Vinyl 

A New York music executive in the 1970s hustles to make a career out of the city's diverse music scene.

Creators:

Rich Cohen, Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese

Stars:

Bobby Cannavale, Paul Ben-Victor, P.J. Byrne

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 7 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Bobby Cannavale	...	Richie Finestra 10 episodes, 2016
Paul Ben-Victor	...	Maury Gold 10 episodes, 2016
P.J. Byrne	...	Scott Levitt 10 episodes, 2016
Max Casella	...	Julie Silver 10 episodes, 2016
Ato Essandoh	...	Lester Grimes 10 episodes, 2016
James Jagger	...	Kip Stevens 10 episodes, 2016
J.C. MacKenzie	...	Skip Fontaine 10 episodes, 2016
Jack Quaid	...	Clark Morelle 10 episodes, 2016
Ray Romano	...	Zak Yankovich 10 episodes, 2016
Birgitte Hjort Sørensen	...	Ingrid 10 episodes, 2016
Juno Temple	...	Jamie Vine 10 episodes, 2016
Olivia Wilde	...	Devon Finestra 10 episodes, 2016
Susan Heyward	...	Cece 10 episodes, 2016
Emily Tremaine	...	Heather 10 episodes, 2016
MacKenzie Meehan	...	Penny 10 episodes, 2016
Griffin Newman	...	Casper 10 episodes, 2016
Ephraim Sykes	...	Marvin 9 episodes, 2016
Thomas Gardner	...	Nolan / ... 9 episodes, 2016
Jack Doyle Smith	...	Otto / ... 9 episodes, 2016
Annie Parisse	...	Andrea Zito 8 episodes, 2016
Bo Dietl	...	Joe Corso 6 episodes, 2016
Jason Cottle	...	Detective Whorisky 6 episodes, 2016
Jay Klaitz	...	Hal Underwood 6 episodes, 2016
Belle Smith	...	Jenna Finestra 6 episodes, 2016
Michael Drayer	...	Detective Renk 5 episodes, 2016
Armen Garo	...	Corrado Galasso 5 episodes, 2016
Alex Bento	...	Ronnie Finestra 5 episodes, 2016
Robert Funaro	...	Tony Del Greco 5 episodes, 2016
Dustin Payseur	...	Duck / ... 5 episodes, 2016

Storyline

Set in the early/mid-1970s, the life and times of a record executive, Richie Finestra (played by Bobby Cannavale). His record company, American Century, has fallen on hard times and he is busy negotiating its sale to Polygram Records. We see how he started in the industry, the start of his company, its ups and downs, the casualties of his progress and what rock music means to him. Meanwhile, he is also an accessory to a murder.

---

Plot Keywords:

murder | hard times | record company | record executive | 1970s | 

---

Taglines:

He didn't see the future. He heard it.

---

Genres:

Drama | Music

---

Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 February 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bakelit

Filming Locations:

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sikelia Productions,Jagged Films,Cold Front Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

The fictional recording label American Century Records portrayed in the series is abbreviated as ACR, which is the reverse of RCA, which is a real music label owned by Sony Music.

---

Goofs

A EIKI 16mm film projector is incorrectly used. Any fully trained projectionist would notice the error, that when projecting forwards, the take-up reel correctly rotates clockwise, however the supply reel incorrectly rotates anti-clockwise. Always when screening movies on a film projector, for all 8mm/9.5mm/16mm/35mm/70mm motion picture films that are not on platters, the supply reel and the take-up reel rotate clockwise when projecting forwards, and on 8mm/9.5mm/16mm film projectors, the supply reel and the take-up reel rotate anti-clockwise when projecting the film in reverse.

---

Connections

Referenced in Close Up with the Hollywood Reporter: Drama Actors (2016)

User Reviews

Very sorry that HBO has killed this outstanding show. The negative reviews here are quite unfair.

Some people here imply that good reviews on IMDb are paid critiques. Well I hope somebody paid me to write TV shows reviews, but it is not the case.

I liked this show a lot and I regret that HBO has decided to kill it after a great first season.

Many people complain of a clichéd depiction of the rock and roll 70s, with all the drugs, the sex, the deals and rising stars. Clichés come up in the first place because they represent an established perception or behavior, so if you set the action right at the time when those behaviors were taking shape, you can't really find fault at this. It is as if you watched a movie about the Belle Epoque and you complained that women look like flappers. It's simply not fair.

I also find negative reviews are quite contradictory. While some say they have been bored, others point that the frantic atmosphere is excessive or that there are many parallel plot lines.

I get the feeling that just because many people (myself included) lived through that period, they all consider they own the "real truth" about rock-and-roll and the 70s, and so they tend to measure up the show against their own memories or experiences, and they suppose the series should have reflected their subjective imprint about the time and the culture. This is also not fair.

I liked the show quite much. The talented and experienced people who set their hands on the show did a fantastic job, the music, story, characters and performances were above standard from every point of view.

Also, the cast was magnificent, particularly Bobby Cannavale whose performative skills I have come to appreciate, having seen him on Nurse Jackie and Boardwalk Empire. He is an extraordinary actor who filled the role and even offered more.

If you are open-minded and fair, if you trust on the great team involved in The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire and other outstanding shows, please give this a try. Yes, there are drugs, sex, rock and roll, and excess everywhere, and the embrionary stages of the recording label industry which, in later years, would destroy the music we loved. It is, precisely, the whole point of the show. And it is wonderfully well portrayed.