45 rpm records are newer than 33 1/3 rpm records and can be called forty-fives, singles or extended play records (EP). They came around in the year 1949 and quickly became popular amongst the younger arstists at first. Forty-fives can hold about five minutes per side and are not used to record full albums. They were meant to minick 75 rpm records (also known as seventy fives) which also only about four minutes per side. The first mass producer of forty-fives was RCA Victor.

     The original forty-fives hole in the middle of the record are about an inch thick, and are 7 nches in diameter. The newer forty-fives holes are the same size as the thirty-threes (33 1/3 rpm records) and the seventy-eights (78 rpm records) and are  10 inches in diameter. Thats why if you don't have the player for the original forty-fives you need a ring that goes onto the peg of your player to make it the size for the forty-fives. If you have a newer 45 rpm record though, you don't need to fool around with converters to fit the record.

     The forty-fives are just as good as the thirty-threes, they just are different in size. The forty-fives are about half the size of the thirty-threes. And 45 rpm records can only hold two songs per side, one on each side. 45 rpm records also don't come in the hard cardboard sleeves that 33 1/3 rpm records come in. They come in softer paper sleeves. They also don't have an innner and outer sleeve. Forty-fives are just as good as thirty-threes (the only difference being that they have a smaller play time).