When did stereo come to be the norm?

Buddy's Holly's first few records were mono and the second half were in
stereo. Which was like 1957-9. Is that when stereo got to be the norm
and not the exception?

Hellvis...

That's about right, for 45s. I believe the first stereo singles came
out in 1958, IIRC.

Danny Caccavo...

But they weren't the "norm" until the late '60s or early '70's.

camille...

I agree. They did not become standard until what would you say, around
1966? Certainly by late '60s, which is also when FM radio came into
fruition - you could only hear stereo on FM radio.

One exception was the Beach Boys since Brian was deaf in one ear.

Barbara & Wim Meijnen & Kombrink...

Mono was the 'norm' pretty much till the mid-late '60s. The Beatles (&
their crew) spent a lot more time on the mono-mastering of albums like
sgt. Peppers than the stereo-version.
I think the 'stereo'-stuff of Buddy Holly were later remixes.
And the deafness of Brian Wilson had nothing to do with mono; the point
of the sound in these days that it should sound terrific on
transistor-radios and one-speaker record-players.

minglewood...

And that was the main way records were sold--through the sound coming
out of mono radios (and to some extent, TVs). The mono mix was
all-important.

jlw44...

All I remember is that the first stereo only Beatles record was Magical
Mystery Tour and I made my parents go out and buy me a stereo
immediately. So that would be late 67 when I believe the mono record
was discontinued.