History Main / WhatAreRecords

* In ''[[Literature/RiversOfLondon False Value]]'', the otherwise tech-savvy Peter has no clue what Wicked is talking about when the old funfair showman says that the music "books" for his antique mechanical organ work like ''computer punch cards''. A more archaic technology than most examples, but given Peter's usual interest in both computers and history, it's an embarrassing blind spot in his knowledge.

* With the discontinuation of the [=iPod=] Touch in 2022 marking the end of the [=iPod=], some commentators have noted that there are people who regularly listen to podcasts but have no idea why they're called "podcasts".

* The comic strip ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' did this once. In fact, the example in the trope description exactly matches the dialogue of the strip in question. Also seen in ''ComicStrip/{{Zits}}'', ''ComicStrip/{{Blondie}}'', and ''ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUS''.

* At a certain (non-secret) base in the US there is a room that can only be entered by using the phone on the outside of the room to call the people inside of the room to come and open the door. The phone on the outside of the room is a rotary phone and there have been cases where the new, younger people don't know how to operate the phone. One has to wonder what the purpose of dialing is if you'll only ever use it to call the other side to open the door. Given that the doors and walls may be several feet thick, the phone was installed to let the guards know who was on the other side of the door.

* {{WebVideo/Techmoan}} once mentioned in a video that he is often asked why the cassette decks he features sometimes have a backwards play button and the the fast forward and rewind symbols reversed, and occasionally even had people assume that the buttons had been removed and installed incorrectly and asking how to flip them back. He then explained that the reason those buttons are arrows is because they originally indicated what direction the tape moves in. Some early decks featured the tapes moving the "wrong" way and others flipped the deck upside down so the buttons could sit at the top of the device.

** This may explain why in the later episode "Popular Girls" (Season 3), during a spring break day camp, one group of Arthur's classmates brings in vintage/antique things, and when Jenna demonstrates a record player, the kids all "Oooh" in awe.

* Played straight in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' episode "Francine Frensky, Superstar". (Note: This was one of the earliest episodes of the show, the first season of a program that [[LongRunner would run into the 2020s]].) The kids shot blank looks at Mr. Ratburn when he talked about Thomas Edison's invention, the phonograph, and prompted the following exchange:
-->'''Ratburn:''' It was before [=CDs=]. It played music, with a needle.\\

* This trope [[WordOfGod is cited by Hasbro]] as the reason [[WhatCouldHaveBeen we'll probably never get]] a toy of [[Franchise/TransformersGenerationOne Soundwave]] that turns into a cassette player ever again. On the other hand, [[Franchise/TransformersGenerationOne Classics Hound]] came with [[TheMinionMaster Ravage]] in what was alternatively referred to as "[[InsistentTerminology Capture Mode]]" or "Cassette Mode", hinting [[FlipFlopOfGod that things could still go one way or the other.]]
** Double subverted by various toys first revealed in mid-2012. Soundwave's finally a tape player again, but only in the form of a high-end, collector-oriented "Masterpiece" toy -- the upcoming kid-oriented Soundwave toy is based on his armored car form from ''VideoGame/TransformersFallOfCybertron''.
** Double subverted again in 2016: the ''Titans Return'' subline is going to feature both Soundwave and his Autobot counterpart Blaster as cassette players... except their minions are reinvented as tablets, of all things.
** Double subverted once more in 2020, where it was revealed that for the Walmart exclusive ''WesternAnimation/TransformersWarForCybertronTrilogy'' subline, Soundwave's toy, released earlier the prior year as part of the main Siege toyline, would be getting a retooling so that it can transform into a cassette recorder.

* Briefly discussed in ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged''. Future Trunks has [[ItMakesSenseInContext never heard country music before]] and doesn't know what a fax machine is. Pretty much everyone raises their eyebrows at the former, while Krillin comments that the latter at least makes sense. It turns out that in his BadFuture, the Androids went out of their way to destroy all country music out.

