What is the origin of the idiom "like a broken record" and when to use it?

The idiom "like a broken record" originated from the era of vinyl records, which could become scratched or damaged, causing the needle to skip and repeat a particular section of the music. This repetitive playback led to the metaphorical use of the phrase. It is used to describe someone who continually repeats the same thing or talks about the same subject without variation or new information.