. Retailing for 15 cents each, later raised to 20 cents, Hit of the Week records were by far the lowest-priced records in the US at that time. The first regular issue was released in February 1930. By the summer of 1930, up to half a million copies of each week's issue were produced. But as the Depression worsened, sales slumped. In March 1931 the company went into receivership and in May it was purchased by the Erwin, Wasey & Company advertising agency. A new format debuted in August, featuring two songs or dance tunes on each single-sided disc and a total playing time of about five minutes, but the label remained unprofitable. The final Hit of the Week issue was released in June 1932. After the demise of the label, some limited use was made of smaller (often only four inches in diameter) records made of the same material, mostly for giveaway advertising novelties. Specimens of one of the most common advertising records, which invited the recipient to come see the new 1932 Chevrolet automobile, are usually found with a mailing label and postage on the uncoated back side. Musicians who recorded for Hit of the Week included

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and His Orchestra (under the pseudonym "Harlem Hot Chocolates"),

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(on a special 25 cent "Durium De Luxe" issue),

Morton Downey Sean Morton Downey (November 14, 1901 – October 25, 1985), also known as Morton Downey Sr., was an American singer and entertainer popular in the United States in the first half of the 20th century, enjoying his greatest success in the late 1 ...

, and

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. Most of the arrangements were performed by studio musicians in New York, led by

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, Don Voorhees, and

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. Jazz "breaks" by instrumental stars such as

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and

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enlivened some recordings. The vocalists who recorded with the studio bands included several popular radio singers of the period, such as Ralph Kirbery and Helen Rowland. In the UK, a similar series was issued on the

Durium Durium is a highly durable synthetic resin developed in 1929. It was used in phonograph records, as well as in the casting process for metallic type and in the aeronautics industry. Origin It is a resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, the result of ...

label.

References

Discographies

* Hit of the Week Discography, Hans Koert (Heinkenszand, The Netherlands) (1994–2007) * Durium (GB) Discography, Hans Koert (Heinkenszand, The Netherlands) (1994–2007) * Durium Advertisement and Custom Records Discography, Hans Koert (The Netherlands) (1994–2007)

External links

Hit of the week - Durium web log

The Complete Hit of the week Recordings
A set of four 2CDs.
Hit of the week - Complete recordings
{{Authority control American record labels Jazz record labels Record labels established in 1930 Record labels disestablished in 1932

History

See also

References

Discographies

External links