* Mikayla from ''WebAnimation/TheMostPopularGirlsInSchool'' is constantly called a [[Film/{{Gremlins}} Gremlin]]. Her reply in one episode is "I was born in 2003. I have no idea what a 'Gremlin' is."

* ''WebVideo/ToddInTheShadows'' takes this line of reasoning with his review of Music/{{Maroon 5}}'s "Payphone".

* On ''Literature/LlamaLlama'', when the band cancels for Grams's birthday party in "Band Together" due to having the flu, Mama Llama tells Llama Llama that they'll play Grams's favorite song on an old-school vinyl or a [=CD=]. Llama asks what those are; she chuckles and describes them as "ancient technology, but they'll play the kind of music we're looking for."

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkoNKrBHWOo This 1984 ad]] for Atari word processor software features a variation of this. Pitchman Alan Alda extols the program's [[TechnologyMarchesOn then-astounding features]] to a little girl, then states, "Atari may make the typewriter obsolete." "What's a typewriter?" the kid asks in response.

** Opus took it to a large extreme, where a person wearing a brown outfit seemed to be completely unfamiliar with what a newspaper was, even when Opus tried explaining what it was ''three times'' when selling the Bloom County local newspaper. The guy, when Opus could give the simplest explanation he could give (paper), also mentions that it "feels like kleenex."

** One episode had Stephen interviewing an NYU art-history major. The conversation went something like this:

* ''Series/DoctorWho'' pulls it quite often in the new series, as most people born sometime in the '80s or later have little to no frame of reference for [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_call_box Police Boxes]] (other than from the cultural impact of ''Doctor Who''); improved communications technology, such as personal radios for police officers and the wider availability of home telephones [[note]]''Not'' mobile phones, as is sometimes suggested; they were already on their way out when cellphones were still the size of bricks and cost several hundred pounds[[/note]] and the shift away from foot patrols made them largely redundant.

* In the ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' episode "Power Down," a blackout forces the team to work with less advanced technology than they're used to. This includes a device called a mimeograph (not stated in dialogue), an old-style photocopier that only Gibbs knows how to use.

* ''Series/TowerPrep'' showed where this trend might be going. When they find a record, CJ and Suki ask what it is. Gabe responds that "it's kind of like a hard copy of a [=MP3.=]" Never once were CD's mentioned, showing that CD's might quickly become the new records.

* In an episode of ''Series/VeronicaMars'' that aired in 2006, Veronica expresses surprise that "they still make vinyl". Piz tells her that they still put out dance music on vinyl, but being a record collector, he should know that vinyl was and is more extensive than that. In a previous episode he was seen with a copy of ''London Calling'' by Music/TheClash, which he said was unscratched and cost him 99c, which implies it's an original pressing, but the cover is a little ''too'' pristine not to be new, which means the writers didn't have an excuse for their ignorance either.

* Music/SteveAlbini, musician and producer (or "recording engineer" as he prefers to be credited, if at all) of many, many obscure and semi-obscure albums, as well as better known albums by Music/{{Nirvana}}, Music/PJHarvey, Bush and Music/CheapTrick, declared an inversion in the liner notes of the ''[=CD=] version'' of his own band Music/BigBlack's album ''Music/SongsAboutFucking'': "The future belongs to analog loyalists. Fuck digital". He later re-iterated his [[SarcasmMode vague, non-committal stance on the issue]], releasing two Big Black [=EPs=] on a single CD which he titled ''The Rich Man's 8-Track Tape''.

* Fred Schneider of Music/TheB52s grew up in a time when the word 'album' was used as a short-hand for long-playing vinyl and not the collection of tracks itself. As a result, he will often refer to one of the group's early albums and correct himself to say 'oh, it's a CD now'.

* Invoked in ''Radio/CarTalk: The Musical,'' in the form of a joke designed to fly right by anyone under 40. A man is lamenting that, at age 45, he's too young to have a heart attack. His boss tells him, "Hey, 45 is the new 78." Anyone in the audience who laughs has gray hair.

