The next big thing?

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Maybe those vinyl snobs we all know and tolerate are actually on to something.

According to new data released by the Recording Industry Association of America, United States-based sales of 45s -- called "vinyl singles" in the data -- skyrocketed 99.6 percent in 2011. This is based on the retail price of units shipped, which means this only includes new discs, not used 45s.

Digital Music News reports that unit-sales increases were actually quite mild, which means 45s are suddenly fetching a bigger price tag. And that signals lots of demand ahead -- a big surprise considering the format had been in decline since 2001.

Also announced is that there seems to be a resurgence in 78s, or 10-inch vinyl records -- basically the sort of records your mother listened to, provided she was born in 1932.

The Tompkins Square label recently started releasing 78s. "A lot of new turntables play 78s, and many 78 collectors listen to their records on modern equipment," label founder Josh Rosenthal told Digital Music News. "Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe have all recently released 78s. So I thought it would be fun to start a line of them."

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