KANSAS CITY — As vinyl records continue to make a comeback, Hallmark Cards Inc. is releasing what it calls the first-ever vinyl record cards this Valentine’s Day.

The Hallmark Vinyl Record Card collection will include three cards with exclusive seven-inch vinyl records featuring songs from Atlantic Records artists Bruno Mars, Aretha Franklin and INXS.

“At Hallmark, we are merging music trends with greeting cards to take card giving and receiving to the next level,” stated Tom Brantman, creative director at Hallmark Greetings Innovation. “Sharing and enjoying music with others is an experience that spans all generations and brings people together in a way that other things can’t. Our vinyl record cards do just that. They offer more than a sentiment — they are a gift in themselves.”

Described as a first of their kind, each Hallmark Vinyl Record Card comes with a 45-rpm vinyl record featuring two songs from each artist built into a sleeve on card’s cover. Users just remove the record, put it on any record player and enjoy the music.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Hallmark on the launch of such an innovative product,” commented Mark Pinkus, president of Rhino Entertainment, who oversees the Atlantic Records catalog. “With the renewed popularity of vinyl, especially among younger generations, we see this as an amazing opportunity to showcase classic songs, along with current hits, to the card buying public.”

In addition to Valentine’s Day Vinyl Record Cards, Hallmark plans to launch new Vinyl Record Card designs for birthdays later this year.

Hallmark noted that Valentine’s Day is the second-largest holiday for giving greeting cards, with an estimated 114 million Valentine’s Day cards exchanged. This year, the Hallmark Valentine’s Day card collection features more than 900 designs to recognize all types of relationship,s including romantic, friendship, familial and more, the company said.