Updated January 8, 2015
Some spoken word LPs concerned news events over a particular period of time. Some were concerned with the previous year. Here are many of the sets that can be found — some more common and some quite rare.
The granddaddy is probably Edward R. Murrow’s “I Can Hear it Now” series. It was originally released in a 78 RPM set called “I Can Hear it Now 1933-1945” in 1948. Two other sets were issued, and eventually this was released in a 3 LP set covering 1919-1949. It is somewhat in demand and often sells for over $10. We have a set I got from the MLK Washington, DC Public Library when they were getting rid of a lot of spoken word LPs.
D3L-366 I Can Hear it Now
Columbia may have led the way for the LPs focusing on a particular year. “The Big News of ’57” was a two LP album. There is a fairly rare “The Big News of ’58” sometimes found for sale. “The Big News of ’59” was one LP and was narrated by Walter Cronkite.
Gateway Records did a series for Radio Press International from 1962-1964 (at least) called “History in Sound” “1962 in Review”, etc. These appear to be quite rare. Decca records released two years of “year in review” records from UPI called “Playback ’65” and “Playback ’66.”
(UPI acquired RPI, and you can listen to UPI year in review programs from 1959 to 1994 (broken up into small sound files) at this page.)
Starting with 1963, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley released “A Time to Keep.” They also released editions for 1964 and 1965. We currently have the 1964 edition.
In 1965, Associated Press started their “World in Sound” LPs, which ran until 1982. We currently have the 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1981 editions.
CBS News returned to do “year in review” records with “The Incredible Year” (1968). We have that one. Charles Kuralt also narrates 1969 and 1970 LPs.
The Longines Symphonette produced some “year in review” records for 1971-1974 (?).
Group W (Westinghouse Broadcasting Company) produced the “Perspective” series of “year in review” LPs. Each was a two record set. They say “Not for Broadcast” and “Not for Sale.” What were they for, then? They start with “Perspective ’71” and conclude with “Perspective ’78”. Each is subtitled “an aural review.” We have the 1974 and 1976 editions.
WBBM produced two “year in review” records for St. Paul Federal Savings of Chicago in 1968 and 1969. They are very professional and have something of a Chicago bent to them. The 1968 LP is called “The Impossible Year” and the 1969 is called “Prelude to the 70’s.” We have the 1969 LP.
There are others — even more obscure. There is Collier’s Encyclopedia 1965 Edition Year-in-Sound LP, and others like that. Most of them did not have very long runs, though.