Records?

OK, I have to clear something up here. When I'm on the radio, I use the term "records" quite a bit. I just received an email from a listener that doesn't seem too down with it. That's fine. I really do appreciate her response and the fact that she cares enough to drop me a line, but I had to state my case...

So here's the email. (name withheld, of course)
"individual songs are NOT records. In fact, I doubt much of what you play even comes from actual records. Get this straight: you play TRACKS off of CDS."

And my response.
"Record" can also be short for "recording," so a record can be an individual song. Also, at the Grammys, there is an award given for "Record of the Year," and that is an individual song. From Wikipedia, which, I know isn't ALWAYS spot on, but still.... "Record of the Year is awarded for a single or for one track from an album. This award goes to the performing artist, the producer, recording engineer, and/or mixer for that song. In this sense, 'record' means a recording of one song, not the composition or an album of songs. Often, the nominees and winners of this song represent the most successful songs of the year."

And with XRT having a massive vinyl library that we still use, I really do enjoy using the term "record." I know it's an older term, but DJs making their own playlists is an older concept as well, so it seems to fit. I've thought about this long and hard. If you say "CD," that's not entirely correct, because many people now download digital files, so, like you suggest, if I talk about the new "CD" from U2, that wouldn't be entirely correct. If someone bought the physical CD at Best Buy or wherever people buy those things nowadays, then yes, "CD" would be the right thing to say. But if someone downloaded "No Line On The Horizon" from iTunes, then they wouldn't have the new "CD" from U2, they'd have the new "release," or preferably the new "album" from U2 in digital form.

When I first came to XRT, I thought it was so cool being at a place that still let the DJs make the final call on what they play and when. It seems like such a throwback, but at the same time, we still play bands that other commercial stations won't touch, like Animal Collective, LCD Soundsystem, and Fleet Foxes to name a few. It's old school AND forward thinking at the same time, so maybe me using the term "record" as much as I do is a tribute to the classic format and style that still prevail at XRT.

Thanks for caring enough to write...

Your thoughts?