** ''The Onion'' as a video satire called [[http://www.theonion.com/video/historic-blockbuster-store-offers-glimpse-of-how-m,14233 "Historic ‘Blockbuster’ Store Offers Glimpse Of How Movies Were Rented In The Past"]] with all the actors playing out this trope.

* Inverted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', where the grandmother gave Kim's younger brothers a collection of vinyl records. They knew what the records were and were excited to receive them.
-->'''First twin:''' Wow, vinyl records! The legends were true!
-->'''Second twin:''' C'mon, let's burn them into [=MP3s=]!

* Averted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'' where [[BabysittingEpisode Daria is saddled with a babysitting gig.]] In one scene, the kids are listening to an old record about bouncing on the bed and singing along. [[note]]This episode aired in 1997 and the kids aren't even ten yet.[[/note]] Daria notes how badly scratched the record is and asks why their parents just buy them the [=CD=].
-->'''Tad Gupty:''' Compact discs were forced upon consumers so that record companies could increase their profit margins.
-->'''Daria:''' [[SarcasmMode That's important for a six-year-old to know.]]

** A similar situation occurred when Jon cut up all his credit cards after Garfield had abused them one time too many and tried to buy a new wastebasket with cash. The clerk had no idea what ''paper money'' was... and, as it turns out, ''no one'' would accept cash as legal tender. Even the ''police'' had to take the money to a lab to verify that it was, in fact, money. Blatantly obvious ArtisticLicenseEconomics in service of RuleOfFunny.

** One of the earliest uses of this trope was an episode entitled "The Record Breakers,": Jon was trying to impress a potential date with his record collection but lacked a record player to actually play them with (due to Garfield and Odie inadvertently breaking it). [[SerialEscalation She didn't know what records were; unfortunately, neither did the clerk at the electronics store. The antiques dealer needed a hint.]] Note: Said dealer was an old man who was a kid the last time he listened to a record and he only listened because his ''grandfather'' introduced him to them.
** A similar situation occurred when Jon went to buy a new wastebasket and tried to pay with cash (he'd cut up all his credit cards after Garfield had abused them one time too many). The clerk had no idea what ''paper money'' was... and, as it turns out, ''no one'' would accept cash as legal tender (even the ''police'' had to take the money to a lab to verify that it was, in fact, money). Blatantly obvious ArtisticLicenseEconomics in service of RuleOfFunny.

A subtrope of TechnologyMarchesOn, initially fueled by the novelty of the notion that a format of media could actually become obsolete. It bears mentioning that it started cropping up in fiction before 1990, and the characters unfamiliar with records were full-grown adults, meaning that in its earliest form the trope ran on shameless hyperbole. Even in the 21st century, though, [[RealityIsUnrealistic its realism is dubious]]. Most young people do indeed know what a vinyl record is (from more recent media depictions if nothing else), even if they never listened to or owned one themselves and don't know whether a "seven inch" was an album or a single, or whether 45 rpm came before or after 33 1/3. Modern [=DJs=] still use them, for instance, and their appearance in pop culture is almost ubiquitous. They've also been [[http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/commentary/listeningpost/2007/10/listeningpost_1029 undergoing a resurgence of popularity]] among audiophiles, hipsters, indie music fans and even teenagers since 2007 (Sony is even pressing records again), thanks to their [[PopularityPolynomial retro appeal]] and their exemption from the abuses of the LoudnessWar, and even outsold [=CDs=] for the first time in over 30 years in 2019. Consequently, while they still haven't overtaken streaming in terms of revenue, their renewed semi-popularity started to be acknowledged in mainstream media at the end of the 2010's, making this a DiscreditedTrope with regards to records themselves.

* Discussed and defied in the first episode of ''Anime/OddTaxi''. During a doctor's visit Odokawa mentions listening to cassette tapes to fall asleep, which perplexes Shirakawa who's over a decade younger than him. Goriki then tries to joke about her and her generation not knowing what cassettes are, but Odokawa flatly points out that he and Goriki know what phonographs and telephone magnetos are despite never using them.
* Downplayed in ''Anime/OjamajoDoremi'' -- when traveling back in time about 20 years, Doremi is confused about why her phone card doesn't work in the phone booth. They're still there in the present, but in the 80s people deposited coins if they wanted to make a call this way.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'': In a story from Issue #32, Dot invites some girls for a slumber party and tries to offer records for entertainment but her guests, not being cartoon characters from old times like her, don't know what records are.
* ''ComicBook/ScoobyDooTeamUp'': In "Scooby Doo, When Are You?", a prehistoric TimeMachine brings the gang to WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones' time. In some aspects, the stone age is more modern than the gang expected but the record player makes Shaggy comment to Scooby that they must be really prehistoric.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheGhostAndMollyMcGee'': In "The Unhaunting of Brighton Video", Molly and her friends Libby and Ollie investigate a ghost at an abandoned video rental store. Molly seems to think people would "scroll" through video tapes like a tablet or smartphone (and is confused when that doesn't work), and Ollie briefly mistakes a VCR for some kind of toaster.
* In ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', the grandmother gave Kim's younger brothers a collection of vinyl records. This was played with: they knew what the records were, and were excited to receive them.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'': Lloyd (the youngest of the group) doesn't know what a VCR is called, but recognizes it on sight as "That thing Master Wu watches old ninja movies on" and knows how to work it.

* ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'': Done in a ChristmasEpisode when the Park Crew have to make their way through some caverns and get past the challenges. At one point they come across an old pinball table that they need to play to continue. Oddly Mordecai and Rigby don't know what it is despite being avid gamers and arcade goers (In fact pinball is still a thriving market even at the time of the episode's airing), but Benson says it was "something before their time" and takes up the challenge.

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Teenager Sadie mistakes Steven asking what is ''on'' a specific VHS [[AmbiguousSyntax for him asking]] what ''is'' a VHS. She tells him it's basically a box-shaped DVD. Steven actually owns a VCR and a decent collection of tapes.

* Music/FrankZappa was once the victim of an [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of this trope. During a legal battle for payment for some music he composed and conducted in Britain, the judge asked what a "record" was. As noted in our article on UsefulNotes/BritishCourts, however, this was probably intentional on the part of the judge. British judges -- particularly old-school ones -- generally presume ignorance on the part of everyone in court, and ask questions like "what is a record?" [[AsYouKnow just in case a member of the jury or someone reading the court transcripts later on does not know what a record is]]. The judge most likely knew ''exactly'' what a record was and probably had a collection of them at home. Considering British lawyers can, when pressed, turn to court decisions from the age of Richard I to bolster their case, the judge's actions were very much justified.
** Clarity of definition may also have been a necessary formality under the circumstances: in ''most'' court cases, any references to "records" would be concerned with ''documents'', not audio-playback media.

** The 6-11 year old KO runs into a phone booth to make a call. He says "What the heck is this thing?" towards the phone then pulls out his smartphone.
** Later on, he asks Rad what a newspaper is when he sees Enid reading one. Except he knew what it was, and just liked messing with "old people".

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). It likely already applies at least to some degree for both cassette tapes and videocassettes, as both are no longer being made en-masse and generally only appeal to niche markets. Wikipedia reports that whereas 442 million cassette tapes were sold in the U.S. in 1990, by 2016, the number was just 129,000. The last major Hollywood film to be released on VHS in the United States, ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'', was in 2006.[[note]]If you want to get technical, the format persisted for slightly longer in other countries, with the last VHS release in the world being a South Korean release of ''Film/{{Inception}}'' in 2010.[[/note]]

* In ''[[VideoGame/AFinalUnity Star Trek: A Final Unity'', Picard and his Away Team are on an alien planet when they find a paper clip. Being from a society that has never used paper documents, they are completely mystified by its purpose. They then end up using it for a purpose that [[TechnologyMarchesOn used to exist at the time the game was made]] but has rapidly faded out from use even in our time: manually ejecting a device out of a computer, a-la [=CD-ROM=] drives.